Write a plan for one of the titles in 1. Teachers often complain that students write essays that do not answer the question set.

c A leading academic has claimed that European unemployment has been made worse by high rates of home ownership. He argues that the growing trend towards owner- occupation is the best explanation for the high rates of unemployment in Europe. This, he argues, is because home owning makes people more reluctant to move if they lose their job. His research suggests that a strong private rented sector is the key to low unemployment. For example, Ireland, where only 9 rent their homes, has an unemployment rate of 8. At the other extreme, Switzerland has a rental rate of 60, but only 3 are unemployed. d Global warming affects most people in the world, especially those living in low-lying areas near the sea. It has been predicted that the melting of polar ice may cause the sea to rise by as much as twelve metres by 2050. This would cause flooding in many major coastal cities, such as Tokyo. It has been suggested that the best solution to this problem may be for mankind to become amphibious, like frogs. It is argued that life was originally found in the sea, and so it would merely be a return to our original habitat. e There is shocking new evidence of the effects of heavy alcohol consumption by young people. In Britain in 2000 nearly 800 people under 44 died from cirrhosis of the liver, a condition which is mainly caused by excess drinking. This is over four times higher than the number in 1970. As a result, the government is studying the possibility of compulsory health warnings on alcohol advertising. The growing problem seems to be due to ‘binge’ drinking among the young, when drinkers deliberately set out to get drunk. Having decided that a text is reliable, a student must read and understand as much as necessary for the needs of the essay. Understanding a text is not just a matter of vocabulary; the reader needs to find out the writer’s intentions. Is the writer aiming to inform, persuade, describe or entertain? The answer to this question may affect the way a student uses the material.

1. Compare the two extracts below:

a Rebus College is seeking candidates for the position of Treasurer. As the Chief Financial Officer of the College, the Treasurer is responsible for working with the senior administration and Trustees to develop and implement a financial strategic vision for the College. b Are you wondering what to do with that jumper you were given for Christmas that’s two sizes too small – or worse, the personal stereo that simply doesn’t work? Well, don’t worry. Chances are, you’ll be able to get your dud gifts swapped, fixed or get a refund. And, armed with our guide to your rights, you’ll be able to get any defective products sorted. The first extract is written to inform the reader about a job vacancy and to give information about the work. The second aims to persuade the reader to buy the guide described. The language style, or register, of the extracts is also very different. The first uses very formal vocabulary such as seeking , position and implement. The second uses an informal tone, the pronoun you, the question form and informal vocabulary such as dud and swapped . 2. Read the following extracts and complete the table using one or two of the following: informamusepersuadeentertain. Text Purpose a b c a The lower you are in the office hierarchy, the more disgusting your sandwiches. You can safely assume that a chicken and banana man is not a main board director. Some people, generally those in accounts, have had the same sandwich for the past 30 years. People like to prove how busy they are by eating their sandwich at their desk. But this is counter-productive, because every time you take a mouthful the phone rings, and you’ll only get to finish that last mouthful just before you go home. b Writing for publication can be both profitable and enjoyable. It’s open to everyone, because you don’t need any qualifications. In Britain there is a huge demand for new materials, with thousands of newspapers and magazines published every week. In addition there are TV and radio programmes, the theatre and films. Given this situation, there are many openings for new writers. But the director of one of the UK’s main writing colleges, the Writing Academy, advises: ‘to enter this market successfully you must have good training’.

4. Understanding Purpose and Register