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We usually write a letter to the editor when we want to express our opinion about a topic that is of interest to the general public, to agree or disagree with something that has been reported, or to discuss a problem and suggest solutions. We usually write a letter to the

editor in a formal or semi-formal style.

ñ We start our letter with Dear Sir/Madam,

Introduction

ñIn the first paragraph, we present our reason for writing and our opinion about the topic.

Main Body

ñIn the second and third paragraphs, we present our arguments/the problems, together with consequences/

suggestions/results, in separate paragraphs.

Conclusion

In the last paragraph we summarise our opinion or write it again using different words.

We end with Yours faithfully, and our full name.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

ñTo begin the letter: I am writing to express my support for/(dis)approval of ...; I am writing with regard to ...; I am writing about ...; I have just read ...; etc

ñTo state an opinion: In my opinion, ...; I (do not) feel/believe/think ...; I am (totally) opposed to/in favour of ...; I strongly (dis)agree with ...; etc

ñTo express the consequences/results: This will/would mean ...; Then ...; Therefore, ...; As a result, ...; Consequently, ...; If we/they do/did this, ...; Obviously, ...; Clearly, ...; etc

ñTo list points: Firstly, ...; First of all, ...; Secondly, ...; Furthermore, ...; What is more, ...; Finally, ...; etc

ñTo end the letter: I hope my comments/suggestions/ points will be taken into consideration; I hope the government/local council/we will ...; I hope something will be done about this urgently; etc

Analysing the Rubric

41 Read the rubric, underline the key words and answer the questions.

The local council has decided to build a new sports centre in your home town where an old factory used to be. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, expressing your support for the plan.

1Who is going to read your letter? a The local council.

b The editor of the local newspaper.

cThe newspaper’s readers.

2What is your opinion of the plan?

3How should you begin/end your letter?

4Should the letter be written in a formal or informal style?

5Which of the following might you use in the letter? Tick ( ).

In my opinion, this is an excellent idea.

I am totally opposed to the council’s plan.

I hope the council won’t ...

I don’t think we should ...

I strongly agree with the council’s plan.

6Which points might you make in your letter? What advantages might a new sports centre have? Tick ( ).

More people will be able to play sports. There will be less traffic on the roads. People will have somewhere new to go. It will bring new jobs to the town.

It will make the town centre cleaner and tidier.

Analysing a Model Text

42 a. Read the letter and choose sentences to complete it. Why did you decide on them?

A Firstly, it will provide a number of job opportunities. B To start with, the town has very few sports facilities.

CAll in all, I must state that I am in total agreement with the council’s decision.

D To sum up, I think it is a very bad idea.

EFurthermore, the new centre will be in an excellent location.

FAlso, the location is fantastic.

b.How does the writer support his arguments?

c.Underline the linkers the writer uses to: list points; expressanopinion; expressaresult. Replace them with other appropriate ones.

d.Find examples from the letter showing it is written in a formal style.

Style

43 Match the informal phrases/sentences (1-6) to the formal ones (a-f).

a I wish to express my disapproval of ...

b The consequence would be that ...

c I am strongly in favour of ...

d I am writing with regard to ...

eIt is my opinion that ...

fI strongly disagree with this decision.

Joining Sentences

44 Match the arguments to the consequences, then write full sentences using the useful expressions from the table on p. 146.

Arguments

1 If the park is sold there will be no open spaces left.

2 There will be very few green areas in town. 3 The town will be crowded and built up.

Consequences

aThere will be more traffic and pollution, and the town will no longer be a nice place to live.

bChildren will not be able to play freely, and people will have nowhere to walk their dogs, ride their bicycles and so forth.

cThis is very unhealthy, as people need fresh air and natural surroundings for good health.

Discuss & Write

45 a. Read the rubric, then use information from Ex. 44 to answer the questions in the plan.

You read the article below in Tuesday’s edition of the Westvale Herald. You have decided to write a letter to the editor to express your opposition to the plan and to urge the council to reconsider its decision.

9

At yesterday’s meeting, after a long discussion, Westvale Council finally made a decision on what to do with Longheath

Park. The park has been

neglected for many years and it would require a large sum of money to improve facilities and to carry out other restoration work. Despite the popularity of the park with local residents, the council decided that they could not afford to do this. Instead, in a controversial move, they have

chosen to sell the land to a property developer. It is thought that the developer plans to build an estate of 50 houses on the

land.

Dear Sir,

Introduction

(Para 1) Why are you writing? What is your opinion?

Main Body

(Paras 2-3) What are your arguments/the problems? What are the consequences or suggestions and results?

Conclusion

(Para 4) What is your opinion again?

What do you think should happen next?

Yours faithfully,

Your full name

b.Use your answers to Ex. 45a to write your letter (120-180 words). You can use the letter in Ex. 42 as a model.

46 Explain the quotations below in your own words.

A man sits as many risks as he runs.

Henry David Thoreau (US poet)

Always do what you are afraid to do.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (US philosopher)

Everything is sweetened by risk.

Alexander Smith (Scottish poet)

Sports do not build character. They reveal it.

Heywood Hale Broun (US broadcast journalist)

c.Look at the survey results in the table. What do the percentages tell you? Is the printed word

dying?

The percentages tell us that more people use electronic media toreadnewspapersthantheprintedword.

3a. In pairs, tick ( ) the arguments in favour of electronic media.

access information without leaving your desk ........

carry it around with you ........

take longer to read ........

good graphics and layout ........

it is cheaper ........

can fit in your pocket ........

get up-to-date information instantly ........

read sth over and over ........

lasts a long time, doesn’t need replacing ........

from above to express your

media,IcanaccessanyinformationIwant my desk. Sadly, I can’t carry it around Icanwithtraditionalbooks.

Reading

4a. Read the title. Is this possible? Why/Why not? Read and find out.

b.Read the article again and choose the most suitable sentence from the list (A-I) for each gap. There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use. There is an example at the beginning.

best-selling writer of horror short story on the Internet and

first days than many of his

end of the book and the

and it seems that even Stephen success on the Internet, he does

can replace the book! This is we like to think that technology

Press to download Stephen lack of band width makes it

especially pictures, over the is constantly being carried out

demand for the Internet is scientists to keep up. What is more,

us to read on the net. 5

too, which has nothing to do simply prefer paper. It doesn’t magazines or newspapers are

produced – we never stop buying them. It seems that we like the feel of books and magazines – we like to put them in our bags or pockets and take them out on the bus or the train on the way to work. We like to sit and read in the park or on the beach.

6 How many of us would exchange what we have now – a row of books in a bookcase, or a pile of magazines on the coffee table – for a row of little screens? For many of us, the idea of Sunday morning without a cup of coffee and a pile of newspapers is impossible.

Nevertheless, by the time e-books have become as widely available as printed ones, it is likely that at least some of us will have changed our minds.

7 Publishers will be delighted to cater for those who prefer to use a screen, but paper lovers shouldn’t worry, as the printed page will undoubtedly keep its place in our lives. There is even news that MIT will have come up with a compromise soon – a system where we can tell our computers what we want to read, and then they will print our own personal newspaper for us. The difference will be that we will only have to read about things which interest us. Just think – if you hate the business section, you don’t have to order it. If you dislike tennis, you can request only the football results. It sounds like this could be good news for everyone!

A First of all, the Internet is slow.

BMany newspapers are already online; and you can read them on screen at home, or even on your mobile phone.

CEven if we haven’t, it doesn’t matter, as there is probably plenty of room for both books and screens.

DTo publishers, this meant the arrival of the e- book!

EWould you be happy to get your newspaper on the screen, or do you still prefer turning those pages?

FDid you know that we can read 50% more quickly on paper than we can on a computer screen?

GIt looks as if people are already interested in the general idea.

H We like to decorate our rooms with them, too.

IMore than half of today’s newspapers now have websites.

c.Find the phrasal verbs in the text, which mean: thinkof,placeinside,remove,do, moveatthesame speed, replace. Then, explain the words in bold and suggest synonyms for the highlighted words.

Follow-up

5Which of the following best describes the author’s main point? Give reasons.

a Books are old fashioned.

b The printed word will never die. c E-books will replace paper books.

How far do you agree with the author?

The News

6a. Match the newspaper headlines to the sections. Can you think of any other sections? Which is your favourite section of the newspaper? Why? Which do you never read?

Ilikereadingthesportssectionthemost.

Ineverreadthepoliticssection.I’mnotinterestedinit.

b.How often do you buy a newspaper? Is it a dailyor a weeklypaper? Is it a tabloid(popular press) or a broadsheet(quality press)? What is its circulation?

8a. The following words often appear in newspaper headlines. Match them to their meanings.

b.Find the above words in the headlines in Ex. 6a then re-write each headline without using them.

Polandhitbymorebadweather.

Polandhasbeenbadlyaffectedbymorebadweather.

150

Disasters

9a. Look at the headlines. Which disasters are mentioned here? Which are natural and which are man-made? Can you think of any other disasters?

of four

Mount Etna erupts again

b. Listen to the radio report and fill in the table. Which of the headlines from Ex. 9a does it match?

c.Imagine you are the newsreader at your local TV station. Report the flood in Ex. 9b.

ThesmallvillageofUptoninWarwickshirewasfloodedyet

againlastTuesdaywhen...

WritingProject

Use the plan in Ex. 9b to write a news report about a recent disaster in your country for the school magazine. Start by giving the summaryoftheevent (where, when, what, etc ), and then describethe event in detail. Finish your news report by writing the actionthatwillbetaken.