1 Reading
a Read the article. Are the sentences true or false?
1 The woman has the same opinions as most other people.
2 She has noticed an imbalance in communication.
3 The experiment involved the couple not communicating for a day.
4 It was a positive experience for them.
5 Technology has made us forget our priorities.
6 We don’t need technology.
Face-to-face texting
A lot of people think that technology brings people closer together, but I’m not so sure. People spend so much time texting and looking at computer screens that they hardly ever speak to one another. This made me think and I decided to do a little experiment.
One day my husband and I decided not to speak to each other at all. We could email, text, etc. but we couldn’t actually communicate in words. So, at breakfast he sent me a text to ask if I wanted any more toast and I replied that I didn’t but I wouldn’t mind another cup of tea.
We both thought it was funny at first, but things got more complicated as the day went on. For example, a friend phoned me about a special party she was organising. I had to text my husband for about 20 minutes to discuss everything.
The whole thing made me appreciate that nothing can replace face-to-face communication – talking to each other. Communication may be easier because of technology, but people aren’t machines. We sometimes forget that simple things are often the most important in life.
b Read the article again and tick (✓) the best ending for the sentences.
1 The purpose of the first paragraph is …
a to explain the writer’s motivation. ✓
b to compare different types of communication.
c to introduce a theory about communication.
2 The main rule of the experiment was that they …
a had to communicate as little as possible.
b couldn’t say anything to each other.
c needed to explain things very simply.
3 The point about breakfast is that …
a making meals involves technology.
b it was an amusing situation.
c everything was so simple.
4 The rest of the day showed that the experiment …
a needed to continue for longer.
b only worked until a friend got involved.
c was not as easy as they thought.
5 She texted her husband to discuss …
a plans for a party.
b the effectiveness of the experiment.
c her friend’s communication problems.
6 The conclusion is that …
a the experiment was mostly a failure.
b technology has changed relationships between people.
c speaking is still an effective kind of communication.
Answer
a True: 2, 5; False: 1, 3, 4, 6
b 2 b 3 b 4 c 5 a 6 c
2 Writing Skills – Organising an article
Read the tips (1-8) for writing an article. Is the advice good or bad? Tick (✓) the correct box.
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When you’re writing an article … |
Good |
Bad |
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1 plan the structure of your article before you start writing it. |
✓ |
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2 write the article in your own language first, then translate it. |
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3 write short paragraphs with one or two sentences. |
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4 include questions to engage the reader. |
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5 use a dictionary to find interesting words and phrases. |
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6 use linking words and expressions to join ideas. |
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7 evaluate ideas – write what you think about them. |
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8 check your writing when you have finished. |
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Answer
2 Bad 3 Bad 4 Good 5 Good
6 Good 7 Good 8 Good
3 Writing
Imagine that for one week you had to walk or cycle to get around, rather than use a car or public transport. Write an article about your experience. Use the notes to help you, and your own ideas.
Introduction: how you usually get around, your feelings about walking / cycling vs. cars / public transport
Your experience: good things (exercise, see interesting things, cheaper)
Your experience: difficulties (takes longer, bad weather, dangerous?)
Evaluation: walking / cycling better in some situations, should use cars / public transport less
Answer
Suggested answer
I live in a small town but I use my car to get to work and do the shopping because it’s easier. I walk short distances, usually when my husband has the car, but I never cycle, so naturally this was a new experience for me!
Both walking and cycling are great exercise and surprisingly I really enjoyed the week because I saw lots of interesting things that I never usually notice. Quite a few other people were walking and cycling too, so it was quite sociable. I also saved a lot of money because petrol is so expensive.
Inevitably, there were some problems. I needed more time to get to work, and one day it rained and that wasn’t much fun on my bike. Unfortunately, cycling can be dangerous even in small towns because of all the traffic.
It was an interesting experience, but I think in modern life we do need to make use of cars and public transport because they are so convenient. We could probably use them less and this would be good for our health and the environment.