Activity: Argument or not?
Read the following short texts and identify whether they are:
- Argument (if so, what is the argument?)
- Summary
- Explanation
- Description
Text 1
“Recently, Ice Age specialists were excited to find evidence of some cultural links between Ice Age people across Europe. On a return visit to Creswell Crags in England, they found images of horses, bison, and red deer similar to those already found in Germany. There is much controversy about other figures found on cave walls, which some experts believe to be images of dancing women, whereas others remain unconvinced.”
Description
Text 2
“New-born babies may lack the capacity to monitor their own breathing and body temperature during the first three months of life. Babies who sleep alongside their mothers could benefit from learning to regulate their breathing and sleeping, following the rhythm of the parent. These babies wake more frequently than those who sleep alone. Moreover, mothers who sleep next to their babies are better able to monitor their child for movement during the night. Consequently, it may be safer for new-born babies to sleep with their parents.”
Argument (it is safer for new-born babies to sleep with their parents)
Text 3
“Both toy mice were the same size and shape, so the dog was confused. Although one mouse was red and one was blue, Misty was unable to tell which mouse was his toy simply by looking. Like other dogs, he needed to sniff them both, using his sense of smell to tell them apart, because he couldn’t discriminate between different colours.”
Explanation
Text 4
“Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona in Italy. At the beginning of the play, Romeo is pining for another young woman, but quickly falls for Juliet at a ball. Although their two families are hostile to each other, Romeo and Juliet enlist the services of their friends and a friar to bring about their marriage. Unfortunately, in a tragic turn of events, they each kill themselves, believing the other to be already dead.”
Summary