4) Explain the scientific controversy surrounding global climate chg convincing, in your view? 5) Evaluate the policies taken by the international community to curb one of the following: ozone depletion in the stratosphere (平流层) or global warming by ‗greenhouse‘ gases in the troposphere（对 流层）.
1) What is the purpose of the study sponsored by WWF? 2) What is global warming and how is it produced?
Critical Non-critical
3) What are the environmental impacts of global warming on polar bears?
2. What is a hot social issue or problem that concerns you and other students you know? Inflation? Pollution? Human cloning? The tight labour market? Talk about this issue or problem and discuss its influence. What are people doing about this issue or problem? What is your suggestion or solution?
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I. Lead-in Activities II. Guidance for Critical Writing III. Practice IV. Sample Critical Essays V. Assignment
I. Lead-in Activities
Activity 1: Choose one of the following two questions, and talk about it with your partners. 1. What are the controversial issues now being discussed on your campus? An increase in tuition/lab fees? More-stringent academic standards for students? Cyber fame? Plagiarism? Choose an important issue or problem on your campus and explain it. You may want to check the campus newspaper for ideas.
Unit 5 Critical Essay Writing
Learning Aims and Objectives
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• Students who have engaged successfully with the learning activities proposed in this unit should be able to: Differentiate between non-critical and critical approaches in essay writing; Pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses in one‘s own and other peoples‘ ideas; Be familiar with the writing techniques that can facilitate the development of a critical perspective. Fulfil the assignments of writing two critical essays on controversial issues; Use different patterns of reasoning; Identifying opposing viewpoints and refuting them; Write coherently, using ―signposts‖.
Activity 2:Video Clip Viewing
1. CNN © Video Activity: Polar Bear Survival Threatened Unit 5 Critical writing -拯救北极熊.mp3 According to GARY STRIEKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, In the Norwegian Arctic, researchers immobilize polar bears with drugs and then fit them with radio collars so they can be tracked by satellite, part of a new study sponsored by WWF, the conservation organization, to monitor how global warming is taking a serious toll on polar bears. According to experts, arctic sea ice has been shrinking by three percent each decade since the 1970s, and that shortens the season when polar bears can hunt seals and walruses.
2. Video Follow-up Read the following stimulus questions and sort them into Critical and Non-critical Questions by ticking the appropriate boxes.
Stimulus Questions