Close-up p 77. City Living. Extra Oral Mediation

A friend of yours from England is thinking about starting a business in your area. While doing his research, he came across these pictures on Google. He shares them with you and asks you some questions about them. You decide to send your friend a voice message with an explanation of 3 minutes.

1. Are there cycle lanes in your area?  Would you like to have a cycle hub where you live? How could it promote and facilitate cycling?   
2. Is public transport working well in your area? Do you think that the idea of having a tram in your area is feasible? What are the merits and demerits of your public transport? Do commuters use it? 
3. Do you think that the science and technology parks where you live are a haven for start-ups. Are they essential in order to promote innovation? Are they prosperous in your area? What about industrial estates? Is the central business district in your area thriving? 
4. Has the high street been hit hard by the recession? What is being done to make it more affluent? 
5. Does your town offer a great variety of local amenities? Do they enhance the citizens' quality of life? What leisure facilities does your town boast?  
6. Have the eras of boom and bust produced any white elephants in your area? Have any of these buildings experienced abandonment? Can you think of a building that you would regard as a blot on the landscape?
7. Is your city able to host major international events? Does it have the infrastructure?
8. What areas of your town are currently undergoing urban regeneration? What are the benefits and problems of gentrification where you live? 
9. Do you have the problem of traffic congestion in your town? Have tolls been introduced?
10. Do you think your towns is fast becoming a concrete jungle and a highly congested place? Do you think there should be more green spaces? What else do you think should be done? Do you think building more ring roads could solve the problem?
11. Is the A&E department in your area overstretched? Are there other overstretched services in your region as a consequence of cutbacks in public spending?
12. In the 1970s we did our shopping at family-run retailers like the butcher's, the baker's, the greengrocer's or the newsagent's. Nowadays when a big-box store opens, smaller retailers often go out of business. What are the benefits and drawbacks of such a sweeping change? Would people in your area welcome a boutique shop?

Close-up p 77. What Makes Us Happy. Oral Mediation

 

You have been asked to participate in a class debate about happiness. You come across two articles about this topic and you decide to use their ideas to introduce the subject to the class. 

 

In our class debate it would be interesting to explore the concept of what brings happiness, but with (1)_________________ (CONTRAST) views.

On the one hand sometimes it has been argued that happiness is something that can be bought. This idea suggests that material (2)__________________ (POSSESS) such as (3)______________ (LUXURY) residences and expensive cars, as well as experiences such as frequent holidays, are enough to make people happy. Furthermore, many believe that if these have been acquired through hard work, they are deserved rewards. In addition, some may say that if these (4)______________ (TRAP) of wealth are a cause for envy, then those who are (5)________________ (ENVY) should consider working hard themselves for the same benefits. As I see it, not all wealth is accrued (6)___________ (HONESTY) or through hard work, and when it is (7)________________ (FLAUNT) as well, it naturally causes (8)______________ (IRATE). It should also be noted that not everyone has the opportunity to get ahead in life, no matter how hard they work.

On the other hand many others express the view that people are (9)_____________ (INCREASE) equating wealth with happiness and that this is (10)________________ (FLAW). They argue that a trouble-free life filled with leisure is no substitute for the things that bring real happiness, the most important of which is friendship. It should be noted that friends can be relied on to give a hand whenever it is needed. Sometimes it has also even been claimed that the (11)_____________ (WEALTH) can never truly know if their friends like them for themselves or for their money. I am inclined to agree with these views. It has become obvious that greed is (12)______________ (RAMPANTLY), and that wealth is considered more important than health or friendship, for example.

All in all, it seems to me that wealth can bring a (13)________________ (MEASURABLY) of happiness, but it is no substitute for friendship.

 

KEY

 

1. contrasting

/kənˈtrɑːstɪŋ/ very different in style, colour or attitude

• bright, contrasting colours
• The book explores contrasting views of the poet's early work

 

 

 

2. possessions

 

 

3. luxurious  

 

 

 

 

4. trappings

trappings (of something) the possessions, clothes, etc. that are connected with a particular situation, job or social position. Sp. Los adornos de

(paraphernalia)

she was seduced by the trappings of office — se dejó seducir por toda la ceremonia que conlleva el cargo

 

• They enjoyed all the trappings of wealth.
• the trappings of fame/power/success

 

 

 

5. envious

 

 

 

6. honestly

accrue: /əˈkruː/to increase over a period of time

• Interest will accrue if you keep your money in a savings account.
• accrue (to somebody) (from something) economic benefits accruing to the country from tourism

accrue something to allow a sum of money or debts to grow over a period of time synonym accumulate

• The firm had accrued debts of over $6m.
• The money was placed in a special account to accrue interest.

 

 

 

 

7. flaunted

flaunt something to show something you are proud of to other people, in order to impress them. Sp. alardear.

• He did not believe in flaunting his wealth.
• She openly flaunted her affair with the senator.
• openly flaunting their wealth

  

 

 

 

8. ire /ˈaɪə(r)/
anger

to arouse/raise/provoke the ire of local residents

 

 

 

 

9. increasingly

 

 

 

10. flawed

/flɔːd/

spoiled by having mistakes, weaknesses, or by being damaged. Sp. con fallos/defectos

  a flawed concept

fatally/fundamentally/deeply etc flawed  

The research behind this report is seriously flawed.   

 

 

11. wealthy

 

 

 

12. rampant

(of something bad) existing or spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled

• rampant inflation/corruption
• Unemployment is now rampant in most of Europe.

 

 

 

13. measure

 

measure of something 

a particular amount of something, especially a fairly large amount synonym degree

Sp. algo de

      He had just a measure of curiosity about the subject.      Sp. Tenía algo de curiosidad por ese tema.

• A measure of technical knowledge is desirable in this job.
• She achieved some measure of success with her first book.
• It was a success, containing equal measures of unbridled anarchy and infantile fun.

    

Entire text

 

In our class debate it would be interesting to explore the concept of what brings happiness, but with contrasting views.

On the one hand sometimes it has been argued that happiness is something that can be bought. This idea suggests that material possessions such as luxurious residences and expensive cars, as well as experiences such as frequent holidays, are enough to make people happy. Furthermore, many believe that if these have been acquired through hard work, they are deserved rewards. In addition, some may say that if these trappings of wealth are a cause for envy, then those who are envious should consider working hard themselves for the same benefits. As I see it, not all wealth is accrued honestly or through hard work, and when it is flaunted as well, it naturally causes ire. It should also be noted that not everyone has the opportunity to get ahead in life, no matter how hard they work.

On the other hand many others express the view that people are increasingly equating wealth with happiness and that this is flawed. They argue that a trouble-free life filled with leisure is no substitute for the things that bring real happiness, the most important of which is friendship. It should be noted that friends can be relied on to give a hand whenever it is needed. Sometimes it has also even been claimed that the wealthy can never truly know if their friends like them for themselves or for their money. I am inclined to agree with these views. It has become obvious that greed is rampant, and that wealth is considered more important than health or friendship, for example.

All in all, it seems to me that wealth can bring a measure of happiness, but it is no substitute for friendship.

 

Close-up p 77. City Living. Oral Mediation. Word Formation

You have been asked to participate in a class debate about city living. You come across two articles about this topic and you decide to use their ideas to introduce the subject to the class. 

In our class debate it would be interesting to explore the concept of cities as environments in which people can achieve success, but with (1)__________________ (CONTRAST) views.

On the one hand we should consider that cities offer (2)______________ (FERTILITY) ground for (3)____________________ (DEVELOP) in any number of professions for those who are driven to succeed. Not only do cities offer (4)_______________ (COUNT) opportunities, but because they attract the best of the best, (5)____________________ (COMPETE) plays a role in pushing others to keep up and therefore also succeed. It should also be asserted that competing against talented individuals provides us with a chance to learn. I am inclined to agree with this. We cannot deny that most careers are (6)______________ (FORGE) in cities and that being around (7)_____________ (SUCCESS) people brings about a desire to do better. Nevertheless, it should be noted that competition is not always (8)________________ (HEALTH) and it can result in (9)___________________ (SCRUPLE) behaviour.

On the other hand it should be noted that expectations are not always met and that this gives rise to some very (10)__________________ (DESIRE) outcomes for city (11)_____________ (DWELL). As a matter of fact, (12)_________________ (FAIL) is made worse when it is measured against the success of others; some of whom like to flaunt their (13)_________________ (ACCOMPLISH). In addition, I would like to put forward the idea that fallen ambitions can trigger depression and rob people of their will to succeed, as well as lead to crime. There is no doubt in my mind that cities can be tough places to (14)_________________ (PURSUIT) one's dreams. Competition is intense due to so many people (15)______________ (VIE) for the same career opportunities, and expectations are often (16)___________________ (REAL).

All things considered, cities are where careers are built and will always appeal to people hungry for success. However, success is not guaranteed, and people should (17)________________ (ASSESS) their goals on a regular basis in order to avoid the (18)______________________ (DISAPPOINT) of failure.

 

KEY

 

1. contrasting

/kənˈtrɑːstɪŋ/ very different in style, colour or attitude

• bright, contrasting colours
• The book explores contrasting views of the poet's early work

 

 

2. fertile /ˈfɜːtaɪl/

 

 

 

3. development 

 

 

 

4. countless  

 

 

 

5. competition  

 

 

 

6. forged 

 

 

7. successful 

 

 

 

8. healthy 

 

 

 

9. unscrupulous 

scruple: /ˈskruːpl/ a feeling that prevents you from doing something that you think may be morally wrong

• I overcame my moral scruples.
• He had no scruples about spying on her.
• She is totally without scruple.

 

 

 

10. undesirable 

 

 

 

11. dwellers 

 

 

 

12. failure 

 

 

 

13. accomplishments

flaunt something to show something you are proud of to other people, in order to impress them. Sp. alardear.

• He did not believe in flaunting his wealth.
• She openly flaunted her affair with the senator.
• openly flaunting their wealth

 

 

 

 

14. pursue /pəˈsjuː/

pursuit /pəˈsjuːt/  

 

 

 

15. vying

vie: /vaɪ/ to compete strongly with somebody in order to obtain or achieve something.

 

 

 

16. unrealistic

• vie (with somebody) (for something) She was surrounded by men all vying for her attention.
• The boys would vie with each other to impress her.
• They are all vying for a place in the team.
• a row of restaurants vying with each other for business
• vie (to do something) Screaming fans vied to get closer to their idol

 

 

 

17. reassess

reassess something to think again about something to decide if you need to change your opinion of it . E.g. After reassessing the situation, she decided to do nothing.

 

 

 

18. disappointment 

Entire text:

In our class debate it would be interesting to explore the concept of cities as environments in which people can achieve success, but with contrasting views.

On the one hand we should consider that cities offer fertile ground for development in any number of professions for those who are driven to succeed. Not only do cities offer countless opportunities, but because they attract the best of the best, competition plays a role in pushing others to keep up and therefore also succeed. It should also be asserted that competing against talented individuals provides an opportunity to learn. I am inclined to agree with this. We cannot deny that most careers are forged in cities and that being around successful people brings about a desire to do better. Nevertheless, it should be noted that competition is not always healthy and it can result in unscrupulous behaviour.

On the other hand it should be noted that expectations are not always met and that this gives rise to some very undesirable outcomes for city dwellers. As a matter of fact, failure is made worse when it is measured against the success of others; some of whom like to flaunt their accomplishments. In addition, I would like to put forward the idea that fallen ambitions can trigger depression and rob people of their will to succeed, as well as lead to crime. There is no doubt in my mind that cities can be tough places to pursue one's dreams. Competition is intense due to so many people vying for the same career opportunities, and expectations are often unrealistic.

All things considered, cities are where careers are built and will always appeal to people hungry for success. However, success is not guaranteed, and people should reassess their goals on a regular basis in order to avoid the disappointment of failure.

Close-up p 77. Commenting on a Story. Written Mediation

WRITTEN MEDIATION

In a written mediation activity, the student will be presented with some kind of information (input) that s/he will have to interpret, and produce some kind of text with it. This input can be given in various forms such as a written text, a chart, a graph, an infographic, images, etc.

In the same way, the outcome of the mediation may be presented in different ways; for instance, an email, an article, a comment,.... The student should respect the structure and peculiarities of the type of writing s/he has been asked to do. 

All kinds of mediation have some features in common. Any mediation activity needs a context. The scenario describes a situation (in which we have to intervene), the people involved, the purpose of the mediation and the final product. Read it thoroughly and consider:

1.    What is the situation? Circumstances in which you have to mediate.

2.    What are you requested to do? Transmit information, explain data, express your opinion...

3.    What is the purpose of it? What is your goal? Help someone with a problem, give your opinion in a blog...

4.    Who are the participants? Who is your writing aimed at? To whom? An institution, your friend, a blog...

5.    What is the final product you’ve been asked? A comment, an article, an email...

 

After having the questions above clear, focus on the input given. These are basic questions you need to answer before starting writing, but keep in mind that the answer doesn’t always have to be ‘yes’.

a)    What information should Iselect for my goal?You do not need to use all the information.

b)    Should I use my previous knowledge and relate it to it?

c)    Should I give examples to facilitate a better understanding?

d)    Should I add any extra information that may be important or may help in the mediation?

e)    Should I deconstruct complicated information? i.e.use bullet points.

f)       What style, tone and register should I adopt?Type of writing and who it is aimed at (formal vs informal)

g)    How am I going to organize my writing in order to make it coherent? Think of the number of paragraphs and what type of linking expressions you may need.

h)    What type of vocabulary and grammar structures should I use?

i)      Am I respecting the length required?

 

A COMMENT

A comment is a remark expressing an opinion, a reaction or an explanation. In general, comments comply with the style of an opinion essay.

Structure of a comment

1. Title: find an appropriate title.

2. Introduction: use the introduction to get the reader's attention and interest in the topic. Present the topic you are going to discuss and provide a short overview on what you think and why. If it is a literary comment, present the story briefly (put the topic into context) and go straight to the question.

3. Body: give reasons for your opinion. Concentrate on one main point per paragraph. What to write exactly, depends on the task:

a)    Comment: state your opinion and give examples and arguments that support your opinion. statement – reason – example

b)    Compare: find common and distinct features. Draw conclusions.

c) Criticize: find advantages and disadvantages. Comment on somebody's opinion.

d)    Discuss: analyse all aspects of a problem (What is …? / Is it okay to …?)

e)    Evaluate: analyse a problem.Show advantages and disadvantages.

f)     Justify: support an opinion. Show advantages.

4. Conclusion: Summarize the most important arguments that best support your opinion.

Tips for writing a good comment

1. Think about the topic first. What's your opinion? What arguments can you use to support your ideas?  

2. Plan the paragraphs you are going to write. 

3. Select the information you are going to write about. Summarize or paraphrase what you find important. DO NOT JUST COPY 

4. Decide whether you need to resort to previous knowledge, include examples or add extra information in order to develop your arguments.  

5. Use a relatively formal register and an objective tone. Don’t be too emotional. It is more effective to write in an informative, convincing and professional way that enables to get your message across.

6. Use phrases and linking expressions common in an opinion essay.

7. If you do not have solid evidence for your ideas, use modal verbs such as might, may or could.

8. Try to use challenging and relevant vocabulary. Use natural-sounding collocations. 

9. Avoid repetition by using synonyms or words with similar meanings.

TASK

Write about the following topic (190-200 words)

At the beginning of the year you joined the school’s online Reading Group for C2. Your assignment this week was to read the micro-story “With One Wheel Gone Wrong”. Your host has posted the following questions:
How would you describe the main character, in terms of lifestyle and personality?
What do you think the magazine means for her?
Write your comment on the group’s blog.

With One Wheel Gone Wrong 
By A.M. Homes

With one wheel gone wrong, she careens into the checkout line. A perfect shopper, she prides herself on sailing the circulars, clipping coupons, buying in bulk. Her basket is overflowing with catnip and kitty litter, Pull-Ups and pomegranates—plenty of all. She takes a magazine out of the rack; there's a spot to scratch, an offer she can't resist—"Got an itch you can't identify, don't know what you want, let this be your moment." The background photo is of a beautiful house with everything just as you would want it to be—untouched by reality. She scratches; her finger is quickly coated with gold powder and under that is something a little sticky—tugging at her. It is as though she is being pulled into the magazine. A sudden burst of light, an explosion of inspiration, a fleeting illumination, and she is inside the picture and it is clear—this is her house, this is who she is, the life she is supposed to live. It is incredible—she's seeing not only the future but the pathway there—and it's a new kind of floor tile—you just put one foot in front of the other, don't stop, and watch where you're going. And then, as though in a faraway dream, she hears the scanner beeping, she hears the checker say, "Are you taking that magazine?" Drawing a deep breath, she pulls herself back into the checkout line. She takes every copy of the magazine out of the rack. "I'll take all you've got," she says. "Paper or plastic?"

Vocabulary
careen: /kəˈriːn/
(of a person or vehicle) to move forward very quickly especially in a way that is dangerous or shows a loss of control.
sail: control a ship
circular: /ˈsɜːkjələ(r)/ a letter, notice or advertisement that is sent to a large number of people at the same time. E.g. The company will dispatch a circular to its shareholders giving details of the takeover.
catnip: (also catmint /ˈkætmɪnt/) a plant that has white flowers with purple spots, leaves covered with small hairs and a smell that is attractive to cats. Sp.  nébeda.
Litter: a dry substance that is put in a shallow open box for pets, especially cats, to use as a toilet when they are indoors. E.g. cat litter, kitty litter.
pull-up (also pull-ups): A disposable nappy with an elasticated waistband enabling it to be pulled up and worn like underpants, typically worn by children during potty training. E.g.‘now she only wears a pull-up at bedtime’,‘start the process gradually by swapping their nappy for a pair of pull-ups’
itch: a strong desire to do something. E.g. She has an itch to travel.
tug: to pull something hard, often several times. E.g. tug (at/on something) (Sp. tirar de) She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention.
fleeting: brief 
draw breath: to pause for a moment to take a breath or breathe more slowly.
paper or plastic: cash vs. credit card.

Useful language

Introduction

The purpose of this comment is to analyse...
A.M. Homes with this story tries to describe/ examine/ show
With One Wheel Gone Wrong illustrates/shows.. 
It is obviously a metaphor for something bigger.
The theme of the story is...

Sequencing
Firstly/In the first place / To begin with, …To start with, I should point out that ...

Secondly/A second area to consider is …

Another point to remember is ...
Last but not least, I would like to add that...

Opinion and speculation

Personally I feel that ... Let me explain why.
As I see it, … The reason is ...
It seems to me that… This is because ...
She appears/seems to be ....

Her greatest love seems to be ...

What she loves most in life is likely to be ...

She might spend all her time ... -ing. I would argue that for the following reasons:
She could be described as an impulsive/impetuous shopper.   

I feel very strongly that ...

I am convinced that ...

I am inclined to believe that...

I am of the opinion that ...

The reasons why I believe that she is a compulsive/inveterate shopper are as follows:...

I think it is true that ...
In my view,  she seems totally absorbed in the magazine.

It is questionable whether …
It beggars belief how things could have got this bad for her.
She showed a lack of common sense that beggars belief. 

beggar belief: to be too extreme to believe. Sp. absolutamente increíble.

Her behaviour is really unusual in the sense that...

I am sure/I doubt whether …

It is true that ... On the other hand, ...

While nobody can deny that ... , I would like to point out that …
At first sight she....,but in fact she...

I agree that …For all that, she...

Although it is true that , we must  take into account that...

It could be argued that … However, I would like to point out that ...

Despite all the arguments, I still feel that ...

Notwithstanding the suggestion that she may have left without paying for the magazine, I would argue that this was not her intention.

It may be true that ... . However, ...

In no way would I agree that she is a shoplifter.

Surely it is completely unacceptable that she was leaving without paying for the magazine. Nevertheless, she makes up for it when she goes back to the queue and pays for all the magazines.

I am sure you will agree that…

Surely you must agree that…

I was extremely impressed by…

What is particularly spectacular/interesting is…

I would like to stress that...

It should be noted that...

It is worth bearing in mind that... 

I was rather disappointed by…

My overall impression was that …

On the whole, it appears/seems that ...

In general,…

Generally speaking,… 
Broadly speaking,
By and large, she was pretty well-behaved as she was so impervious to anything surrounding her.

Annoyingly,…  

Naturally,…  

Strangely,… 

Surprisingly,… 

Evidently,…

Indeed,… 
In fact,… 

Admittedly, she was leaving without paying for the magazine.

Admittedly: /ədˈmɪtɪdli/ used when you are accepting that something is true. Sp. cierto es que, ciertamente.

Presumably,...
Presumably: /prɪˈzjuːməbli/ used to say that you think that something is probably true. Sp. Supuestamente

I am sure that readers will thoroughly enjoy ... 

While some people will love ... , others may feel less happy.

A major problem is that ...

I was less happy with ...
Her reaction/behaviour struck me as odd. She struck me as being...

strike somebody as something: to give somebody a particular impression.
On reflection, I think the character of this story...
It is clear that the magazine shows her what she aspires to. For her it seems to be the springboard to her lifelong ambitions.

We must take into account the fact that ....

It goes without saying that ...

Needless to say,

The woman in the story seemed oblivious to what was going on around her. This means that she was engrossed with the ad on the magazine.

She imagines herself already stepping on the floor tiles of the house in the magazine. This is largely due to the fact that she might have for long reflected on what she would like her dream house to be like. 

Paraphrasing 
In other words, she seems to be obsessed with the magazine and the house depicted in it. 

Or, to put it another way, she...

What I mean by that is that she ...

Intention and motivation
The voice of the narrator leads us to believe...

The writer explores different aspects of human nature.

The writer experiments in terms of ambitions and motivation.

The author of the story seems to believe that...

According to the author/story...

As far as the author is concerned,...

The motivation/intention of the author is to make the reader aware of... 
It could be argued that this story epitomises the impact of capitalism on a woman. 
epitomise: epitomize something to be a perfect example of something. 
The story is a good illustration of how capitalism can exert a strong influence on our minds.
It's a story strongly reminiscent of  my adolescence, when I used to be carried away by the sales and offers.
Her experiences resonate powerfully with readers, living, as many do, in a similar situation.
resonate (with somebody/something) to remind somebody of something; to be similar to what somebody thinks or believes. 
reminiscent of somebody/something: reminding you of somebody/something

Engaging the reader
Have you ever wondered what life would be like without dreams and passions? ...
Doesn’t she just make all of us feel more positive about our own aspirations?
Have you ever had a secret ambition?
Have you ever wondered...?
What would your life be like if...? 
What would you do if...?
Are you one of those people who tend to act on impulse? 
Isn't it extraordinary how/that...? 
Imagine if/ what...
Suppose that she had a difficult childhood,
Let us suppose, for example, that she suffers from... 
 

Addition
In addition...
What is more...
Besides...
Moreover...
Furthermore...
In addition to being absent-minded, she...
As well as behaving childishly, she...

Conclusion
All things considered, I believe that ... 

All in all, I think that ...

On balance, it seems to me that...

To finish with, I would like to say that...

Finally, ...

To sum up, I believe that ...

In conclusion, her actions suggest that ...