Writing for Academic Discussion The most important room in a house

Which room of a house do you consider the most important? (sociology)

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        What are the differences between the following sentences?

A.     Which room of your house do you like best?

B.     Which room of your house do you think is the most important?

Note: Sentence A is about your preference because it says “do you like”, while Sentence B is about your objective view because it says “do you think”.

 

2.        What are the differences between the following sentences?

A.     Which room of your house do you think is the most important?

B.     Which room of a house do you think is the most important?

Note: Sentence A is about your house, while Sentence B is about a house in general.

 

3.        What functions do the following rooms have?

The living room:

The bedroom:

The kitchen/dining room:

Note: Functions of each room

The living room: bonding, communication, important events, memories with your family, socializing,

The bedroom: relaxation, concentration, creation, reflection, solitude / privacy, calming

The kitchen/dining room: food storage, cooking, eating, communication

 

4.        Why do you go home after work or school? You could eat, take a bath, sleep, and watch TV without going home. What is the purpose of going home?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

The living room: Man is a social animal, and the living room is the reminder of all the members of your family. / This room is located in the best area in a house and the most important things of the family are in the living room. (This idea is from one of my former students.) / It is used for important purposes. / The simplest house designs like those of pit houses are similar to a living room. This shows that it is the essence of a house.

 

The bedroom: Everyone needs to be alone sometimes. / Personal things are in the bedroom. / The main function of a house is rest and relaxation. / The bedroom is for deep mental activities.

 

 

☆Sample Answer for ideas and expressions

【Main Idea】Although both Grace and Daniel make good points, I think the living room is the most important in a house, because I think the main function of the living room, the role it plays as the symbol of bonding, is more important than those of the other rooms.

【Supporting Details】The living room is for activities of significance for the family. Parties, marriage celebrations, and wake and funeral gatherings are held in the living room. Visitors are invited into the living room, and family pictures are usually taken in the living room.

【Follow-up】The kitchen also plays this social function as Grace describes, but the basic function of the kitchen is to provide food, and bonding is its secondary function. As for the bed room, although privacy and rest are essential in life, I think most people would choose bonding rather than solitude if they had to choose. Also, rest can be taken in the living room. Some would say that more profound events in life like emotional interactions happen in the kitchen or the bedroom. However, the living room always exists in your mind as a special place for official presentation of your attitude toward other members of your family and community. For instance, it is almost always the living room that is chosen for a serious announcement or confession in a family.

【Conclusion】We see the living room as a sacred place in family life, and this makes it the most important room of a house.  (245 words)

 

 

☆Sample Structures

【Introduction】

【The main function of a house】

【Why your choice has the main function】

【The other rooms with the main function】

【Conclusion】

【Introduction】

【Reason 1】

【Reason 2】

【Why the demerits don’t matter】

【Conclusion】

 

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

 

                                                   DRAFT