Internet Activity 23: TOEFL writing practice with movie reviews

Assignment: Watch this short video about how to practice TOEFL writing skills by watching movies, discussing the movie with friends, reading (professionally written) reviews, and then writing a TOEFL-style response that compares your friend's opinion with the film critic's review.

Internet Sites that source professionally written reviews.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/
Roger Ebert
http://www.filmcritic.com

Step 1: Ask a classmate to tell you his/her opinion about a movie that both of you have recently watched.
Step 2: Take notes during your partners response.
Step 3: Switch! Repeat STEPS 1 and 2
Step 4: Now you will work independently. Find a review of the movie using the above links. Take notes during your reading.
Step 5: Now prepare a 150-225 word response that addresses the following question:

How does your partner's review of the movie compare or contrast with the film critic's review?

Debate Key Terms

Proposition – a statement of the issue to be debated

Resolution – a statement of your position on the issue

Affirmative – “yes”

Negative – “no”

Premise – something that must be true in order for you to make your point; there are three types of premises: facts, policies, and values

Argument – a reason to support your side of the debate

Evidence – facts that help prove you are right

Case – the sum total of arguments per side of the debate

Brief – an outline of the affirmative and negative cases

Cross-Examination – the time during a debate when one side is questioned by the opposing side

Refute – to provide evidence that shows your opponent is wrong

Rebuttal – providing evidence that further shows you are right after your opponent has attempted to show you were wrong

Fallacy – anything you can prove is not true

Format – the rules and procedures that govern a debate

taken from source

In Class: Pictures of Stats

Think about Chris Jordan's art and presentation in light of Thursday's discussion of the rhetorical appeals (Logos, Pathos, Ethos).

Activity: Get into small groups, make notes and discuss the following.

1.) How does Chris Jordan employ logos and pathos to affect the viewer?
2.) Write a TOEFL question based on your group's discussion. (Reading Skill 8:Infer Rhetorical Purpose p. 76)
3.) What is Jordan's primary purpose, i.e. what is he hoping to convince the audience? Use the interactive text to summarize the information into 3-4 bullet points.

Internet Activity 4: "The Big Picture: 2009 Swine Flu Outbreak"

Go to the Big Picture: 2009 Swine Flu Outbreak. Read the supporting introduction and all captions for the photographs.

Now prepare a free response to the following questions:

I Were you concerned about your health during the Swine Flu outbreak? Draw on your personal experiences and knowledge to explain why you were or were not concerned.

II Based on the images and information in the news story, do you think the authorities, from the countries represented in the article, took appropriate precautions or do you think their response was out-of-proportion to the actual threat. Use supporting details to explain your position.

**tip: Read Longman pp. 192-193 about how to plan your free response.

Internet Activity 2: "Chinese County Encourages Smoking"

Read instructions 1-4 before you begin this Activity:

1.) Go here to the Public Radio International site and listen to the audio story.

2.) Just as you would in the Listening Section of the TOEFL, take notes on the main points, significant details, cause and effect relationships, important words or technical terms.

3.) Listen to the audio as many times as you need, but remember that you only have one chance on the test.

4.) Next read the transcript of the interview provided. Do not read the transcript as you listen. Note the important things that you didn't catch while listening to the interview. Jot down new words in your notes.

Think About:

a.) How well did you understand the speakers during the audio piece?
b.) How well do you understand the interview after reading the text?

Using only your notes and your memory, try to answer the following questions:

1.) What is the main reason the local government, in this Chinese county, has ordered its citizens to smoke?

2.) Does it matter which brand of cigarettes the citizens smoke?

3.) Give an example of the cigarette quota. For instance, where are quotas being implemented or what are some of the quota figures.

Using the text, answer the following questions:

4.)When the reporter says "Well, they’re encouraging schools as a whole to go through cigarettes" Does she mean that children are encouraged to smoke?

5.) What does the reporter mean when she says "they try to trade up"?

6.) What does "itself"refer to when the interviewer says "So it seems like there is some kind of inherent tension between the local and central government. How is that expressing itself there?"

7.) Finally, why do you think the the interviewer mentions a statistic about men and women smokers in America at the very end of the audio piece?