Lesson eight

• Essay general comments• Numbers and dates• Connectives• Text discussion

General comments

Clear thesis statement Indicate clearly at the beginning what the main conflict or problem is that you will discuss in your essay. Preferably indicate your view as a thesis statement.

Text structureBefore you start writing you need to have a good idea of what your main points are going to be and what each paragraph is going to express. Make sure there is a main thread running through the text. Ensure that the conclusion is supported by the previous text.

General comments

Adhere to word limitMake sure you stick to the restriction on the number of words. Part of the skill of writing is to be able to adapt your writing the the format required.

Collocation

when exposing your privacyan attempt to increase our security would break our privacy

violate/invade/compromise/theaten our privacy

Usage

Those who opposed were obviated...

obviate /ˈɒbvɪeɪt/ ▶ verb 

[with obj.] remove (a need or difficulty): the presence of roller blinds obviated the need for curtains. avoid or prevent (something ■undesirable): a parachute can be used to obviate disaster.

Usage

They rolled up and down perfectly and their presence obviated the need for curtains.

the need for longhand notes is obviated

The planning of operations by those who are going to carry them out, obviates delay and misunderstandings

Security and control are two words that ring bad in people's ears.

Those words ring hollow in my ears.Those words have a negative ring

Usage

Individuals have little chance to understand or let alone prevent this spying.

Individuals have little chance to understand or prevent this spying.Individuals have little chance to understand, let alone prevent this spying.

Vocabulary

when it comes to controlling data and information about people

when it comes to monitoring data and information about people

Unclear reference

If only society were to embrace the security and comfort these devices bring, instead of rebelling against it.

As for the larger database revealed by Edward Snowden, we really have no idea how well this works because it is supposed to be a secret.

Dangling participles

It is well known that websites store your information when using their services.

Looking around the yard, dandelions sprouted in every corner.

It is well known that websites store your information when you use their services.

Redundancy

The actual piece of news appears to be the fact that the government has access to all this information.

The actual news appears to be that the government has access to all this information.

Numbers, figures, dates104 A hundred and four/ One hundred and four 0.265 Zero point two six five (AmE), Nought point two six five (BrE) 1,199 One thousand one hundred and ninety-nine ¾ Three-quarters 123/451

One hundred and twenty-three over four hundred and fifty-one

Numbers, figures, dates1,000,000,000A thousand million/A billion (BrE), A billion (AmE) 625

Sixty-two (raised) to the power of five, Sixty-two (raised) to the fifth power, The fifth power/degree of sixty-two 137,567.022One hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred and sixty-seven point oh two two They grew up in the 1930s. They grew up in the nineteen thirties

Numbers, figures, datesShe was born on 23/4 1945.She was born on the twenty-third of April, nineteen forty-five. (BrE)She was born on April twenty third, nineteen forty-five. (AmE) 1lb = 0.45 kg approxOne pound equals/is/is equal to nought point four five kilograms approximately The price has risen 0.7%The price has risen nought point seven per cent 4.9.03 (GB) The fourth of September two thousand and three 4/9/03 (US) April ninth two thousand and three

Numbers, figures, datesTel: 081-483-2911Telephone number oh eight one, four eight three, two nine one one /BrE double one 33 + 5 = 38Thirty-three plus five equals thirty-eight, Thirty-three and five is/are thirty-eight 6 x 3 = 18Six multiplied by three equals eighteen, six times three is eighteen Cylinder capacity was 250ccCylinder capacity was two hundred and fifty cubic centimetres

Numbers, figures, datesThe temperature was 13.7°C.The temperature was thirteen point three degrees Centigrade (Celsius). ≤ 45Less than or equal to forty-five The goods are packed in cases 1.5 x 0.8 x 0.65m.The goods are packed in cases one point five by nought point eight by nought point six five metres. The capacity is thus approx. 0.8m³ per case.The capacity is thus approximately nought point eight cubic metres per case.

Numbers, figures, datesRe your invoice no 765/14CIn the matter of /with reference to your invoice number seven six five stroke (AmE slash) one four [si:] You owe me $28.60You owe me twenty-eight dollars and sixty cents; you owe me twenty-eight dollars sixty. A rent of £28/m² is the going rate in this area.A rent of twenty-eight pounds per square meter is the going rate in this area.

The bus measured 13 yds, 2´ and 5´´.The bus measured thirteen yards two feet and five inches

Numbers, figures, dates

The sun stood 31°, 44’ and 56” above the horizon.The sun stood thirty-one degrees, forty-four minutes and fifty-six seconds above the horizon. The latest model can do 54 mpg at a steady 50mphThe latest model can do fifty-four miles per gallon at a steady fifty miles per hour Their turnover now exceeds $2.5m p.aTheir turnover now exceeds two point five million per annum.

Wigan beat Chelsea 3-0 in the Premier League.Wigan beat Chelsea (BrE) three nil/three to nil/three to nothing (AmE) three to nothing/three nothing in the Premier League Serena lost to her sister, Venus 6-0, 6-4 in the tennis matchSerena lost to Venus six love six four in the tennis match

Connectives

There was no longer any abdominal pain. However, the patient experienced low back pain and cramps in the legs. Both the doctor and the patient agreed on the treatment. The patient, however, wanted to start the treatment earlier. Before you decide to be a soldier, you have to read these books. *Before becoming deputy chairman of the Defence Council under Gorbachev. Baklanov had been in the CPSU secretariat.

ConnectivesHe previously worked in the Ministry of Finance. He comes, therefore, with a great deal of experience and expertise. They even had food for a day or two. Nevertheless, he was not relaxed. The organization has both limited powers and limited funds. Furthermore, it has not right of access to countries outside the treaty. Other constancies may turn out to have similarly straightforward explanations. Indeed, perceptual constancies are only a puzzle if it is assumed that the visual system acts like a camera Because she was my mother, I expected her to know the right choice.

Connectives

In general, short acting drugs are better for this condition than those with a prolonged action. He seemed unaware of some basic details about you. For example, what you look like. Pedometers are not too expensive and are available from most sports shops. In conclusion, walking is a cheap, safe, enjoyable and readily available form of exercise.

Connectives

Studying how light (or other electromagnetic radiation) interacts with matter is an important and versatile tool of the chemist. _______ , much of our knowledge of chemical substances comes form their specific absorption of transmission of light.

Connectives - exercise

Studying how light (or other electromagnetic radiation) interacts with matter is an important and versatile tool of the chemist. Indeed, much of our knowledge of chemical substances comes form their specific absorption of transmission of light.

Connectives - exercise

Suppose you look at two solutions of the same substance, one a deeper color than the other. Your common sense tells you that the darker colored solution is the more concentrated one. ____________, as the color of the solution deepens, you infer that its concentration also increases. This is an underlying principle of spectrophotometry: the intensity of color is a measure of the amount of a material in solution.

Connectives - exercise

Suppose you look at two solutions of the same substance, one a deeper color than the other. Your common sense tells you that the darker colored solution is the more concentrated one. In other words, as the color of the solution deepens, you infer that its concentration also increases. This is an underlying principle of spectrophotometry: the intensity of color is a measure of the amount of a material in solution.

Connectives - exercise

A second principle of spectrophotometry is that every substance absorbs or transmits certain wavelengths of radiant energy but not other wave lengths.__________, chlorophyll always absorbs red and violet light while transmitting the yellow, green and blue wavelengths.

Connectives - exercise

A second principle of spectrophotometry is that every substance absorbs or transmits certain wavelengths of radiant energy but not other wave lengths. For example, chlorophyll always absorbs red and violet light while transmitting the yellow, green and blue wavelengths.

Connectives - exercise

The transmitted and reflected wavelengths appear green – the color our eye “sees.” The light energy absorbed or transmitted must match exactly the energy required to cause an electronic transition in the substance under consideration. Only certain wavelength photons satisfy this energy condition. ____________, the absorption or transmission of specific wavelengths is characteristic for a substance, and a spectral analysis serves as a “fingerprint” of the compound.

Connectives - exercise

The transmitted and reflected wavelengths appear green – the color our eye “sees.” The light energy absorbed or transmitted must match exactly the energy required to cause an electronic transition in the substance under consideration. Only certain wavelength photons satisfy this energy condition. Thus, the absorption or transmission of specific wavelengths is characteristic for a substance, and a spectral analysis serves as a “fingerprint” of the compound.

Connectives – exercise 2A. Nuclear power plants do not produce chemical pollutants such as

sulfur dioxide or PCBs. However, they _________________________

B. Synthetic fuels are difficult to manufacture. In fact, __________________________________

C. White light appears to be devoid of any color. In actuality, though, ________________________

D. More and more automobile engines are being built today that use fuel injection instead of carburetors. Nevertheless, ______________________________________________

Study questions1. What is the main message of the article? What are the supporting points

for this message?

2. Who is the author of this article and what do you believe is her reason for writing it. What is her intended audience?

3. Why do you think that the author brings up obesity as an example of a public health problem?

4. What solutions do the author suggests for solving the problems of public health? Why do you think the author offer this solution.

5. What change in companies' relationship with their employees does the author suggest? What are her reasons for suggesting it?

Reformulate

“It will be based on two dimensions, performance and purpose, both rich in substance and responsible in execution.” Reformulated version: The idea of the corporation will be formed by looking at the way the corporation acts (performance) and the reasons why the corporation acts in a particular way (purpose). Both of these concepts will affect the actions of the corporation in many ways and the actions must be taken responsibly.

Reformulate

The fundamental dynamic [… ] is that companies must embrace “purpose” in all they do

“Such people are both more demanding and more in demand.” “The new idea of the corporation means companies will want to ‘do better by doing better’”.

Text paragraphs 1-2

The big breakthrough of 2008 will be the emergence of a new idea of the corporation. It will be based on two dimensions, performance and purpose, both rich in substance and responsible in execution.

Corporations in 2008 will take a longer-term view of themselves. The tendency to manage for quarterly results will yield to a new mindset where short-term performance metrics are complemented by measures capturing the long-term health, vitality and thus sustainability of the enterprise. Regulators may ask for these long-term metrics to be included in the annual filing of corporations. This will be a monumental move for corporations and many investors will welcome it.

Paragraph 3

The fundamental dynamic, which will become more apparent in 2008, is that companies must embrace “purpose” in all they do. Large companies will want to be known not just for the financial results they generate, but equally for the imprint they leave on society as a whole. Their focus will and should manifest itself along three lines. First, ensuring that their products contribute positively and responsibly to sustaining human civilisation. Second, operating in a way that approaches a “net-neutral” impact to the natural environment. And, third, cherishing their people.

Paragraph 4

First, products. In the era of heavy industry companies were criticised for damaging public health. They were forced, usually by law, to take the safety of the public more seriously. Happily, most of the conditions that afflicted our grandparents have either been conquered or substantially alleviated: life expectancy has grown sharply and infant mortality has all but disappeared. Yet, in developed economies, the morbidity associated with obesity will remain a problem. PepsiCo, of course, recognises its responsibility here: our task is to continue to transform the portfolio, making the healthier choice the easy choice. In 2008 this effort will intensify in all food and drinks companies.

Paragraph 5

So far, most governments have taken a voluntary approach to the problem, challenging companies to respond. In 2008 that approach will begin to show positive results. Moreover, the argument will broaden. Obesity is a net condition: calories in minus calories out. There needs to be a lot of thought about how to increase physical exercise in an age when our lifestyle is more sedentary—less exercise is taken, work is less physically demanding, work in the home likewise. Our “Vive Saludable Escuela” programme in Mexico teaches children that a correct diet coupled with physical activity promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Paragraph 6

Second, the most conspicuous issue of our time is our collective impact on the environment. Responsible companies have taken this seriously for a long time. In 2008 these responsible companies will make surprisingly good progress on their environmental obligations (we have joined with other concerned companies and NGOs in the United States Climate Action Partnership to encourage the federal government to enact climate legislation). There will also be greater prominence for both the North America and World Indexes of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Paragraphs 7-8It is often said that the contribution of developed nations to climate change will be dwarfed with the industrialisation of China and India. In fact the better response is to improve our performance in those countries too. In 2008 we will see corporate investment rise in environmental technology, water conservation, waste-heat recovery, electricity co-generation, renewables and so on. The goal of a net-neutral impact on the environment will increasingly be the rallying cry of the corporation.

The third aspect of the modern company is the way we manage relationships with our workforce. In 2008 this is partly about remuneration in the traditional sense. But only partly: it is also about the kind of company you are, the image you project, and the way in which you “cherish” your people.

Paragraphs 9-11Taking care of the employee A more literate generation has emerged, armed with good qualifications, comfortable in societies with many cultures and able to pick and choose between companies. Such people are both more demanding and more in demand. The deciding factor is the kind of company that they want to work for.

The time has come for a company to treat its employees as real assets. In the broadcasting industry they refer to their people as “the talent”. The rest of the corporate world will have to adopt the practice. Tools and methods to spot new talent—and train, retain and retrain—will also take centre-stage.

The new idea of the corporation means companies will want to “do better by doing better”. Voiced in harmony by employees, regulators, consumers, customers, communities and many other stakeholders, it will leave no doubt that performance without purpose is not a long-term sustainable formula.

Vocabulary

1. emergence2. yield3. long-term metrics4. imprint5. cherishing6. sedentary7. NGOs8. rallying cry9. remuneration

Difference in meaning

• Company• Corporation• Enterprise