2025年6月27日金曜日

Writing for an Academic Discussion When you witness a wrong doing, is it your responsiblity to step in?

When you witness some wrong doing which is not directly affect you, is it your responsibility to step in or should you mind your own business and avoid conflict?

Let’s Think

1.       Have you ever witnessed someone doing something clearly wrong but you’re not directly affected. What did you do with it? Why?

2.       If you see an old homeless woman being made fun of by some young bullies, what would you do?

3.       In the Nazi holocaust, would you have tried to save as many Jews as possible like Osker Schindler? Why?

4.       What do you think of the ongoing genocide in Gaza? Do you think the world should intervene through actions like BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) or much stronger measures?

 

 

Hints for Points

1.        Silence is complicity.

2.        Intervening a wrong doing is a responsibility of those around it.

3.        There are ways to throw a helping hand when someone is in trouble.

4.        You will not only feel guilty but also lose your self-respect and confidence if you do not act when you know it’s the right thing to do.

5.        If you are a family person, you may want to stay away from troubles to prioritize the safety of your family. Acts of justice tend to lead to sacrifice of their own lives and their loved ones.

 

 

Sample Reply for Ideas and Expressions

I’m with Tanya. The case in point of this issue now is Gaza. As many Jewish people in Holocaust are missed, so many Palestinians should be missed. People wonder why genocide of Jews by Nazi Germany was allowed to occur, but stay silent about the very holocaust occurring live right in front of their eyes in Gaza for almost 2 years. Though it is said that the situation is complicated, actually it is simple: the genocide in Gaza is the last phase of the Israeli colonial policy that has been going on since the inception of Israel. It is not self-defense but is the working remnant of imperialism from the last centuries, and it is recognized as genocide by International Criminal Court and International Cour of Justice. It is officially a crime to humanity. Yet still, the world is silent. Through this loud silence, those few who act to stop this horror quote, “Silence is Complicity” in response to pessimistic by-standers. There is no more truth than this message. The violence of Israel on Gaza keeps running away as the world stay silent without any working actions to stop it. In other words, those who chose not to be involved facing injustice facilitate the evil, and as they do so, they are deteriorating the human race. We the people living in this world will bear the sin of facilitating a state sized robbery forever. Our grandchildren will ask us why we didn’t help Gazans when you completely know what is happening to them and you have no excuse. Therefore, I agree with the opinion that it is your responsibility to step in when you witness a wrong doing.


Writing for an Academic Discussion Is academic performance an important indicator of a student’s potential?

Should academic performance continue to be treated as the most important indicator of a student’s potential, or is it time to shift toward recognizing other qualities?  (A class on education)

                                                                                                                            

 

Let’s Think

1.       Do you know of any person who didn’t do well at school that has become successful?

2.       Does academic performance indicate only a person’s intelligence level or does it show any other properties of the individual? If so, what are they?

 

 

Hints for Points

Agree

1.       Test scores are more or less accurate to measure intelligence level such as high cognitive level, strong power of reasoning, and good memory.

2.       Academic performance indicates not only intelligence level but also key characteristics that show how well the person will function in society in the future.

3.       There must be a reason why top-class corporations sift through job candidates by their academic backgrounds.

 

 

Disagree

1.       Not all geniuses were straight-A students.   e.g. Albert Einstain

2.       Test scores reflect personal history rather than the person’s potential.

3.       Most characteristics that are considered important by society are not measured by GPA. For example, creativity, emotional intelligence, social skills, and compassion cannot be quantified.

4.       Each individual is a unique treasure of this world. We need to focus on nurturing their aptitudes instead of forcing them to adapt to the traditional academic standard.

 

 

Sample Reply for Ideas and Expressions

Being the devil’s advocate, although I agree with Selina’s point that there are average people who accomplish something remarkable, I agree more with Harry in that test scores show the solid personality that promises the person’s future success. Indeed, academic performance shows important properties other than the innate intelligence level, such as honesty, awareness, passion, diligence, discipline, tenacity, ability to manage time, ability to negotiate, adaptability, and resilience. It even shows how well the person is socialized, which doesn’t mean how many friends the person has but how well the person knows the dynamics of society and act accordingly. All these factors related to individual characteristics and the personal history affect test scores and grades. Of course, bad scores do not directly mean poor humanity. Poverty prevents one from performing to the person’s full potential for instance. But in general, academic achievement is most reliably indicates that a student is freer from future problems.  (154 words)


                                                                                                                                     


2025年6月25日水曜日

Writing for an Academic Discussion Drastic change or contiuance of the movements to protect the ecosystem? - revised -

Can individual actions significantly mitigate climate change, or are broader systemic changes by corporations and governments necessary?

 

 

Let’s Think

1.        Paraphrase Maria’s point. Provide a case in point.

2.        Paraphrase James’s point. Provide a case in point.

3.        Share case in points for Question 1 and 2 above.

 

 

Hints for Points

We need a drastic change by governments and huge corporations.

1.        Global warming has accelerated despite a global grassroot environmental movement that started in the 1970’s.

2.        Corporations greenwash themselves and environmental leaders have become cozy with huge corporations for money.

3.        We have come to the point that there is no other solutions but to slowdown development.

4.        Green New Deal should be continued.

 

Individual actions count.

1.        Most people have finally realized that global warming is real and that it is man-made. Thus, it is easy to organize them for actions than before.

2.        Climate change would have gone worse without grassroots.

3.        Young power like Fridays for Future will make a difference.

 

 

Response for Ideas and Expressions

I totally agree with Maria. Grassroot movements and renewable energy industry have failed to stop global warming from going over the point of no return, so we need some drastic policy change involving the government and huge corporations. As the documentary “Planet of the Humans” reports, so-called sustainable energy such as solar, wind, and biomass energy sources are actually no more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. Not only do they release a large amount of CO2 when they are built but they contribute to destruction of nature. Solar energy facilities upset large areas of nature, and solar panels release toxic substances when they break down. Wind energy facilities get old in ten years. Biomass burn trees and garbage. In addition, EV batteries are inefficient. Nuclear energy is obviously dangerous. Furthermore, there are collusions between leaders of environmental protection and huge corporations. On the other hand, there are proofs that government-level policy changes have huge impacts on our lifestyle. For example, Japan has done well without nuclear energy since Fukushima meltdown in 2011. Also, during the lockdown in 2020, the world was forced to slow down and saw that we can manage to live without such constant development as we have been obsessed with since the Industrial Revolution. Moreover, the atmosphere was purified that year. Therefore, we need to first cut back on energy use and adapt to the new reduced lifestyle accordingly through cooperation of corporations under government initiative.   (239 words)

 

Response plan

Topic Sentence:

Supporting Details:

Conclusion:




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

 

 

                                                 DRAFT

 

 

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          


2025年6月24日火曜日

Pre-TOEFL Writing Which do you prefer, studying by yourself or having a teacher?

Writing Topic 課題

Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you preferUse specific reasons to develop your essay.

自分一人の方がよく学べると思う人もいれば、先生がいるのは常に良いことだと思う人もいる。どちらをより好みますか?具体的な理由で答を発展させなさい。

 

 

Let’s Think 考えてみよう

Most people use either of these approaches of learning according to the case. However, which way is better? Why? 大抵の人は場合に合わせてこれらの学習法のどちらかを使っている。しかし、どちらがより良いのか。なぜなのか?

 

 

Ideas and Expressions アイディアと表現

Learning by yourself 独学

1.      Self-study is often voluntary, so it is strongly motivated and lasts long.

独学は自発的なことが多いので動機づけが強く長続きする。

2.      Self-learning is active learning, which enhances memorization. 自学自習は能動的な学習で、記憶を高める。

3.      Through trial and error, you gain thinking ability and deep knowledge.

試行錯誤を通して思考力と深い知識が得られる。

4.      Studying requires time to think alone. Not being tolled to do this and that while thinking helps you concentrate. 勉強には一人で考える時間が必要だ。考えている最中にあれこれ言われない方が集中できる。

5.      There is no restrictions of time and place if you learn alone.  一人で学習すると時間と場所の制約がない。

6.      Without direct instruction, you won’t notice your mistakes. 直接指導してくれる人がいないと間違いに気づかない。

 

 

Having a teacher 先生がいる

1.        You can learn efficiently. You can learn much in a short time because teachers’ advice help you learn good ways to study and priorities.

効率よく学べる。先生のアドバイスにより、良い勉強法や優先事項を知ることができるので短期間で多くを学習できる。

2.        By the mentoring of your teacher, you become less lazy, develop study habits, and learn the joy of learning. 先生の導きによって、怠けることが少なくなったり、学習習慣が身についたり、勉強の楽しさを教えてもらえたりする。

3.        Teachers will tell you what is interesting about the subject and knowledge that is not in textbooks.

科目の面白いところや教科書に載っていない知識を教えてもらえる。

4.        Most lessons have teachers and coaches. I think this is because it has been proved that they play important roles in studies.

大抵の習い事には先生やコーチがいる。それは、彼らが勉強に重要な役割を果たすことが証明されているからだと思う。

5.        People learn effectively just when someone is present by their side.

人間は人が側にいるだけで学習効果が上がる。

6.        It is difficult to be independent and proactive if you keep relying on your teacher.

先生に頼り続けると自立し自発的になるのが困難だ。

 

 

Sample Essay Structure構成例


Structure A

Thesis = Outline】主張=概要

Good Points of Studying by Yourself】独学の利点

Good Points of Having a Teacher】先生がいる利点

Your Choice】自分の選択

Conclusion = Wrap-up】結論=まとめ

 

Structure B

Thesis = Outline】主張=概要

Good Point 1】利点1

Good Point 2】利点2

Counterargument-treatment】反論処理

Conclusion = Wrap-up】結論=まとめ

 


 

Sample Paragraph Development 段落展開例

Main IdeaPeople learn effectively just when someone is present by their side, if the person is a teacher, the effect is multiplied.

Supporting DetailsYou watch and restrain yourself when someone is around. If you have a teacher when you study, you naturally try not to get distracted and focus on the study materials. You will also feel less anxious because you know that you can get help anytime. In addition, conversation with the teacher activates your brain. Moreover, if the teacher is nice and good, you will get motivated even more, keep studying, and get better results in shorter time. For example, my English grades jumped up when I liked the teaching style of my English teacher. My mother has never missed workout and has dramatically gotten healthy since she got a new teacher at her yoga school.

Wrap-upTeachers assist your studies as your company with technical skills.

 

【主張】人間は人が側にいるだけで学習効果が上がる。もしその人が先生なら、その効果は何倍にもなる。

【詳細】誰かがいると自分で自分を監視し自制する。勉強中に先生がいれば、自然と気が散らないようにし、学習教材に集中しようとする。加えて、先生との会話で脳が活性化される。更に、先生が良い人で優秀なら更にやる気が出て勉強が長続きし、早く良い結果が出る。例えば、自分の英語の先生の指導方法が気に入ってから私の英語の成績は急に上がったし、母はヨガ教室の先生が新しくなってから一度も運動を怠けず劇的に健康になった。

【まとめ】 先生は専門技術のある仲間として勉強を補佐する。