LEARN AND EXPLORE:

Let’s Learn Reading and Viewing Strategies!

Reading and viewing takes more than just understanding the words, sentences
and images on a page. Good readers have a toolbox in their mind, full of things
they use to stay focused and get the most out of whatever they read and view.
These tools can be used Before, As or After we read and view a text.

To remind yourself of what these tools are, you can refer to Unit 2 or log onto the Student
Learning Space (SLS) and find the following lesson in the MOE Library:

● Let’s Learn Reading and Viewing Strategies!

In this unit, we will focus more on the strategies relevant to “AFTER we read and view”, such
as how to assess claims, assumptions and evidence.
Let’s Learn… How to Boost Our Vocabulary
Using a Word Bank
What is it?
We create and build a Word Bank by recording new or interesting words/ expressions we
have found.

Why should we learn it?

When we build and add to a Word Bank, it not only boosts our vocabulary knowledge but
also helps us to listen, read, speak and write better.

When do we use it?

We can add new or interesting words and expressions to a Word Bank as we listen to and
read different texts in and outside class.

How do we do it?
As we listen to and read texts, we can use a dictionary or thesaurus to clarify word meanings
we are unsure about.

● Arguments are full of useful verbs (e.g., mental, sensing, linking) and descriptive
words (e.g., adjectives, adverbs) as these are used to develop the speaker’s or
writer’s argument and indicate the relations between reasons, evidence and the
overall purpose of the text. Pay attention to these words and pick the ones you are
not familiar with.
● A word usually has many different meanings besides the one intended by the text.
Learning a word involves understanding these different meanings, as well as the
following:
o What word classes it can belong to (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb,
preposition)
o How the word is used in a sentence
o How the word is pronounced
Let’s Learn… How to Assess Claims and
Assumptions
What is it?
A claim is a statement that a speaker or writer says is true. Some claims are supported by
evidence and elaboration, such as facts, statistics, expert opinions, personal opinions or
personal anecdotes.

Assumptions are claims which are typically based on popular opinion. They are not
supported by evidence or elaboration.

When we assess and evaluate a claim or an assumption, we decide whether they are
convincing.

Do we do this outside the classroom?

We assess claims and assumptions frequently. If an advertisement claims that a pimple
cream can make your spots disappear after the first application, you might not readily
believe it unless there is evidence for it. When you read a social media post about poor
service at your favourite bubble tea shop, you might not be convinced unless the claims are
verified. And if your friend proposes having salad as a healthy lunch, you might question the
assumption that salads are healthy, especially if you know of salads which are actually
unhealthy.

Why should we learn it?

We receive information from many different sources all the time. Some information reaches
us even without us actively looking for it. Very often, the producers of such information aim
to persuade us to think or act in a particular way. Instead of being influenced by these
speakers or writers, we should analyse the information provided by assessing the claims and
assumptions made, so as to decide if the line of reasoning is sound and valid before forming
our own considered conclusions.
When do we use it?
We need to utilise information in many decisions that we make. For example, when we
want to buy a laptop, we need information about its features and price. Often, we turn to
advertisements and product reviews to gather more information. Because some
advertisements and product reviews are designed so as to convince us to buy the product
concerned, we must carefully assess the claims and assumptions they make before we can
make an informed decision about whether to purchase (or not).

In school, we sometimes need to do research on topics to deepen our understanding of

them. For example, we might look up different perspectives on a historical event in order to
arrive at our own interpretation. When listening to, reading or viewing different points of
view, we risk being easily swayed by the speakers or writers to accept their ideas if we do
not assess their claims and assumptions.

In addition, we also assess our own claims and assumptions when we produce Critical
Responses or Arguments. This ensures that our line of reasoning is logical and convincing.
How do we do it?
We can consider the steps below when assessing claims and assumptions in a text.

Step Ask yourself… Suggestions

Identify What are the claims Establish the speaker’s or writer’s point of view. This can be

🖝
that support the stated in the opening paragraph of the text and supported
speaker’s or by a set of claims in the subsequent paragraphs.
writer’s point of
view? Consider these questions:
● What does the speaker or writer want to convince
me to agree with or to do?
● What are the reasons presented to support the
speaker’s or writer’s point of view?

Analyse What evidence is Determine whether each claim is supported by evidence. If

used to support a claim is not supported by evidence, it is an assumption.
each claim?
Consider this question:
● Is the claim supported by evidence and elaboration
(e.g., facts, statistics, expert opinions, personal
opinions, personal anecdotes)?

Determine How sound is each Use your assessment of the evidence provided by the
claim or speaker or writer to arrive at a balanced evaluation of his or
assumption? her claims or assumptions.

If a claim is supported by evidence and elaboration (see

“Analyse”), ask:
● Can the evidence and elaboration (e.g., facts,
statistics, expert opinions, personal opinions,
personal anecdotes) be verified?
● How credible (i.e., objective and authoritative) is
the source of the evidence?
● Is the evidence and elaboration logical and
objective?

If the claim is an assumption (i.e., not supported by

evidence and elaboration), ask:
● Is the assumption logical and acceptable?
● Are there situations where the assumption is not
true (or vice versa)?
Claim and Assumption Assessment Tool
Use the graphic organiser below to help you assess the claims and assumptions in texts you
listen to, read and view, both in and outside this unit.
What are the claims that support the speaker’s or writer’s point of view?
Identify

🖝
What evidence is used to support each claim?
Analyse

How sound is each claim or assumption?

Determine
Log onto the Student Learning Space (SLS)
and find the following lesson in the MOE
Library:

● Sailing the Seas of Critical Literacy:

Checking the Strength of an
Argument
Let’s Read… “Plastic Bags: To Ban or Not to
Ban”
You are about to read an online article, written by Deepan Kumar and published on the website of a
local environmental advocacy group. Deepan, a young Singaporean, is the founder of the group.

Plastic Bags: To Ban or Not to Ban

Banning plastic bags is not the solution to Singapore’s waste problem.

1 Plastic waste pollution is a serious environmental problem. To reduce waste, many countries
have resorted to drastic measures such as banning plastic bags. While Singapore does not
regulate the use of plastic bags, the idea of banning plastic bags has been hotly debated.
Many question Singapore’s apparent passiveness in addressing the plastic waste problem. In
my opinion, banning plastic bags is not a silver bullet for Singapore’s waste problem. We
should not blindly follow in the footsteps of other countries and ban plastic bags.

Plastic Bags are Needed in Trash Disposal

2 As we all know, plastic bags are essential for the responsible and hygienic disposal of waste in
Singapore. Most people in Singapore reuse plastic grocery bags to line their trash bins.
 Unbagged waste, especially food waste, attracts pests which can spread diseases.
Biodegradable paper bags are not an ideal substitute for plastic bags as the hot and humid
weather in Singapore will cause food waste to rot and smell in paper bags within hours.
Furthermore, a study commissioned by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and led by
scientists from the National University of Singapore found that biodegradable bags, which
have frequently been touted as the greener alternatives to plastic bags, are not that green
either. Plastic bags require the same amount of resources as a biodegradable bag to produce.
In fact, the production of all types of disposable bags negatively impacts the environment
because of carbon emissions and excessive water usage. In another study conducted by
scientists from the Nanyang Technological University, reusable plastic bags were found to be
more environmentally friendly than paper bags.

Plastic Bags Do Not Contribute Much to Pollution

3 Unlike many countries where plastic bags pollute the land and water, Singapore is not
plagued by the same problem. This is due to our highly efficient and effective waste collection
and management system. Plastic bags which are thrown away are collected daily together
with other household and commercial waste, and incinerated. To reduce air pollution, gases
produced during incineration go through an advanced cleaning process before they are
emitted into the air. Since plastic bags hardly cause any pollution in Singapore, banning plastic
bags is unlikely to significantly improve environmental outcomes.

Real Solutions for the Real Problem

4 Because Singapore’s waste does not only include plastic bags, eliminating the use of plastic
bags will not address Singapore’s waste woes. On the contrary, focusing our attention solely
on curbing the use of plastic bags could distract us from the real issue. So, what is the real
issue?

5 In Singapore, the key challenge is to reduce the amount of waste sent to our only landfill. It
follows that we should then focus our efforts on reducing the excessive consumption of all
types of single-use items, not just plastic bags. Besides plastic bags, Singapore uses a
staggering amount of packaging. In 2018 alone, packaging accounts for one-third of
 Singapore’s 1.6 million tonnes of waste. To do this, there needs to be a mindset change in
how we consume products, which is challenging.

6 There have been many initiatives aimed at helping Singapore become a zero-waste nation. An
example is the Bring Your Own (BYO) movement started by non-governmental organisation
Zero Waste SG in 2017. The BYO movement encourages businesses and consumers to choose
reusable containers, cups and bags over disposables. To support the movement, hawker
centres such as those at Our Tampines Hub, Pasir Ris Central and Yishun Park, do not provide
disposable cutlery to patrons who dine in. Many fast food restaurants have also joined in this
collective effort to reduce waste by not providing plastic straws. Food delivery businesses,
too, are doing their part to promote the zero-waste culture by encouraging customers to
refuse disposable cutlery when ordering food.

7 Addressing Singapore’s waste problem requires a multi-pronged approach. Focusing narrowly

on regulating the use of plastic bags is not likely to yield much benefit. Instead, let’s try and
reduce waste by cutting down our use of all types of disposables as much as possible.
Let’s Check Our Understanding
Use the questions in this section as part of “AFTER we read and view”.
Use short phrases or complete sentences to answer the questions below on the
text “Plastic Bags: To Ban or Not to Ban”.

Understanding the Issue

1. What issue does the text address?

whether or not singapore should ban plastic bags.

Understanding Writing Essay Structure
Introduction
Your introduction is of utmost importance because it lays the foundation for your
subsequent arguments. In your introduction, you should include a hook to grab your
reader’s attention. Next, you need to provide some background information pertaining to
the topic so that your reader has some context about the arguments you will be making.
Following that, you must state your stand. Finally, you will provide an overview of the
arguments you will be making.
If the reader is able to get a clear idea about what your essay is about after reading this first
paragraph, you have written a good introduction.

Take at look at the introduction paragraph of the article. Can you find the (i) hook (ii)
background information and (ii) stand?
Plastic waste pollution is a serious environmental problem. To reduce waste, many countries have
resorted to drastic measures such as banning plastic bags. While Singapore does not regulate the
use of plastic bags, the idea of banning plastic bags has been hotly debated. Many question
Singapore’s apparent passiveness in addressing the plastic waste problem. In my opinion, banning
plastic bags is not a silver bullet for Singapore’s waste problem. We should not blindly follow in
the footsteps of other countries and ban plastic bags.
Body Paragraph – PEEJ
Your body paragraph should use the Point, Elaboration, Example, Justification (PEEJ)
structure.

What does the ‘Point’ segment in PEEJ mean?

The ‘Point’ of your paragraph should be:
● Be written in one sentence
● Be specific and concise
● Answer the question given
What do the ‘Elaboration’ and ‘Example’
segments in PEEJ mean?
The point in your body paragraph tells
the reader the argument you are
making in that paragraph. When the
reader reads the topic sentence, he or
she should instantly know what your
argument is going to be about

● Your elaboration is the meat of your body

paragraph. You explain your argument and convince the reader that your stand is valid and
credible.

● Credibility can be achieved when you provide appropriate and relevant examples to
support what you are saying. Examples MUST be factually accurate and must be explained.

What does the ‘Justification’ segment in PEEJ mean?

● The Justification segment in your body paragraph is meant to explain why your point is
important. Your Justification should be a mature and in depth explanation of why the point
you are stating is worth considering. Often, it is the most convincing part of the argument.

● To write your justification, ask yourself ‘why is the point I am making important?’. If what
you are writing is able to answer that question, you have probably written your justification.
● Justification is different from an Elaboration. An elaboration is an explanation of your
point.
How to write a good Justification?
● To write a good justification, you could select one of the following to focus on in your
body paragraph:
● Provide a consideration of the social consequences of the point you are making; link
your justification to larger social/moral issues.
● Provide a consideration of the values your argument promotes and link it to a wider
social context.
● Provide a consideration of how your point has implications for the future or
important long term consequences
Let’s take a look at paragraph 3. Where is the PEEJ?
nlike many countries where plastic bags pollute the land and water, Singapore is not plagued by
the same problem. This is due to our highly efficient and effective waste collection and
management system. Plastic bags which are thrown away are collected daily together with other
household and commercial waste, and incinerated. To reduce air pollution, gases produced during
incineration go through an advanced cleaning process before they are emitted into the air. Since
plastic bags hardly cause any pollution in Singapore, banning plastic bags is unlikely to significantly
improve environmental outcomes.

Conclusion
● Your conclusion should restate your stand and provide a summary of the arguments made
in your essay.
● You may want to ask a thought-provoking question or provide recommendations for the
future. This will help to redirect your reader’s thought processes and help him or her
recognise the broader implications of your work.
Let’s take a look at paragraph 7. What do you notice about this paragraph as a conclusion?

Addressing Singapore’s waste problem requires a multi-pronged approach. Focusing narrowly on

regulating the use of plastic bags is not likely to yield much benefit. Instead, let’s try and reduce
waste by cutting down our use of all types of disposables as much as possible.

Understanding Vocabulary
2. Guess the meaning: Using information in the text and the parts of each word/
phrase, guess the meaning of the following words/ phrases and write your answers
down in the spaces provided.
 Word/ phrase Meaning
apparent
(paragraph 1) obvious

a silver bullet Quick solution to a difficult solution

(paragraph 1)

blindly follow in the

footsteps of Indiscriminately act in accordance
[someone]
(paragraph 1)

commissioned consigned
(paragraph 2)

touted
(paragraph 2) praised

plagued troubled
(paragraph 3)

woes
(paragraph 4) problems, issues

staggering shocking
(paragraph 5)

multi-pronged Multi-faceted
approach
(paragraph 7)

yield resulting
(paragraph 7)

Understanding Phrases, Clauses and Sentences

3. “While Singapore does not regulate the use of plastic bags, the idea of banning
plastic bags has been hotly debated.” (paragraph 1). Why does the writer use the
word “while” in this sentence?

It is to express that extensive that extensive debates on the banning of plastic bags
occur despite Singapore’s lack of regulation on the use of plastic bags.
4. Give two reasons why the writer says “Biodegradable paper bags are not an ideal
substitute for plastic bags” (paragraph 2).
The first reason is that the hot and humid weather in Singapore will cause food
waste to rot and smell in paper bags within hours as compared to plastic bags. The
second reason is that plastic bags require the same amount of resources as a
biodegradable bag to produce.

5. In paragraph 3, the writer says that “Singapore is not plagued by the same problem”.
What “problem” is he referring to?
It refers to plastic bags polluting the land and water.

6. In paragraph 5, why does the writer provide information about the amount of
packaging waste produced in Singapore?

It is to emphasise how much waste is produced in Singapore. /

The writer highlights the large amount of packaging waste produced in order to
persuade readers to reduce the extent to which they consume products.

7. “Focusing narrowly on regulating the use of plastic bags is not likely to yield much
benefit.” (paragraph 7). Using your own words, say what this sentence means.

It means that just reducing our usage of plastic bags is not going to help or solve the
overall problem of plastic bags pollution. /
Relying heavily on banning the use of plastic bags in unlikely to produce positive
results.
8. Summary practice:
Using your own words, as far as possible, summarise the reasons why plastic bags
should not be banned in Singapore, and what Singapore should focus on doing
instead. Use only information from paragraphs 2 to 5
Main ideas and details
As we all know, plastic bags are essential
for the responsible and hygienic disposal of
waste in Singapore. 1
Biodegradable paper bags are not an ideal
substitute for plastic bags as the
hot and humid weather in Singapore will
cause food waste to rot and smell in paper
bags within hours. 2
In another study conducted by scientists
from
the Nanyang Technological University,
reusable plastic bags were found to be
more
environmentally friendly than paper bags. 3
Since plastic bags hardly cause
any pollution in Singapore, banning plastic
bags is unlikely to significantly improve
In my own words
Plastic bags are needed for proper
sanitation in Singapore. /
In Singapore, removing rubbish in a
sanitary manner requires the use of plastic
bags.
Unlike plastic bags, using biodegradable
paper bags will lead to food waste rotting
within hours. /
Biodegradable paper bags are unable to
completely replace plastic bags as food
waste tends to decompose more quickly in
the former in Singapore’s hot and humid
weather.
It is also scientifically proofed that reusable
plastic bags are more environmentally
friendly than paper bags. /
Paper bags are more harmful to the
environment compared to reusable plastic
bags.
Banning plastic bags will not drastically
reduce the overall pollution. /
Curbing the use of plastic bags is unlikely to
ameliorate the environment because
environmental outcomes. 4
Plastic bags require the same amount of
resources as a biodegradable bag to
produce 8
It follows that we should then focus our
efforts on reducing the excessive
consumption of all types of single-use
items, not just plastic bags.
7 the usage of all types of single-use items
In Singapore, the key challenge is to reduce
the amount of waste sent to out only
landfill. 6
To do this, there needs to be a mindset
change in how we consume products,
which is challenging.
plastic bags only contribute insignificantly
to pollution in Singapore.
Plastic bags need the same materials as
biodegradable bags do. /
The production of biodegradable bags
consumes a similar amount of resources as
plastic bags.
Instead of reducing the use of plastic bags,
we should cut down our use of single-use
items. /
Singapore should also emphasise reducing
rather than just plastic bags alone.
The main problem is to cut down on the
waste sent only to landfill. /
Instead, Singapore should focus on
decreasing the quantity of rubbish sent to
its sole landfill.
Finally, Singaporeans will need to change
mindsets when they consume products.
Understanding the Organisational Pattern and Structure
9. Complete the network tree below to show how the ideas and details in the text can be extracted, summarised and organised. Some of
the boxes have been filled to serve as examples.

Elaboration
(details and examples to support the point)

a) Singapore’s hot and humid weather

Point 1
makes it necessary for waste to be bagged
Plastic bags are before disposal.
Issue/ Background needed in trash Restatement of
Biodegradable paper bags are position/ proposed
Many countries disposal in not suitable substitutes for action and/ or key
have banned Singapore. plastic bags. points
plastic bags to a)
reduce waste.
Point 2 a)
a)

Singapore has not b)

banned plastic
bags but people
have questioned if
Singapore should Point 3 a)
do so. a)

b)
Position/ Proposed
action
a)
Introduction Body Paragraph Conclusion
Distinguishing Facts from Opinions
10. Read the following statements from the text. Then, indicate whether each statement
is a fact or an opinion in the table below.

Item Statement Fact/ Opinion

a) “We should not blindly follow in the footsteps of other

countries and ban plastic bags.”
Opinion

b) “Unbagged waste, especially food waste, attracts pests which

can spread diseases.”
Fact

c) “[Biodegradable bags] require about the same amount of

resources as plastic bags to produce.”
Fact

d) “To reduce air pollution, gases produced during incineration go

through an advanced cleaning process before they are emitted
Fact
into the air.”

e) “… focusing our attention solely on curbing the use of plastic

bags could distract us from the real issue.”
Opinion
Understanding the Key Message
11. What is this text trying to show about the idea of banning plastic bags in Singapore?

The text is trying to show that it is not a good idea of banning plastic bags in Singapore.

Drawing Conclusions
12. a) What did you think about the idea of banning plastic bags in Singapore before
reading the text? Share one or two impressions of Singaporeans’ attitudes
towards the banning of plastic bags that you may have.

Before reading the text, I thought that banning plastic bags was a great idea and that
we should do it right away. I think that one impression of Singaporeans’ attitude
towards the banning of plastic bags would be that they are heavily against the idea
just because plastic bags have become a necessity for them. /
Singaporeans are generally opposed to the banning of plastic bags due to the
inconveniences that would arise. However, the younger generation tends to be more
vocal about banning plastic bags to reduce pollution.

b) What can you conclude about some Singaporeans’ attitudes towards banning
plastic bags after reading the text?

Making Critical Connections

Respond to the questions below:

12. Would the “Bring Your Own” movement (paragraph 6) help to address Singapore’s
waste problem? Why, or why not?

Yes, to some extent. While it reduces the usage of single use containers, cups, bags
and disposables, there remain many consumer goods which utilise excessive
amounts of unnecessary packaging.

13. To what extent do you agree with the writer’s points of view? Why do you say so?
Evaluate the ideas in the text using the following questions:
● What are the claims and assumptions that support the points of view? What
evidence is used to support each claim and assumption? How sound are the
claims and assumptions?
● Can I trust the writer? What is his or her authority on the topic? What do his
or her attitudes and feelings tell me?
 Individually, respond with your thoughts and support them with examples from the
text in a brief written reflection.

14. As a group, identify the linguistic and visual features that have been used in this text
to influence the audience. Describe the effects the features below have on you as
readers:
● The title and sub-headings
● The selection of words and phrases
● The variety of sentence structures and sentence lengths
● The image and caption
Let’s Read… “Plastics: Enough Trash Talk”
You are about to read an article written by Elaine Tan, a former Chief Executive Officer of the World
Wide Fund for Nature Singapore (WWF-Singapore) (source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press
Holdings Limited. Edited with permission).

Plastics: Enough Trash Talk

Singapore's current usage of plastic bags borders on the excessive.

Time to stop passing the buck among firms, individuals and the
government – we all have a role to play.
1 In Singapore, a supermarket plastic bag serves its real purpose for 30 minutes; in a drink, a
straw is utilised for just five minutes; in a hot beverage, a plastic stirrer is used for only ten
seconds. These items have fleeting lifespans, but they outlive us by a long shot – 400 years, to
be exact.
2 Left in our environment, plastics adversely affect ocean health and biodiversity, including
corals, seabirds and endangered species. The problem does not simply end there because
before they even enter our homes, plastics already contribute to climate change. Globally,
the manufacturing of plastics consumes the same amount of fossil fuel as the entire aviation
industry. Unknowingly, we are living plastic in every way: eating, drinking and even breathing
it. Consequently, around the world, microplastics have been found in the guts of fish, in tap
water samples and even in the air.

Convenience Numbs Common Sense

3 Unfortunately, little is being done to address this. There was a huge public outcry when the
four largest supermarkets in Singapore floated the idea of a plastic bag charge. Recently, the
government announced a decision against a plastic bag ban, highlighting incineration as a
solution. In this all-or-nothing debate that focuses solely on plastic bags, we are missing the
point that we continue to have a major problem with plastic use.

4 While Singapore generated over 800 million kg of plastic waste last year, only 6% of which
was recycled, the rest of the world is far ahead in taking action on plastic waste – more than
40 countries have plastic bag bans or taxes in place, including China, Rwanda and Italy. Last
year, 39 governments announced new commitments to reduce the amount of plastic going
into the sea; closer to home, just across the Causeway, Johor is set to ban plastic bags and
polystyrene by this year. Why, then, are we not stepping up?

5 By not taking action to reduce plastic’s widespread use, we are perpetuating this global
problem. Therefore, it is high time for a mindset overhaul on plastics in Singapore.

Reject ‘Useless’ Plastics

6 Rather than an all-or-nothing approach, the key lies in understanding what we should use less
of, and what we can and should eliminate.
7 There are useful plastics that we can still reduce the use of, and plastic bags are one such
example. Statistics show that Singapore’s current usage of plastic bags borders on the
excessive – a person in Singapore is estimated to use about 13 plastic bags a day, much more
than any household would need for trash disposal. To reduce plastic use, we can explore
alternatives in the form of reusables that are widely available in the market today. According
to a recent study by the National Environment Agency, a reusable bag replaces the use of 125
single-use plastic bags in a year. Likewise, a plastic bag charge can be an effective way to
reduce plastic use. In Ireland, consumption of single-use plastic bags fell by 95% when a levy
was introduced in 2002; in Singapore, a lifestyle retail chain witnessed a 75% drop in plastic
bag take-up rate after it implemented a $0.10 plastic bag charge in April 2017.

8 Additionally, there are “useless” or unnecessary plastics – those that provide a few extra
minutes of convenience but are disposed after use. Most plastic straws, lids, cups and stirrers
fall into this category, and refusing these useless plastics is an easy step towards cutting down
on plastic use.

Not All Plastics are Trash

9 Even as individuals focus on using less plastics, a wider systemic change is needed to make
plastics more useful. It is alarming that globally, 95% of plastics worth up to S$157 billion are
discarded after the first use. Effective recycling ensures that we maximise the economic value
of this useful material.

1 Of course, plastic packaging cannot be eliminated, but it needs to be recovered, especially in

0 Singapore, where packaging makes up a third of domestic waste. However, not enough is
being done to hold businesses accountable for the plastics they introduce into the market. In
countries such as Japan, for instance, businesses are required by law to assume their
responsibility in recycling.
1 Although separation of plastic waste from other types of waste at the point of disposal also
1 enhances recycling, it is currently not mandatory in Singapore. As a result, recycling efforts
are undermined and incineration, including that of plastics, is incentivised.

1 Since Singapore has made a name for ourselves globally in recovering value from precious
2 resources, and we do this for paper and even the water we drink, why aren’t we treating
plastics the same way? Incineration, an expensive method which pollutes the air, should not
be the solution unless all other options are unavailable.

Stop Trash Talking, Start Fixing

1 We have limited time to turn things around. Furthermore, with the looming global plastic
3 crisis, business-as-usual cannot apply.

1 Businesses need to be held accountable for used plastics, however useful their purposes. This
4 includes being responsible for the entire life cycle of plastics, from packaging to recovery after
use.

1 On a national level, the channels and infrastructure need to be in place to effectively enable
5 recycling by businesses and individuals. Incentives might encourage manufacturers to take
more responsibility, while disincentives like a plastic tax could help spur much needed
behaviour change.

1 To expedite the move towards a more sustainable future, individuals should also play their
6 part by using less plastics, and supporting business and government measures that help
address this issue.

1 Let’s stop pushing the responsibility to other individuals, businesses and the government, but
7 step up and take action for a problem we will share with the future generations.
Let’s Check Our Understanding
Use the questions in this section as part of “AFTER we read and view”.
Use short phrases or complete sentences to answer the questions below on the
text “Plastics: Enough Trash Talk”.

Understanding the Issue

1. What issue does the text address?

Understanding Vocabulary
2. Guess the meaning: Using information in the text and the parts of each word/
phrase, guess the meaning of the following words/ phrases and write your answers
down in the spaces provided.

Word/ phrase Meaning

passing the buck
(introductory
statement)
fleeting
(paragraph 1)

outcry
(paragraph 3)

floated
(paragraph 3)

perpetuating
(paragraph 5)

undermined
(paragraph 11)

turn things around

(paragraph 13)

looming
(paragraph 13)

infrastructure
(paragraph 15)

spur
(paragraph 15)
Understanding Phrases, Clauses and Sentences
3. In paragraph 2, the writer says that “the problem does not simply end there”. What
“problem” is she referring to?
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

4. What is the writer’s view regarding the debate on plastic bags (paragraph 3)?
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

5. Give two reasons why Singapore should be “stepping up” (paragraph 4) to address
the problem with plastic waste.
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

6. How does the writer support her claim that “Singapore’s current usage of plastic
bags borders on the excessive” (paragraph 7)?
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

7. “Incineration, an expensive method which pollutes the air, should not be the
solution unless all other options are unavailable.” (paragraph 12). Using your own
words, explain what this sentence means.
___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
Understanding the Organisational Pattern and Structure
8. Complete the network tree below to show how the ideas and details in the text can be extracted, summarised and organised. Some of
the boxes have been filled to serve as examples.

Elaboration
(details and examples to support the point)

Point 1 Singapore’s high usage of plastic

Issue/ Background More can be bags can be reduced by using
Excessive plastic done to reduce plastic bag alternatives or
Restatement of
use has left position/ proposed
the use of charging for plastic bags. action and/ or key
adverse effects on plastics. points
living organisms. Disposable plastics should not be a)
used.
Singapore lags
behind the rest of
world when it
comes to taking Point 2 a)
action on plastic a)
waste. b)

Position/ Proposed c)
action
a)

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OFFICIAL (CLOSED) 31
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Distinguishing Facts from Opinions
9. Read the following statements from the text. Then, indicate whether each statement
is a fact or an opinion in the table below.

Item Statement Fact/ Opinion

“Globally, the manufacturing of plastics consumes the same

a) amount of fossil fuel as the entire aviation industry.”

“Recently, the government announced a decision against a

b) plastic bag ban, highlighting incineration as a solution.”

“Therefore, it is high time for a mindset overhaul on plastics in

c) Singapore.”

“Rather than an all-or-nothing approach, the key lies in

d) understanding what we should use less of, and what we can
and should eliminate.”

“… in Singapore, a lifestyle retail chain witnessed a 75% drop in

e) plastic bag take-up rate after it implemented a $0.10 plastic bag
charge in April 2017.”
Understanding the Key Message
10. What is this text trying to show about the way Singapore is addressing the problem
of plastic use and plastic waste?

Drawing Conclusions
11. a) What did you think about Singapore’s efforts in managing plastic waste before
reading the text? Share one or two impressions of Singapore’s attitude towards
plastic waste that you may have.

b) What can you conclude about Singapore’s efforts in managing plastic waste after
reading the text?

Making Critical Connections

Respond to the questions below:

12. Would you support “a plastic bag ban” (paragraph 3)? Why, or why not?

13. To what extent do you agree with the writer’s points of view? Why do you say so?
Evaluate the ideas in the text using the following questions:
● What are the claims and assumptions that support the points of view? What
evidence is used to support each claim and assumption? How sound are the
claims and assumptions?
● Can I trust the writer? What is his or her authority on the topic? What do his
or her attitudes and feelings tell me?

Individually, respond with your thoughts and support them with examples from the
text in a brief written reflection.

14. As a group, identify the linguistic and visual features that have been used in this text
to influence the audience. Describe the effects the features below have on you as
readers:
● The title and sub-headings
● The selection of words and phrases
● The variety of sentence structures and sentence lengths
● The image and caption
Let’s Explore… Arguments
We use Arguments to persuade others to think or act in a particular way. They can be
spoken or written. Arguments contain convincing points of view which are presented in a
logical way to support the speaker’s or writer’s position on an issue.

We often listen to, read and produce Arguments:

● Newspapers and magazines often contain articles that seek to persuade readers to
take a position on certain issues. The Forum section of a newspaper, for example, is
a place where readers themselves can actually do this.
● When watching television programmes or videos online, you might have come
across advertisements promoting products, events or ideas.
● Politicians and student council candidates can make persuasive campaign speeches
to win votes for their parties or themselves in the elections.
● If you feel strongly against the putting down of abandoned pets, you might write to
the relevant authority to propose stricter guidelines for the protection of animals.

Your teacher will guide you in discovering the features and organisation of Arguments by
analysing one of the texts you’ve read so far. To do so, you will be exploring answers to the
following four questions:

1. START WITH PURPOSE: What are the writer’s message and purpose?

2. LOOK AT PARTS: Which semiotic modes and features have been used by the writer?

3. THINK ABOUT EFFECT: How does each of these semiotic features affect the
audience’s feelings and thoughts?

4. BACK TO PURPOSE: How do these features work together to help the writer share
his or her message, and achieve his or her purpose?

You can use the graphic organisers in this section to help you answer these four questions.
START WITH PURPOSE: What are the writer’s message and
purpose?
● THINK: Respond to the questions below. What are the writer’s message and
purpose?
● PAIR: Together with a partner, work towards a better understanding of the writer’s
message and purpose.
● SHARE: Share your ideas with the rest of the class, and listen actively when others
share their ideas.

What is the writer’s message?

Recall what you remember most about what you have read. What is the issue the writer is
addressing? What is the writer’s position on the issue, and his or her proposed action (if any)? You
may use writing and pictures to answer this question.

What is the writer’s purpose?

Think about…
● When and where did the writer write this?
● Who is the writer writing for?
● How might the above details influence the writer?
● What does the writer want his or her audience to feel, think or do?

Again, you may use writing and pictures to answer this question.
LOOK AT PARTS: Which semiotic modes and features have
been used by the writer?
You can now use the graphic organiser (the diamond) on the next page to help you. Your
teacher will guide you as you do the following:
● Find: First, use the questions outside the diamond to help you look for the semiotic
modes used in the text. Mark these out.
● Zoom in: Next, focus on these semiotic modes, one at a time, and pay attention to
the semiotic features listed under each one (e.g., under “Linguistic”, there are “Word
Choice” and “Sentence Pattern”; under “Visual”, there are “Colour” and “Focus”).
Did the writer use these features? Highlight or underline the text to identify these
features.

THINK ABOUT EFFECT: How does each of these semiotic

features affect the audience’s feelings and thoughts?
● Elaborate: Finally, annotate the highlighted/ underlined details with short notes
about how they affected your feelings and thoughts. Your annotation may look like
this:
 d s? s
w or nce Do
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h e s u r n n C h e t dV us
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Expr acial

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text
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Wha
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de so

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How is the text

arranged?
Can you describe
it?
BACK TO PURPOSE: How do these features work together to
help the writer share his or her message, and achieve his or
her purpose?
1. Complete the first two columns with the details that have helped you better
understand the purpose and message of the text.
2. In the last column, elaborate on how the detail affects the audience. See the first
row of the table for an example.

Feature Detail Effect on audience

Symbols Image of the earth on The image of the earth ‘burning’ and on fire
fire on a participant’s symbolises that the world is being destroyed
poster by climate change and climate inaction.

(in “Why You Should

Listen to Youths
Fighting Climate
Change”)

39
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Let’s Learn… the Features and Organisation of
Arguments
The organisational structure and language features of Arguments are summarised below.
Keep these in mind when you are trying to understand or produce Arguments.

Organisation of Arguments (you may refer back to the

articles)

Issue/ Background

● What issue is the speaker or writer addressing?

● What background information does the audience need to know about the
issue?

Position/ Proposed action

● What is the speaker’s or writer’s position on the issue? What is the speaker’s
or writer’s proposed action (if any)?

40
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Points

● What key points of view does the speaker or writer use to support his or her
positon/ proposed action?

Elaboration

● How is each point developed and supported with explanations (e.g., reasons,
evidence, examples), expert opinion or emotional appeals?

Restatement of position and/ or key points (optional)

● How does the speaker or writer reinforce his or her position/ proposed action
and/ or key points?

41
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Features of Arguments
Now, let’s learn more about why the language features you noticed have been used in
Arguments like “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change” and “Plastics:
Enough Trash Talk”. For each language feature, at least one example from one text has been
given – find more!

The features are:

● Phrases to connect with the audience;
● Modals to hedge and moderate a point of view;
● Nominalisation to convey information concisely and structure arguments;
● Rhetorical questions to interact with the audience;
● Imperatives to encourage the audience to take action;
● Repetition of sentence patterns to reinforce ideas; and
● Connectors to give reasons and support a point of view, show cause and effect, and
state conditions or qualifications.
Phrases to connect with the audience
When presenting one side of the issue in Arguments, we sometimes use certain phrases to
connect with our audience, who may hold a different opinion from us. Phrases such as “As
some may think likewise…” or “Others may similarly agree…” can prompt the audience to
feel a sense of connection with us and persuade them to see our ideas positively.

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “The future is not a given for our generation. Consequently, we need to reverse the
effects of climate change to ensure we have a future.” (paragraph 4)
● “Unless we ourselves are proactively and boldly stepping up to assume more
responsibility for climate action, the least we can do is be receptive to their efforts
while they try to clean up the mess left to them.” (paragraph 6)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find in “Plastics: Enough Trash Talk”?
Modals to hedge and moderate a point of view
When making claims in Arguments, we need to avoid over-generalising, or applying a claim
to too many individuals, groups or situations. Depending on the evidence that we have and
our certainty about our claim, we may also need to vary our degree of commitment or allow
for other views. To do that, we can use modals to hedge and moderate our point of view. In
addition to modals, we can moderate our point of view by choosing and using the right
nouns (e.g., “possibility”, “probability”) and adjectives (e.g., “possible”, “probable”).

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “Climate change might have been perceived to be an abstract tragedy nobody
envisioned transpiring in their lifetime, but it's different now.” (paragraph 4)
● “… or you could just continue criticising their efforts through a 'witty' comment on
social media that may earn you a measly few likes.” (paragraph 6)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find from the other texts in this unit?
Nominalisation to convey information concisely and structure
arguments
Nominalisation is the process of forming a noun or noun phrase from another word class,
such as verbs or adjectives. When we use single words to replace long phrases (e.g.,
changing “act to make changes that will reverse climate change” to “climate action”), we
can summarise explanations and convey information concisely. Nominalisation can help us
appear more objective as we focus on an action and its results, rather than on the person(s)
performing the action.

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “I would have remained completely oblivious to the existence of the SG Climate Rally
…” (paragraph 1)
● “Almost everyone was clad in red, with many young people holding up banners that
urged for more climate action in Singapore.” (paragraph 2)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find from the other texts in this unit?
Rhetorical questions to interact with the audience
Rhetorical questions are questions asked as a way of emphasising a point instead of actually
expecting an answer, the latter of which tends to be obvious anyway. Through asking
rhetorical questions, we interact with and engage our audience by appealing to a shared
belief, urging them to think about an issue or even challenging them to question their
existing beliefs.

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “What was so ridiculous about attending a climate change rally in Singapore?”
(paragraph 2)
● “More importantly, why are youths pushing for climate action taken as a joke?”
(paragraph 2)

Now it’s your turn: Find another example in “Plastics: Enough Trash Talk”.
Imperatives to encourage the audience to take action
To encourage our audience to take action, we can use imperatives. In Secondary 1, we
learnt that imperatives are commands to perform particular actions. These commands
require the use of verbs that describe specific actions and usually come in the form of the
simple present. Where directness or urgency is appropriate, imperatives are used to give an
order or make a request.

Example from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “Stand with the youths in their fight against climate change …” (paragraph 6)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find from the other texts in this unit?
Repetition of sentence patterns to reinforce ideas
Although we usually try to vary our sentence structures and sentence lengths, we may want
to repeat certain sentence patterns, where appropriate, in order to reinforce a point. If
done appropriately, such repetition can help our audience remember the ideas we are
trying to convey, and therefore strengthen our message.

Two examples of sentence patterns which can be repeated are short sentences or clauses
and parallel sentence structures:
● When short sentences or clauses are used together, they often help our audience to
focus on the topic as the key ideas are being emphasised. The sentence “I came, I
saw, I conquered”, attributed to the Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar, is a well-known
example of this.
● With parallel sentence structures, the same sentence structure is used in two or
more clauses in a single sentence, or repeated across multiple sentences. This
highlights the connections between related ideas, adding force to our speech and
writing. Prime Minister of Britain during World War II, Sir Winston Churchill used this
effectively in a famous speech: “We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France,
we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and
growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in
the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender …”

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “They are incorporating personal changes into their lives, like reducing plastic use,
eating less meat, thrift shopping in support of sustainable fashion, and consciously
buying from environmentally friendly brands.” (paragraph 5)
● “It’s dire and destructive, and it’s happening now.” (paragraph 6)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find from the other texts in this unit?
Connectors to give reasons and support a point of view, show cause
and effect, and state conditions or qualifications
When we produce Arguments, we often need to support our opinion with information such
as reasons or examples. Connectors like “because”, “as” and “therefore” allow us to connect
a point of view to the reasons we have in support of it.

Furthermore, when we elaborate on our points, we may need to explain cause and effect.
Some connectors we can use to do this include “consequently” and “as a result”.

We may also have to state conditions (i.e., what needs to be in place before something else
can happen) or qualifications (i.e., information that limits the effects or impact of another
statement). To do this, we can use connectors like “otherwise”, “even if” and “unless”.

Examples from “Why You Should Listen to Youths Fighting Climate Change”:
● “Youths are taking accountability for the actions of older generations, and pushing
for change because others didn't.” (paragraph 6)
● “Consequently, we need to reverse the effects of climate change to ensure we have
a future.” (paragraph 4)
● “Even if you still don't believe youths are capable of inciting positive change, it
doesn't change the fact that the climate crisis is real.” (paragraph 6)
● “Unless we ourselves are proactively and boldly stepping up to assume more
responsibility for climate action, the least we can do is be receptive to their efforts
while they try to clean up the mess left to them.” (paragraph 6)

Now it’s your turn: What other examples can you find from the other texts in this unit?
Let’s Use… Nominalisation to Structure
Arguments
Pay attention to the following guidelines when using nominalisation to
structure arguments in your writing.

1. Nominalisation is the process of forming a noun or noun phrase from another word
class. Nominalisation can help us convey information concisely.

2. Besides summarising information, nominalisation can be useful in organising our

ideas. Recall that the two basic units of a sentence are the subject and the verb.
Sentences usually start with a subject followed by the verb. In the examples below,
the subject has been underlined and the verb or verb phrase italicised:

Original sentence Nominalisation Modified sentence

Contaminants are released are released (verb The release of
into the ocean after a phrase) ⇨ release contaminants into the
beach erosion. (noun) ocean happens after a
beach erosion.

Through nominalisation, we transform “are released” to “release”. “The release of

contaminants into the ocean” is now made more prominent as the subject.

3. Besides helping our audience focus their attention on something in a sentence,

nominalisation can help us introduce one idea before we extend it to the rest of the
paragraph(s) by:
a. including further information;
b. showing its relationship with other things; or
c. providing relevant evidence.
 E.g.,
Emphasising the The release of contaminants into the ocean happens after a beach
main idea of the erosion, reducing water quality and threatening marine life. …
paragraph

Including further The reduction in water quality is the most direct impact …
information

Showing its The threat to marine life, on the other hand, happens …
relationships with destroying the aquatic ecosystems.
other things

Providing relevant Such destruction accounts for a significant proportion of our most
evidence pressing issues.

Notice how nominalisation helps us to focus on the key action or process in each
sentence before that sentence itself builds on the idea presented in the previous
sentence.

4. Nominalisation can also be used to present argument in a more objective manner by

avoiding the use of the first person (“I”, “we”, “me”, “us”). This allows the focus to
be on the action undertaken and its results instead of the individuals involved.

E.g.,
The introduction of new environmental factors can result in an imbalance in the
ecosystem.

Besides making the abstract idea of introducing new environmental factors more
concrete, this example shows how nominalisation can help us appear more
detached and/ or logical by focusing on the action or process.
Complete the tasks below to see whether you have understood these
guidelines.

Task A
Test whether you can identify the use of nominalisation.

In each of the sentences below, circle the subject that feature the use of nominalisation.
The first question has been answered as an example.

1. Strict adherence to recycling guidelines can help prevent problems at the sorting
facilities.

2. Our collective action is important to help fight global warming.

3. I am in favour of reducing plastic use in our country.

4. Waste generation will only continue to grow if we do not change our habits.

5. Singapore’s current usage of plastic bags is not sustainable in the long run.

6. Teenagers who do not pay attention to climate change are doing a disservice to
themselves.

7. Unfortunately, the inconvenience of recycling prevents many from doing their part
for the environment.

8. The separation of the different kinds of waste can help make our recycling effort
more efficient.
Task B
Test whether you understand how to use nominalisation.

Complete the text by nominalising the given verbs or adjectives.

Air (1) ____________________ (pollute) harms our health in many ways. Regularly (2)
____________________ (breathe) polluted air may lower our (3) ____________________
(immune) and cause heart disease or lung cancer. Not surprisingly, long-term (4)
____________________ (expose) to polluted air can have permanent health effects. These
include (5) ____________________ (lose) of lung capacity and (6) ____________________
(develop) of other diseases.

The (7) ____________________ (vulnerable) of young children, in particular, cannot be

overemphasised. Their developing organs place them at a higher risk. Another vulnerable
group is pregnant women, with polluted air linked to higher (8) ____________________
(frequent) of premature labour. The (9) ____________________ (complicate) extend also to
the psychological, with more individuals reporting stress and depression in areas where
pollution is common.

Given the (10) ____________________ (urgent) of the situation, there is no time to waste.
Indeed, the (11) ____________________ (reduce) of dangerous pollutants is everyone’s
responsibility. There is no (12) ____________________ (contribute) too small, if we think
about it. Sadly, in many countries around the world, (13) ____________________ (commit)
to cut air pollution remains a dream. The (14) ____________________ (inadequate) of our
actions means that this problem remains a ticking time bomb.
Task C
Use whether you can use nominalisation to express yourself.

Write an 80-word paragraph arguing for why young people should conserve the
environment. Use nominalisation to structure your argument. Then underline the
nominalisation you have included. Exchange your work with a classmate and check your
classmate’s work for errors.
Let’s Use… Connectors to State Conditions

Pay attention to the following guidelines when using connectors to state

conditions in your writing.

1. In Secondary 1, we learnt to use the word “if” to link a condition to a result. When we
link a condition to a result, we help our audience understand what must happen before
the result takes place.

2. In a sentence, the condition is given in a conditional clause, while the result is given in
the main clause.
E.g.,
Conditional clause Main clause

If the Martians attack Earth, I’m going to hide in a secret basement.

Main clause Conditional clause

The crowd is going to go wild if their team scores a last-minute goal.

3. Besides "if", we can use other connectors, such as “whether”, “unless” and “otherwise”,
to link a conditional clause to the main clause.

E.g.,

Connector Examples

(The conditional clause is underlined.)

if If the man you just spoke to is a salesman, you should verify his claims before
 buying anything.

whether Whether you believe it or not, global warming is a fact.

unless I can't possibly believe this unless I see the evidence with my own eyes.

otherwise We must not slacken in our efforts at conservation. These animals would soon
become extinct otherwise.

4. We can use different forms of connectors, such as subordinating conjunctions and

conjunctive adverbs, to link conditions and results. Each form requires us to follow
certain guidelines.

a. Subordinating conjunctions connect a main clause and a subordinate clause. Recall

that a subordinate clause cannot stand on its own and must be connected to a main
clause to form a complete sentence.

i. Subordinating conjunctions can be placed at the front of a sentence.

Punctuation Examples

Place a comma “,” at ● If he’s wrong, we should all be worried.

the end of the
● Unless the pay is too low, I will take the job.
subordinate clause
● Whether you believe it or not, global warming is a fact.

● Even if it only makes a small difference, I will try my best

to reduce my carbon footprint.

● In case you don’t believe me, let the statistics speak for
themselves.

ii. Subordinating conjunctions can also be placed between the parts they connect.
Punctuation Examples

Consider using a ● I will try my best to reduce my carbon footprint, even if it

 comma “,” before the only makes a small difference.
connector if the clauses
● The statistics speak for themselves, in case you don’t
are long
believe me.

A comma “,” before the ● We should all be worried if he’s wrong.

connector is not
● I will take the job unless the pay is too low.
needed if the clauses
are short ● Global warming is a fact whether you believe it or not.

b. The conjunctive adverb “otherwise” can also serve as a connector to state

conditions. Like other conjunctive adverbs, it can connect clauses, sentences,
sentence groups and paragraphs.

i. The conjunctive adverb “otherwise” can connect two main clauses.

Punctuation Examples

Place a semi-colon ● Go home; otherwise, your mother will worry.

“;” before the
● Studies have shown how harmful pollution is to our bodies.
connector and a
We need to take action; otherwise, future generations will
comma “,” after the
suffer.
connector

ii. The conjunctive adverb “otherwise” can also connect two sentences. It may be
placed in different positions to do this. Some of these positions are shown below.

Between the sentences to be connected:

Punctuation Example

Place a full stop “.” Don’t forget to apply sun block when you go down to the
before the connector beach. Otherwise, you'll be sunburnt within half an hour.
and a comma “,”
after the connector
 In the second sentence, after a verb:
Punctuation Example

Place commas “,” Plastic bottles meant for recycling should be washed clean.
before and after the They will be buried, otherwise, in the landfills.
connector

At the end of the second sentence:

Punctuation Example

Place a full stop “.” Of course they’re interested. They wouldn’t be asking about
after the connector prices otherwise.

iii. Finally, we can use the conjunctive adverb “otherwise” to state a condition over
two groups of sentences or paragraphs. Use the conjunctive adverb at the start
of the sentence which states the condition.

Position Examples

Between the People need to be educated on how our use of plastic harms
sentence groups to plants and animals. Otherwise, some endangered species are
be connected likely to become extinct. This could tip the delicate balance of
our earth’s ecosystem…

Between the Increasingly more factories are being built along this stretch of
paragraphs to be the river. We must stop the landowners from building more
connected factories near our river.

Otherwise, all our effort thus far in cleaning the river will go
down the drain…
Complete the tasks below to see whether you have understood these
guidelines.

Task A
Test whether you can identify connectors used to state conditions.

Circle the connector which helps to state conditions.

1. We should not visit zoos if it is true that they do animals more harm than good.

2. Cindy laughs at all her father's jokes even if they aren't funny.

3. Whether we win the match or not, we will still continue working as a team.

3. We must act now; otherwise, these endangered animals may soon be extinct.

1. Even if you feel that everyone should buy only environmentally friendly products,
the
fact is that many are unable to afford these things.

2. We can't begin to save the planet unless all our countries start working together.

3. In case you think I’m arguing that becoming a vegetarian is the only way to fight
global
warming, I’m not.

4. Someone has to tell her the truth, whether it’s you or Benny.

5. Unless you have experienced this yourself, you can't possibly judge their actions.
Task B
Test whether you understand how to use connectors to state conditions.

Fill in each blank with the most suitable connector from the list of options provided, taking
into consideration the punctuation and the position of the connector within the sentence or
clause. Do not use any of the options more than once.

whether even if if

therefore otherwise in case

unless moreover on the contrary

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. Air pollution is most
visible when it comes in the form of smoke from vehicles or factories. However, (1)
_______________ the air appears clean, it can still contain harmful and invisible gases.
Thus, people with breathing difficulties may benefit from wearing a mask outdoors (2)
_______________ the air is badly polluted.

Water pollution can come from various sources, such as trash or chemicals from factories.
Like air pollution, water pollution can be undetectable to the human eye. For this reason,
we should avoid drinking from unknown sources of water, (3) _______________ we have no
other option.

Land pollution can come from various sources, such as pesticides and trash. Pesticides kill
insects and soil bacteria, regardless of (4) _______________ these organisms are beneficial
or not. Furthermore, when people consume vegetables sprayed with pesticide, they are at
higher risk of illnesses. (5) _______________ more farmers are aware of this, the use of
pesticides might decrease. We need to act now. (6) _______________, a day will come
when it may all be too late.
Task C
Test whether you can express yourself by using connectors to state conditions.

Write an 80-word paragraph explaining how pollution is harmful to people and the
environment. Then underline the connectors that you have used to state conditions.
Exchange your work with a classmate and check your classmate’s work for errors.