Prime Time 5/6, Writing, Arbeitsheft

63 Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in response to your advertisement for the job of a group leader. I am 16 years old, and I am currently in year 6 at Bristol Grammar School. The reason why I would like to participate in your initiative to clean up our shores is that I love hiking along the seaside, and every time I do this I am appalled by the state of our beaches. Sometimes it is just rubbish that is lying around, but sometimes it is even dangerous when you step on a broken bottle or trip over some other piece of waste. I think cleaning up our beaches is not just for people like me; it is also a major contribution to tourism in our area, and above all it is good for the environment as well. I also have some experience as a leader. That is why I think that I am well qualified for the job you have advertised. In the last two years, I have been part of the team that organises our summer camp – an activity which I enjoy immensely. In light of this experience I am sure I can handle the challenges of your campaign as well. If needed, I will be available for a telephone or online interview at any time to discuss further details of your project and my participation. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Yours faithfully, Sam Cook 4.2.3 Beginning and ending A good introduction gets your readers’ attention, introduces the topic, raises a question or presents your stance on the topic. A conclusion reminds your reader of the aim and the main points of your text and summarises its content. Reading: Seven ways to write an introduction a) Read the following text on several techniques to write an introduction. b) While reading, fill in the missing labels for the different techniques from the box below. 52  Giving a definition  •  Giving a quote  •  Narrowing down the focus  •  Raising a question  • Stating numbers of a survey  •  Telling an anecdote  •  Working with all senses 1. Start with a short story about something that happened which illustrates the point you want to make in your text. That way, you raise the readers’ interest and might be able to relate the topic to the readers’ own experiences. 2. Creating a mental picture raises the readers’ curiosity and draws the reader to read more. Use words that describe how things smell, look, feel, sound and taste to help the reader to connect immediately with what you are writing. 3. In this type of introduction, a wide, general, opening statement gradually becomes narrower: the opening statement is general, then supporting statements make less general points and lead to the specific topic that is stated in the thesis statement. 4. Start with interesting statistics that relate to your topic and thus give the reader the chance to agree or disagree. That way, you entice the reader to continue with your text. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv