2.14 Self-test A Discussion

Social purpose:

Should the number of cars in the CBD be limited?
Text structure   Language features
Paragraph 1. 6First, I 2believe that the city council 5should reduce the number of 1cars that can enter the CBD.  
Paragraph 2. For so long now, everyone 2has been informed about 3the lethal dangers of 4car pollution and traffic congestion in the CBD 7but 6so far the city council has taken no steps to solve these problems. The adoption of the larger family 1vehicles, especially the four-wheel drive, has added to the danger of 1people's exposure to carbon monoxide and other pathogens, 7and, 7because a greater number of larger 1cars seem to be coming into the city, 4the noise and fuel consumption levels have risen dramatically. 1.

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Paragraph 3. 6However, environmental research done in Canada in 1995, showed that if people in the 1city used their cars 30% less, 4the levels of gas emission and noise would be reduced by 30% within 3-5 years. 6So people wanting to go into the CBD should choose some form of public transport. It could be both safe and reduce the hassle of travel. Of course, the government 5must be able 2to guarantee not only safety but efficiency. A further means of reducing cars in the CBD would be car pools. 7If some live out of reach of public transport and work in the city, they 5could form car pools with other people who need to travel to the city each day. 6Lastly, the council 5should place a limit on cars in the CBD on any one day and so force people to 2think about an alternative means of transport.

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Paragraph 4. 6On the other hand, people like 4the 3privacy and convenience of their own transport and would want to 2claim that it is more efficient than public transport, in spite of the dangers of pollution. Especially today, they can see long delays and staffing problems with all kinds of public transport which would, they 2argue, interfere with their lives. 6Also, they argue that four-wheel drives are chosen for families because they are safer than the ordinary 1vehicles, and maybe, even safer than public transport. 6Moreover, they believe that car pools 5could be more trouble than they are worth.  
Paragraph 5. 6In summary, I 2suppose it is more likely 7that, 7because so many people tend to 2consider their own needs first and do not like being inconvenienced, they will oppose strongly any move by the city council to put limits on cars in the CBD. 6However, I still hold that the city council should not let such considerations stop them from taking a decision to change the regulations.  

Self test 1 - Discussion

1. The social purpose of a discussion is to:
a) entertain or inform
b) describe or classify natural, manufactured and/or social phenomenat
c)explore various perspectives before coming to a decision
d) narrate an incident

II. See if you can indicate the functions of the various stages of the discussion:

2) Paragraph 1:
a) general statement of classification
b) identification of the issue
c) summary of information presented
d) statement of position

3. Paragraphs 2 - 3:
a) argument for the case
b) background information
c)record of eventsd
d) explanation sequence

4. Paragraph 4:
a) further background information
b) argument against the case
c) description- behavioural characteristics
d) summary of information presented

5. Paragraph 5:
a) summary of information presented
b) statement of significance
c) conclusion and recommendation
d) reinforcement of position statement

III. See if you can answer the questions about the typical language features of discussions:
6. What kinds of nouns are: cars, vehicles, people's, city?
a) abstract
b) technical
c) general

7. How would you name the following nouns?
dangers, congestion, levels, transport:
a) technical
b) living
c) abstract
d) collective

8. What are the following?
the lethal dangers of car pollution and traffic congestion
the levels of gas emission and noise:
a) adverbial phrases
b) extended noun groups
c) adjectival clauses

9. What kinds of verbs are the following: informed, guarantee, claim, argue?
a) sensing
b) saying
c) thinkings
d) relating

10. What kinds of verbs are the following: Believe, suppose, consider:
a) saying
b) sensing
c) thinking
d) action

11. What would you call the following? should, must, could:
a) adverbs
b) connectors
c) modals
d) prepositions

12. See if you know the difference between the kinds of functions of the words in each of the two groups below:

Group 1:
first, however, moreover, lastly, on the other hand, so far, so, in summary,also

Group 2:
because, if, but, and, that

a) group one connect sentences and group two connect clauses
b) group one are adverbs and group two connect clauses
c) modals
d) group one are adverbial phrases and group two are prepositions


Score = /12
Correct answers:

Explanations to Self-Test