Putting a point very strongly

I’m convinced / sure that...

I think it’s absolutely wrong / right...

I must make it clear that...

But I honestly can’t see why...

I don’t really understand what you are trying to say.

 

Now try to persuade people in the following situations. Make use of the phrases above.

 

Your friend and you are arguing about whether or not students should be strictly disciplined at universities and colleges. You tend to think they should. Your friend thinks quite the opposite. Try to persuade him / her that you are right.

 

2. Your elder sister is going to give up teaching foreign languages. She is disappointed with her work. She regularly overworks but she can’t make her students get on. Try to persuade her that she should give more thought to effective methods of teaching rather than giving up.

3. One of your fellow-students doesn’t seem to be interested in his / her studies. He / she often misses classes. Sometimes he / she comes late. He / she never does a thing to get a satisfactory mark. Persuade him / her that it will do him / her lot of harm if the way he / she treats the studies remains unchanged.

 

4. A friend of yours says that he / she is thinking seriously about giving up his / her studies at the university, although he / she likes his / her fellow-students and finds the English language very important. The trouble is that his/her teacher is unjust to him / her and often gives him / her bad marks. Try to persuade your friend that he / she shouldn’t leave the university but rather improve his / her relationship with the teacher.  

PUTTING DEFENSIVE ARGUMENTS

From the following list of claims select the ones which are the claims of policy. Then say whether you agree with them. If you don’t agree, put forward defensive arguments. Use the model below.

Model: A: The system of standard marks should be abolished.

  B: That’s very good, but you’ve got to take into account that teachers should somehow evaluate students’ work. I think you’re being rather unrealistic!

1. Compulsory attendance at universities should be abolished.

 

2. Teachers at universities should be replaced by computers.

 

3. Sometimes teaching is lost labour. Sometimes it’s labour of love (бескорыстный труд).

 

4. Teachers should be awarded higher salaries.

 

5. Students should earn a diploma by choosing the courses they want.

6. Teachers should give more individual attention to their students.

 

7. The highest knowledge is achieved by specializing in a subject.

 

8. Teachers shouldn’t speak ill of their students.

 

9. Women are more capable in learning a foreign language than men.

 

10. A teacher shouldn’t favour any of his or her students.

 

11. It is never too late to learn.

 

12. Students should show respect for their teachers.

 

13. You can't learn a foreign language in a week.

 

14. Learning comes easier to the young.

 

15. The ultimate aim of English is to communicate.

Should Unmotivated Students Be Forced to Go to Colleges and Universities?                               

Here’s one person’s opinion: ‘Statistical evidence says that most young people choose to go to a college or university because they think, it will help them earn more money, become better people, and learn to be more responsible than those who don’t go. Very often, however, some of them find no stimulation in their studies and drop out. You can overhear a conversation like this:

 

A: Why did you choose to go to the college?

B: Er... it’s just because it seems to be an alternative to a far worse fate. It’s better than the Army or a dead-end job, and it has to be pretty bad before it’s any worse than staying at home.

A: So, you mean there isn’t anything better to do, do you?

B: Well, don’t be so upright, will you? You know quite a lot of us are in college reluctantly. They go because of pressure from parents and teachers’.