Drill your reading skills!
Sometimes we read and lose the thread of a story. Why? Because a text isn’t interesting enough, because an author’s style is too complicated, sophisticated, messy, illogical, boring and whatnot. And many times, we just fail to follow the sequence of ideas of a written piece. So, to grab the gist of what you read, we should remember about a common structure of any text.
Structure of a text
- Introduction. It communicates the topic of a text and prepares you to digest what you’re going to read in the whole text.
- Main body. It has several parts, which explain ideas from the introduction and give details. Usually, each paragraph discusses one idea mentioned in the introductory piece and proves it or opposes.
- Conclusion. It summarises what has been previously discussed and often includes the author’s personal opinion.
Reorganise the paragraphs
In today’s task, you have to put the paragraphs of the text in logic. Take into account the explanation above.
First, read the cards below. Flip them. You’ll find a letter and a hint which will help you to order the paragraphs right.
Now choose the right number for each paragraph to get the whole text together.
Now retell the article and give your opinion on the point. The following expressions will help you to structure your speech in a logical and clear way.
Expressions to share your opinion
Start and keep it going
First of all/firstly, I’d like to say …
Secondly, …
Then …
Moreover …
However …
Finally, …
Disagree
I completely disagree with …
I strongly doubt that …
I’m afraid I can’t accept it.
I don’t think, it …
I wouldn’t say that …
Agree
I can’t agree with the author more.
Absolutely!
Sure!
The author has the point.
I think the same.
Partly agree/disagree
Well, I understand what the author is getting at, but …
Maybe, but I’m not quite sure …
On the one hand …, on the other hand …
It could be true. However, …
Well, the truth is somewhere in between.
