Look at the results of the survey above, then fill in the sentences below with the vocabulary provided.
In order to describe the results/present them as a text, special vocabulary is used, e.g. Number majority per cent percentage one in four
1. The ______________ of those questioned wanted a swimming pool built.
2. A very small ______________ of the people surveyed were interested in having
an arts and crafts centre.
3. A reasonably small ______________ of those who responded wanted a bowling green or library.
4. Twelve ______________ of the people who responded to the survey wished to have a gym included in the facilities.
5. ______________ of those questioned wanted a bowling green.
3. All the sentences in Ex.2 state facts. Generalisations are statements which can help clarify the facts. They can either precede or come after the facts. Depending on their position, facts and generalizations can be linked by using verbs either in their active or passive form as in the examples:
Fifty-five per cent of young people go the cinema at least twice a month. This indicates/shows/demonstrates/illustrates that the cinema is still quite a popular form of entertainment among young people.
The cinema is still quite a popular form of entertainment among young people, which is shown/indicated/illustrated/implied by the fact that fifty-five per cent of young people go the cinema at least twice a month.
Read the facts and the generalizations listed below, and decide which sentences go together. Link them using one of the two possible ways.
Facts:
1. About one quarter of those questioned expressed interest in having a bowling green.
2. By far the largest number of those surveyed responded positively to the idea of having a swimming pool installed.
3. A small minority of those questioned thought that an arts and crafts centre would be a useful addition.
4. Twenty-four per cent of respondents wanted a bowling green and nineteen per cent requested a library.
5. A small proportion of the people asked wanted the developer to build a gym and aerobics studio.
Generalisations:
a. Some of the prospective residents enjoy taking strenuous exercise. b. Sociable team-sports appeal. c. In general, pensioners do not enjoy creative activities like painting and pottery.
d. Among pensioners, relaxing aquatic sports are generally preferred to working out in a gym. e. e. Outdoor activities and reading are quite popular pastimes.
Two people were asked to conduct a survey about reading habits.
A. Read Model A and underline the facts and circle the generalizations in it.
B. Read both models and decide which one
Ø is good
Ø is formal
Ø uses short forms
Ø includes facts and generalizations
Ø includes relevant details
Ø is more impersonal
Ø uses the Passive Voice
Ø is more objective
Ø does not include subheadings
Model A
From Michael Green
To Prof. White
Subject: People’s reading habits
Introduction
The aim of this report is to analyse the result of a recent survey into people's reading habits. In this survey, people on the street were asked what type of books they read, how often, and where they got their books from.
Types of books
The most popular type of book for men is thrillers, while for women it is romance. This is shown by the fact that 46% of men read horror books and 53% of women read romances. Both men and women do not find factual books very interesting. Only two in ten men and one in ten women read this type of book. A third of the women surveyed read mysteries, while only a quarter of men read them.