¡Hola, chicos!
Espero que estéis descasando y pasándolo muy bien. De cara a prepararos el
writing del examen de septiembre, para cada tipo de redacción tenéis dos modelos: el que os proporciona el libro en la página que os indico y éste otro que os incluyo aquí.
-An
opinion essay (pg 16)
-A
story (pg 28)
-An
email applying for a job (pg 42)
-A
book review (pg 54)/ A film review
-An
essay providing solutions (pg 68)
-An
email for advice (pg 80)
-A-for-and-against
essay (pg 94)
-An
informal letter (pg 106)
1-An opinion essay: It is good to be part of an extended family
Families come in all shapes
and sizes. Some people think a nuclear family is the best option but I strongly
believe that an extended family has a lot more to offer.
To start with, in an
extended family you rarely feel lonely. For example, you can spend your free
time together instead of by yourself. Therefore, you can share interests and
exchange experiences. Secondly, family members can provide support to each
other. For instance, you can help each other with your problems.
On the other hand, in a big
family you may need to share a room. As a result, you may lack privacy.
All in all, I believe that
although you may want time to yourself sometimes, being part of a large family
has many benefits. You will always have someone to support you and you will
never feel alone.
2- A story
As Jack and Tom put up their
tent, they didn´t notive the big sign. It was dark and they had been hiking all
day. They were so tiered, they climbed into their sleeping bags and went to
sleep.
In the night they were woken
by strange noises outside their tent. Jack grabbed his torch and bravely stuck
his head out of the tent. He could hear an animal, but he couldn´t see anything.
He decided to make a fire.
Next, they heard a loud
roar. They froze in fear. A huge bear was staring at them. They hid in their
tent. They didn´t know what to do. Then Tom remembered his mobile phone and
called the forest rangers. Very soon a ranger came and rescued them. Ranger (guardabosques)
“You were very lucky. The
bears like this area. That´s why we have the `No Camping´sign,”the ranger said.
They had never felt so relieved in their lives.
3- An email applying for a job
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing with regard to
the advertisement for catering staff which appeared on your website. I would
like to apply for this position.
I am 18 years old and have
recently finished my A levels in Maths, ICT and Business Studies. I expect to
get high grades and I will be starting at university in September.
Previously, I have worked as
a waiter at a local hotel serving dinner to guests. I found it very enjoyable.
I consider myself to be
hardworking, reliable and cheerful. I also work well in a team and I am the
captain of the local football team.
I have attached a reference
from my previous employer. I am available for an interview any weekday evening.
I look forward to hearing from you .
Yours faithfully,
George Middleton
4-A book review or a film review
“Ender´s Game” by Orson
Scott Card is an exciting science-fiction novel. Set in the future, after a
series of attacks by hostile aliens, it tells the story of a young boy Andrew
`Ender´ Wiggin who enters a military training programme for child geniuses to
train to become soldiers. Ender soon becomes a leader in Battle School.
The book´s plot is very
exciting and not at all predictable. The character of Ender is interesting
because he is not just a hero, but he is
a sensitive young boy. It describes the exciting war games in zero gravity and
also explores how it is for Ender growing up in a community of young soldiers
and how he copes with loneliness and pressure to do well.
This
book will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the fantastic
surprise ending. Definitely a must-read!
It's a drama. Julia Roberts
is in it. It takes place in a town in California where many people got
sick. She plays a secretary who works
for a law firm. The movie is about a company that tries to hide its chemical
pollution that killed many people. In the end, the company loses the law case
and has to pay millions of dollars.
The critics say that the
story is well told, that the film has a solid direction and that it takes the
truth and makes it extremely entertaining. In my opinion the film is great and
Julia Roberts´s performance is superb.
5- An essay providing solutions
Heavy traffic is a problem
in many city centres around the world. What can we do to solve the problem?
One solution is to improve
public transport. For example, they could have more buses and trams. This way,
more people may use public transport and leave their cars at home. As a result,
there would be less traffic on the roads.
Another solution is for people
to carpool. For example, many people could share one car. In this way there
would be less traffic on the roads.
All in all, there are a
number of things we can do. If we encourage people to carpool and improve the
public transport system, then we can reduce traffic in city centres.
Car-pool (car-sharing
arrangement: compartir coche)
6-An email for advice.
Hi Angie,
I´m sorry to hear that your
are afraid of meeting new people. It must be awful for you, but I think I can
help.
If I were you, I´d imagine
myself at the barbecue feeling relaxed and confident. This way, you´ll enjoy
the barbecues you´re already expecting to. Why don´t you ask a friend to go
with you? If you do this, you won´t have to face your fear alone. Also, it
would be a good idea to focus on other people instead of your feelings. If you
follow this advice, you will hopefully forget your anxiety and start enjoying
yourself.
I hope I´ve been of some
help. Write and tell me how you get on.
Best wishes,
Jane
7- A for-and –against essay
More people nowadays are
joining an exercise class. Obviously, exercising is good for you, but is an
exercise class the right choice?
There are a number of
advantages to exercising in a group. Firstly, it motivates people to attend.
This way, there is less excurse to stay home. Secondly, you can meet new
people. For example, you can chat and dance with others in the class.
ON the other hand, there are
some disadvantages to group exercise classes. To start with, you get less
individual attention. As a result, the instructor might miss some mistakes you
make. In addition to this, there are people at different fitness levels.
Consequently, not everyone may be able to follow the class pace.
All in all, there are both
pros and cons to exercising in groups. I think exercise classes are fun and a
great way to meet new people, but everyone should decide for themselves.
8-An informal letter
Dear Mario,
How are you? I´d be glad to
help. There are lots of special places in Spain but I will tell you about one
that is special to me.
If I had to recommend one
place, it would be the town of Pollenca on the island of Majorca. It´s
well-known but rarely crowded. It is quite an ancient place and has a Roman
bridge. The town is attractive, with clean, cobbled streets and stone houses.
The central square has a historic church and many cafés selling delicious
ensaimada pastries, as well as shops selling ceramics and handcrafted goods.
The place is special to me
because my grandmother used to live there and our whole family would visit her
on holiday. I have many happy memories of this place and the people are very
friendly.
It´s easy to get to
Pollenca. You can fly to Palma, and then hire a car. Alternatively, you can
take a bus. Some people even cycle there from Palma.
I have to go now. I hope
this helps with your project. I can send you some photos if you like. Let me
know how it goes!
Best wishes,
Luis
