Prime Time 5/6, Writing, Arbeitsheft

3 50 Text types Sample report To: Matthew McKenzie From: Bettina Geretschläger Subject: Campaign on animals as Christmas gifts Aim of this report Every year after Christmas, thousands of animals are taken to an animal shelter. They were given away as Christmas presents but families could not cope with the responsibility. This report informs about the main problems and suggests how to organise an information campaign. Why animals make popular Christmas gifts Pets, especially baby animals, are mostly cute to look at and feel cuddly and soft. That is why some adults think they would make a perfect Christmas gift for their children. They expect them to be happy about the small, cute, cosy ball of fur. Some adults also think an animal makes a good gift because it teaches their child responsibility. Why giving away animals as presents is problematic Often, however, it is forgotten that adding a pet to the family is an important decision. It has many effects on the family’s life. When the Christmas days are over, some families cannot cope with the added responsibility and the time and money involved in proper animal care. In addition, small children may unintentionally harm animals when they think they are playing. Suggestions for an information campaign The information campaign should be designed for the whole family. It should target adults who think of giving a pet away for Christmas as well as children who want to get a pet as a present. Both target groups should understand the problems attached with the issue. I suggest organising a poster campaign with a specific hashtag that leads to online content on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. Reading: Analysing the sample report Go through the sample answer again and locate typical features of a report. Typical feature Example from the report Formal and factual language Short and clear information Use of passive voice Answers to the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? Use of “I” for suggestions 37  Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv