Writing+Skill+3

listen [|here] Writing Skill 3: PLAN BEFORE YOU WRITE After you have noted the main points of the reading passage and the main points of the lis­tening passage in the integrated writing task, you need to read the question and plan your response.

The question will be about the relationship between the main points of the reading pas­sage and the main points of the listening passage. The question will most likely ask how the information in the listening passage either adds to (supports), or casts doubt on [challenges), or' contrasts (differs from) the information in the reading passage. A listening passage may add to the reading passage by providing an example, or reasons, or causes. A listening passage may cast doubt on the reading passage by providing information that shows that the information

in the reading passage is not correct. .

Look at the following example of a question in the integrated writing task on hindcasting. In this example, the information in the listening passage adds to the information in the read­ing passage.

Question How does the information in the listening passage add to the information inthe reading passage?

You can see that the question is asking you to show how the information in the listening pas­sage adds to the information in the reading passage.

To prepare a plan for your response, you should look at the notes you have taken on the reading passage and the notes you have taken on the listening passage. You should then think about how the ideas in the two passages are related. Look at a plan for the response on hind­casting.

TOPIC OF READING PASSAGE: hindcasting (trying to determine what the weather was like in the past) main points about the topic:

. • detailed weather records kept for less than a century

• proxies (information from various other fields) used to hindcast weather

TOPIC OF LISTENING PASSAGE: paintings that are proxies showing

weather in 17th-century Holland colder than today main points about the topic:

• hugesnow drifts higher than today's drifts

• skaters on canals that are not frozen today

From this plan, you can see that the ideas in the reading passage and the ideas in the listening passage are related. The plan shows that the reading passage describes a technique used by meteorologists and the listening passage adds an example of the technique.

WRITING SKILLS 257

Now look at another example of a question in the integrated writing task on emotions. In this example, the information in the listening passage casts doubt on the information in the reading passage. ..

Question How does the information In the listening passage cast doubt on the information in the reading passage?

You can see that the question is asking you to show how the information in the listening pas­sage helps to show that the information in the reading passage.is not accurate.

To prepare a plan for your response, you should look at the notes you have taken on the reading passage and the notes you have taken on the listening passage. You should then look at how the ideas in the two passage are related. Look at a plan for the response on emotions.

TOPIC OF READING PASSAGE: similarities in emotions from culture to culture main points about the topic:

• same emotions around the world

• same facial expressions to show emotions around the world

• conclusion that emotions are intrinsic (natural)

TOPIC OF LISTENING PASSAGE: situations when emotions differ from culture to culture main points about the topic:

• difference in triggers for emotion

• difference in situations where emotions are used

From this plan, you can see that the ideas in the reading passage and the ideas in the listening passage are related. The plan shows that the reading passage describes similarities in emotions from culture to culture and the listening passage describes situations when emotions differ from culture to culture. The listening passage casts doubt on the conclusion in the reading passage by showing that emotions are not always similar from culture to culture.

258 WRITING The following chart outlines the key information you should remember about planning before you write in an integrated writing task.