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7• The difference between facts and opinions• Writing a factual review • How to express opinions

UNITWriting Reviews

In this unit, you will learn:

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The English Course - Writing Book 1

WritingReviews

Unit 7

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What is a review? A review is a piece of writing that gives information about something and may include opinions of the quality of that thing.

Based on reviews they have read, people often make decisions about where to go or what to do. There are many kinds of reviews that we read (and sometimes have to write) in daily life. Here are some examples: movie reviews, television programme reviews, reviews of sports games, travel or resort reviews, music reviews, restaurant reviews, concert reviews, and book reviews.

Reviews can be factual (giving facts and information about a topic), or may express opinions of the writer about the topic. Most reviews are a combination of facts and opinions. The writer uses facts to support his or her opinions. Firstly, we will look at factual reviews, and later we will look at reviews in which opinions are expressed.

Part 1 – Factual movie reviews

Look at the examples of two factual movie reviews below.

Factual movie reviews often look like this: The first part (1) tells us when and where the movie is set. The second part (2) tells us who, what or where the movie is about. The third part (3) tells us about what happens during the movie – but never the ending!

Writing Factual Reviews

Titanic

(1) The movie takes place on board the Titanic, a luxury passenger ship, making its first voyage, from England to America in 1912.

(2) The story is about the adventures of Jack and Rose, a young couple, who fall in love after they meet on the ship.

(3) The movie begins with the world’s greatest ship, Titanic, leaving England for America. Everything is fine until the ship, which no one believed could sink, hits an iceberg. As the ship begins to sink into the freezing ocean, Jack and Rose struggle to keep together and stay alive.

Jaws

(1) The story in this film happens on a small resort island off the coast of Florida in the 1970s.

(2) The movie is about a great white shark, which suddenly begins to attack and kill people swimming at the beaches of Amity Island.

(3) The movie begins at a beach party when a young woman goes for a midnight swim and is attacked and killed by the huge shark. As more and more people are killed, the chief of police and two other men go out in a small boat to find and kill the shark.

The English Course - Writing Book 1 4949

Exercise 1 – Guess the movie

Here are two short examples of parts one and two of two movie reviews. Which movies are these reviews about?

A. The movie is set on the Earth about fifty years in the future. The story is about a robot that comes back from the future to kill a woman in the present.

B. The story takes place in Japan during the nineteenth century. The movie is about an American soldier who fights with Japanese samurai against the Japanese government.

Film A: _________________________ Film B: _________________________

Exercise 2 – Try it yourself

Now write two similar examples (for parts one & two) for movies you have seen.C. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the examples to another student and see if he/she can guess the movie titles.

Exercise 3 – Finish one of your reviews

Now, you are going to write part three (a summary of what happens) for one of the movies you wrote about in Exercise 2. Before you start, have another look at the example reviews of Titanic and Jaws.


Discussion time

Discuss the following questions with your partner.

1. Look at the topics in Things to describe in movies (later in this unit). Which of these are most important to you when you watch a movie? Try to explain why.

2. With a partner, describe movies which you think are:a) too violent b) boring c) moving d) unrealistic

3. Do you ever read movie reviews? When/where do you read them?

4. What’s your favourite movie? Why?

5. What is a movie you didn’t like? Why?

Quiz 1 – Name the movie

Look at Quiz 1 on the DVD. You must decide which movie is being described.

Part 2 – Factual restaurant reviews

You are going to practice writing factual restaurant reviews.

Look at the examples below.

Factual restaurant reviews often look like this: The first part (1) tells us where the restaurant is and what kind of food is served. The second part (2) gives us more information about the decor (what the restaurant looks like), the atmosphere, the cost and the opening times.

Topsilopsiloi

(1) Topsilopsiloi is a traditional Thai restaurant located in the centre of London.

(2) This new restaurant serves a wide variety of traditional Southern Thai dishes, but specializes in tom yam kung, a spicy soup. The restaurant’s cosy, simple decor makes it popular with both couples and families. Prices are reasonable. Topsilopsi is open daily from 11:00 to 3:00 and from 5:30 to 11:00. Saturdays are always busy,so you may need to make a reservation.

Delhi Belly

(1) Delhi Belly is a famous, upmarket Indian restaurant located in Manhattan, New York City.

(2) Delhi Belly is part of a world-famous chain of restaurants offering food from Northern India. Delhi Belly specializes curries and tandori dishes. The dark and cosy decor is typically Indian in style. All waiters and waitresses wear traditional Indian dress and the non-stop Indian music adds to the authentic atmosphere. Prices are quite high. The restaurant opens Monday to Saturday, from 6 p.m. until late.



You are going to write a factual review about your favourite restaurant. The language box below will help you. Ask your teacher about words or phrases you don’t know.

Atmosphere Decor Service Prices Food

cosy traditional friendly cheap traditional noisy modern fast expensive unusual romantic elegant polite (at the) high end authentic friendly bright slow reasonable spicy unusual dark poor moderate(ly) vegetarian lively colourful excellent not too bad specializes exotic plain awful a rip off delicious relaxed exotic rude average bland


WritingReviews

Unit 7

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Part 1 – Movie reviews with opinions

Look at the examples below.

Note: You can write a review either in the past tense or in the present tense. The important thing is to use the same tense throughout your review.


You are going to write a review of your movie, giving your thoughts and opinions. The language boxes below will help you. Ask your teacher about words or phrases you don’t know.

Writing Reviews Expressing Your Opinions

Titanic

I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn’t as good as I had expected. The acting was excellent and the non-stop action was exciting. The special effects were also amazing, especially the ship itself, which seemed so real. The wonderful music was very romantic. How-ever, because of the unrealistic, silly love story, the dialogue was rather poor. I am sure you’ll enjoy it, though. See it at the cinema on the big screen.

Jaws

Jaws is truly a great movie. Superbly directed by Steven Spielberg, it thrills from start to finish. The acting and dialogue are both excellent. Robert Shaw is excellent and very believable as the crazy Captain Quint. The story is original, interesting and frightening. The excellent soundtrack adds to the suspense. You’ll love it. See it on the big screen.


Useful adjectives and adverbs

wonderful fantastic great slow terrible interesting original unusual strange boring exciting romantic beautiful predictable unbelievable imaginative moving unrealistic (too) violent dull superb(ly) difficult (to understand)

Things to describe in movies

the acting the direction the story the scenery the dialogue the special effects the cinematography/camerawork the soundtrack or the music


Part 2 – Restaurant reviews in which opinions are expressed

Look at the examples of the restaurant reviews below. Ask your teacher about words or phrases you don’t know.

Exercise 2 – Your restaurant review

Now you are going to write a restaurant review of your thoughts and opinions about a very good or very bad restaurant.

Topsilopsiloi

Topsilopsiloi is an excellent, mid-priceThai restaurant. The traditional Southern Thai dishes are authentic and very tasty. Try the restaurant’s speciality, tom yam kung.It’s delicious! The decor is simple, but cosy, and the restaurant has an attractive romantic atmosphere. It’s a great place for a date. The service is excellent, and everyone is very polite. The food is also cooked and served quickly. I really enjoyed my meal and the prices were reasonable. I will definitely go back

Delhi Belly

Delhi Belly may be a famous Indian restaurant, but, I found it very disappointing. First of all, the decor was old and the restaurant needs redecoration. The atmosphere was also unattractive. The non-stop Indian music was so loud we couldn’t even talk. The service was very slow, and our waiter was rude. Finally, when my curry did arrive, it was cold and watery. When I complained, the waiter hit me with a naan bread and told me to leave! I will definitely not be going back!


Quiz 2 – Choose the correct word

Look at Quiz 2 on the DVD. You must choose the correct word or phrase to complete the sentence.

Finale – Restaurant review

You are going to write a full restaurant review, including factual information about the restaurant and also your opinions of the restaurant. Watch the slideshow about the restaurant and make notes.

Note for teachersThis exercise can be done in the textbook, as an assignment on paper, or online.


Take it away

Now go to the web site and complete the exercises for Unit 7.

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