What do you understand by the highlighted words? What would be more common ways of expressing the same ideas? Why do you think the writer chose to use these words? 1 an iconic building 3 a vista 5 sheer glass walls 7 unrivalled views 2 a backdrop 4 boasting a mural 6 bathed in natural light Discuss these questions. 1 Are there more verbs in the texts, or more adjectives? Why do you think that is? 2 Look at the verbs. How many are active verb forms, and how many are passive? Why do you think that is? What do you notice about the active verbs? 3 How many adjectives can you find that mean ‘very good’ or ‘very beautiful’? What impression is the writer trying to give of an evening spent at this venue? Work in groups. 1 Choose a place you know or have been to, which might be suitable for a reception, a meal or a party. 2 Plan a leaflet for the place you have chosen. ■■ What features would you emphasise? ■■ Which of the adjectives in your list could you use to describe it? ■■ Think of sentences you could write using the verbs offer or provide. Work alone and write the leaflet. In your leaflet you should: ■■ describe the venue ■■ emphasise its special features ■■ include other relevant details Write around 250 words. 1 Writing guide: Leaflet, p. 202. b c d e 25 Explore reading: Learn from the most persuasive adverts Read the article below, then complete the sentences (1–6) using a maximum of four words. Write your answers in the spaces provided. The first one (0) has been done for you. 26 What you can learn from the most persuasive adverts There are many situations in business as well as private life in which we need to argue our case in the most convincing way possible. Experience tells us that simply stating the facts won’t always work: it’s the way you tell them that matters. We are exposed to hundreds of marketing messages every day. Why do a few stick in our minds? Adopting their strategies can help us master the art of persuasion. A very powerful persuasive tool is the ‘repeat-break’ plot structure. There is a basic idea, which is repeated once to create an expectation, and which is then violated, producing a sense of surprise. The repeatbreak plot structure often occurs in folk tales across the world, and it’s also the basis for many of the most popular jokes. Using this plot structure vastly increases the impact of adverts, with immediate effects on people’s opinions on brands or social movements. One particularly noteworthy example was a campaign against gun violence, which showed a bullet passing through objects like an egg, an apple and a watermelon – before a child appears on screen. The bullet, of course, never reaches the child, but the expectation has been established, adding a strong emotional punch to the campaign’s message. Another trick is to use metaphors wisely. One study looked at the ways government policies are described to the public and showed that the tactical use of extended metaphors hugely increases a message’s persuasive power. If crime was called a “virus”, the participants were much more likely to endorse reforms that were described as “treatments” (such as educational policies and creating afterschool programmes). If crime was 54 Language skills Extras Explore 4 It’s all about advertising Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eige tum des Verlags öbv
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