Book 1 Unit 4 Looking Good, Feeling Good
Integrated Skills
Expressing your opinion about plastic surgery
A. Read two news stories below about plastic surgery and answer the following questions.
Plastic surgery helps man with burn marks
By Helen Brown
2 January
A man received plastic surgery at King's Hospital last month to treat burn marks he got one year ago.
John Wilson had plastic surgery to repair some of his burnt skin. Doctors worked on several problem areas, including his face and neck. The operation was a great success.
Last January, Mr Wilson was caught in a horrible campus fire, and his skin was badly burnt. For the past year, he had to live with terrible burn marks on his face and body. He decided to have surgery to help him feel more confident about his appearance.
Mr Wilson is very happy with the treatment. He is especially pleased with the results on his face. “Now I can go out just like a normal guy!” he said.
Woman regrets plastic surgery
By Tom Smith
15 April
A woman who has recently had plastic surgery on her face now regrets the decision.
The surgery took place more than a month ago, but Ella Edwards still suffers from daily pain. This is stopping her from returning to a normal life. She has been to several hospitals and all the doctors say that the pain is unlikely to stop any time soon. She may need to take painkillers for a long time. In addition, Miss Edwards says the surgery makes her look unnatural and that she is unable to make certain facial expressions.
Miss Edwards is unhappy with the results of the surgery. “I wanted to become more beautiful, but it hasn't turned out well at all. I really regret having the surgery,” she said. “I'm very anxious about it.”
1. How did the plastic surgery help Mr Wilson?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What problems did the plastic surgery bring to Miss Edwards?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
B. Alice, a news reporter, is reporting on plastic surgery. Listen and finish the exercises below.
B1. Listen to the report and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). If the information is not mentioned in the report, just circle NG (not given).
1. The plastic surgery industry is very popular now. T/F/NG
2. These days, the number of men who have plastic surgery is almost the same as that of women. T/F/NG
3. Most actresses have had plastic surgery on their faces. T/F/NG
4. One of the advantages of plastic surgery is that it can treat burn marks. T/F/NG
5. Plastic surgery patients may suffer from terrible pain. T/F/NG
6. People under 18 should never have plastic surgery. T/F/NG
B2. Listen to the report again and complete the notes below.
Plastic surgery
Results of recent research on plastic surgery
About (1) ______ of all patients are men.
The average age of patients is (2) ______.
Experts believe the industry will (3) ______ in the future.
Advantages of plastic surgery
It is the easiest way to help people improve their (4) ______.
It helps people (5) ______.
Disadvantages of plastic surgery
It is very (6) ______.
It carries serious (7) ______. Patients may (8) ______ after failed plastic surgery operations or even die during operations.
The results of plastic surgery might be different from what people expect. This is especially true for (9) ______.
C. In pairs, have a discussion about plastic surgery. Use the following questions and expressions to help you.
Are you for or against plastic surgery? Why?
What examples can you think of to support your opinion?
Expressions:
Voicing your opinion:
In general/On the whole, I think/believe/feel ...
To be honest, I'm against/for ... because ...
Once again/As I said, I'd support/oppose the idea of ...
I've changed my mind. I (don't) believe/agree/think that ...
D. Write an argument essay expressing your opinion about plastic surgery. Use your ideas from part C and the information in parts A and B to help you.
Planning your writing
Learning about the text type
An argument essay is a piece of writing in which you express an opinion and support that opinion with facts and examples
Learning about the structure
When writing an argument essay, you can use the PRE structure:
Provide your main point (P) in the opening paragraph for your readers.
Support your main point with reasons (R) and personal experiences or evidence (E) in the supporting paragraph(s).
Give a short but powerful summary in the closing paragraph.
Learning about the language
To make your argument more convincing, you often need to write in a formal and a factual way. You can also quote an expert.
Checking your writing
Remember to check your writing after you finish and exchange drafts between you and your partner. Pay attention to the following aspects:
Punctuation
Spelling
Grammar
Choice of words
Style (formal/informal)
Structure
Self-review
Do you use the PRE structure effectively in your writing?
What is the hardest part when you write the argument essay?
Peer review
What does your partner think of the opinion and reasons you give?
How can you improve your writing?