Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Dear students,

Here are extra exercises on direct/indirect speech. I will be posting the answers into this blog a week before you mid term exam. Till then, you'll have to try out the exercises without any help and only check your answers later once i have posted the answers.

Put these sentences into reported speech.
"Do you like fish, Mary?", she asked. She asked Mary if she liked ish.
He said, "I've failed my exam". He said he had failed his exam.
"I went to market this morning", she said. She said she had
"Don't lose the money!", she said to her son.
She said, "I didn't have my eyes tested yesterday". he said she "When did you see me?", he asked her.
The teacher told one of his pupils, "You'll come to harm if you don't work."
"Don't clean it yourselves!" mother said to the children.
The boy said, "I couldn't come because of my father's illness".
"Don't drive so fast", Susan shouted to John.
"I got up early this morning", he said.
She said to me, "Don't worry about it".
"Do you have to leave so early?", he asked her.
"Have you had a good sleep", he asked her.
"What are you going to do tomorrow?", she asked me.
He said, "I didn't notice the speed limit".
"We'll get some tickets tomorrow", they told me.
"I'm leaving", the sailor said.
"They were here last week", Mr Benson told her husband.
"He always feels very cold", mother told the doctor.
"The children went to bed early today", father said.
"You look smart in these clothes", she told her daughter.
"Get out of my pub", the landlord said to the drunkard.
The children asked: "Shall we have to bring our books tomorrow?"
He asked the secretary: 'How do you feel when the manager asks you to have dinner with him?"
He asked her. 'Can you spare me a minute?'
He said, 'I don't know how long it will take me.'
I asked mother, 'How much did this book cost?'
I asked him, 'Did anybody see you?'
The teacher said: "I want you to do your best, boys.
Mother said: "Susan, don't leave the door open! "
Mrs Brown asked Maud: "When did the Mortons sell their house ?"
David asked his father: "Are you going to London tomorrow ?"
She said, "I don't think we shall be late if we hurry".
"I'm not very well today", Susan said.
"You must send for the doctor at once", Mrs Johnson told her husband.
"You can go now, if you like", the teacher said to the boys.
"I think I'll have a holiday on Monday", the manager said.
"I've finished my work", the workman said.
"My wife is cooking the dinner", Mr Dickens said.
"We'll stay here until Tuesday", he said.
"I think it's going to rain", Tom said.
"Was Mr Gilbert's operation successful?" he asked
"I can do this exercise,"he said.
"I forgot to ask her name," he said.
"I've already had lunch," he said.
"I'll retire soon," he said. He said he would retire soon.
"What did you have for breakfast?" she asked Tim.
"I'm inquiring about a certain patient," Mr Gilbert said.
Tom said, "I saw you in town but you did not see me".
She asked him, "How old are you?"

Synthesis Writing

Thesis
This study has therefore revealed that children who play computer games on a regular basis experience a number of medical problems. The evidence suggests that the most serious problem is crooked posture, which is caused by their being hunched over their computers for considerable periods of time. Another common problem associated with playing computer games over long periods (when the same moves are constantly repeated) is that of pain in the hands. (extracted from p. 141) Brown, M.J. (2000). The impact of computer games on children’s physical health. Journal of Physical Health, 23(1), 129-142.

Anti-thesis
It is claimed that computer games have negative physical effects on eyesight, hands and posture. However, all of these are caused by the computer hardware and equipment, not by the software. The same physical effects occur from prolonged usage of computers for any reason, such as word-processing. In fact, carpal tunnel syndrome was identified as a workplace ailment caused by office programs, not games. These physical effects can all be reduced or eliminated by better hardware and more attention to ergonomics, such as higher-resolution and higher-contrast screens, and supportive furniture. Smith, A. J. (2003). Synthesis. Retrieved October 26, 2004 from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The English Language Centre Web site: http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/synthesis.htm

Example 1. Although Brown (2000, p.141) states that computer games can cause physical problems such as bad posture and pain in the hands, Smith (2003) argues that these problems are caused by the hardware, not the games. In my opinion the games cause physical health problems because they encourage long periods of computer use on harmful hardware.

Example 2. Brown (2000, p.141) suggests that computer games can cause physical problems such as bad posture and pain in the hands. However, Smith (2003) points out that these problems are caused by the hardware, not the games. I believe that the physical health problems are caused by games as they encourage long periods of computer use on harmful hardware.

Example 3. According to Brown (2000, p.141) computer games can cause physical problems such as bad posture and pain in the hands. Smith (2003) disagrees, and argues that these problems are caused by the hardware, not the games. I contend that the physical health problems are due to the long periods of computer use on harmful hardware which occur when children are playing computer games.

Question 1:

Thesis:

As was noted earlier, the majority of computer games produced today have violence as their principal theme. Despite the growing concerns of parents and teachers in the past decade, it would appear from my research that violence in computer games is becoming increasingly realistic and explicit. We are thus faced with the familiar question: Does playing violent computer games lead to aggressive behaviour in young people? This is clearly a highly complex issue. Research conducted in the past decade has revealed that young people who regularly play violent computer games have a tendency to be more aggressive than those who do not. Perhaps not surprisingly, my findings tend to support this position. (extracted from p. 116) Walker, A. (2001). Computer games and adolescent aggression. In N. Peters (Ed.), Research into the effects of computer games (pp. 108-124). London: St Martin’s Press.

Anti-thesis:

On the issue of violence, the modern media surrounds us with violence. Movies such as 'The Matrix', television programs such as the news, newspaper reports of sports such as boxing, and radio dramas often involve violence. It is difficult to watch TV for one evening without seeing an explosion, car chase, death or violence. Children's programs are especially violent, as is shown by Tom and Jerry. If young children are expected to realise that it is only a cartoon, teenagers playing computer games can also recognise that it's only a game.In addition, many computer games are non-violent, for example, 'The Sims' is a very popular game of social interaction, and football playing and management games involve almost no violence. Smith, A. J. (2003). Synthesis. Retrieved October 26, 2004 from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The English Language Centre Web site: http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/synthesis.htm

Sampel answer:

Walker's findings (2001, p.116) show that 'young people who regularly play violent computer games have a tendency to be more aggressive than those who do not'. If this research compares children who have been equally exposed to violence in other media, Smith's (2003) arguments about violence in the media are not relevant. In addition, Walker only examined violent computer games, so Smith's argument about non-violent computer games is irrelevant.

Question 2:

Thesis:

Clearly, one of the most serious problems associated with playing computer games is that they are highly addictive. Parents often find that when their children start playing games they simply cannot stop. There is some evidence that as a result of their compulsive involvement in computer games, some young people tend to ignore more important activities such as homework and reading. There are also concerns that their solitary absorption in computer games prevents them interacting with family and friends. Davies, S. (2003). Computer games and personal development. Family Forum. Retrieved October 26, 2004 from http://www.ff.org/.

Anti-thesis:

Popular activities of any sort can be addictive. Some people are addicted to sport, and some to television, for example. Both these examples, and many others, can be harmful to one's health and social life if done too much. In addition, the quality of a computer game is an important factor that may cause people to play it a lot, in fact, some players think that a good computer game should be addictive.
Smith, A. J. (2003). Synthesis. Retrieved October 26, 2004 from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The English Language Centre Web site: http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/eap/synthesis.htm

Sampel Answer:

Davies (2003) argues that addictive computer games are addictive and cause children to spent too little time on reading, homework and social activities. However, Smith (2003) states that any popular activity can be addictive, not just computer games. He also claims that good computer games perhaps should be addictive. Although this may be true, it does not address the topic of whether computer games are harmful. Therefore he does not refute Davies' argument. I believe that to solve this problem, parents and teachers should educate their children to lead balanced lives.

Note: Question 3 and 4 are good examples of how a good paraphrase is written. The left column is the original source, while the right column is the paraphrased version.

REMEMBER: THE DUE FOR YOUR FIRST DRAFT FOR ACADEMIC ESSAY IS ON THE 27 JULY 2007. THE FIRST DRAFT IS YOUR ESSAY (REMEMBER TO PARAPHRASE AND SYNTHESIZE). SUBMIT YOUR FIRST DRAFT TOGETHER WITH YOUR OUTLINE AND ARTICLES.

Sampel answer to paraphrasing exercises

1. According to Jacques Cousteau, the activity of people in Antarctica is jeopardizing a delicate natural mechanism that controls the earth's climate. He fears that human activity could interfere with the balance between the sun, the source of the earth's heat, and the important source of cold from Antarctic waters that flow north and cool the oceans and atmosphere ("Captain Cousteau" 17).

2. During the twenties lawlessness and social nonconformity prevailed. In cities organized crime flourished without police interference, and in spite of nationwide prohibition of liquor sales, anyone who wished to buy a drink knew where to get one. Musicians like Louis Armstrong become favorites, particularly among young people, as many turned away from highly respectable classical music to jazz. One of the best examples of the anti-traditional trend was the proliferation of young "flappers," women who rebelled against custom by cutting off their hair and shortening their skirts (Yancey 25).

3. The use of a helmet is the key to reducing bicycling fatalities, which are due to head injuries 75% of the time. By cushioning the head upon impact, a helmet can reduce accidental injury by as much as 85%, saving the lives of hundreds of victims annually, half of whom are school children ("Bike Helmets" 348).

4. Matisse paintings are remarkable in giving the viewer the distinct sensory impressions of one experiencing the scene first hand. For instance, "The Casbah Gate" takes one to the walled city of Tangier and the Bab el Aassa gateway near the Sultan's palace, where one can imagine standing on an afternoon, absorbing the splash of colors and the fine outlines. Even the sentry, the bowaab vaguely eyeing those who come and go through the gate, blends into the scene as though real (Plagens 50).

5. How much higher skyscrapers of the future will rise than the present world marvel, the Sears Tower, is unknown. However, the design of one twice as tall is already on the boards, and an architect, Robert Sobel, thinks we currently have sufficient know-how to build a skyscraper with over 500 stories (Bachman 15).

Paraphrasing exercise and lecture notes.

Paraphrasing & Synthesizing

Introduction
Writing an academic essay, you will need two skills of incorporating ideas and information:
- Paraphrasing
- Synthesising

1.0 Paraphrasing

1.1 What are the differences among quoting,
paraphrasing, and summarizing?

- Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

- Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.

- Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

1.2 A paraphrase is…
- Your own rendition of essential information and ideas expressed by someone else, presented in a new form.

- One legitimate way (when accompanied by accurate documentation) to borrow from a source.

- A more detailed restatement than a summary, which focuses concisely on a single main idea.


1.3 Paraphrasing is a valuable skill because...
- it is better than quoting information from an undistinguished passage.

- it helps you control the temptation to quote too much.

- the mental process required for successful paraphrasing helps you to grasp the full meaning of the original.

1.4 Some Examples to compare:

The original passage:
Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes. Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.

A legitimate paraphrase:
In research papers students often quote excessively, failing to keep quoted material down to a desirable level. Since the problem usually originates during note taking, it is essential to minimize the material recorded verbatim (Lester 46-47).

An acceptable summary:
Students should take just a few notes in direct quotation from sources to help minimize the amount of quoted material in a research paper (Lester 46-47).

A plagiarized version:
Students often use too many direct quotations when they take notes, resulting in too many of them in the final research paper. In fact, probably only about 10% of the final copy should consist of directly quoted material. So it is important to limit the amount of source material copied while taking notes.

1.6 Exercises

1. "The Antarctic is the vast source of cold on our planet, just as the sun is the source of our heat, and it exerts tremendous control on our climate," [Jacques] Cousteau told the camera. "The cold ocean water around Antarctica flows north to mix with warmer water from the tropics, and its upwellings help to cool both the surface water and our atmosphere. Yet the fragility of this regulating system is now threatened by human activity." From "Captain Cousteau," Audubon (May 1990):17.

2. twenties were the years when drinking was against the law, and the law was a bad joke because everyone knew of a local bar where liquor could be had. They were the years when organized crime ruled the cities, and the police seemed powerless to do anything against it. Classical music was forgotten while jazz spread throughout the land, and men like Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie became the heroes of the young. The flapper was born in the twenties, and with her bobbed hair and short skirts, she symbolized, perhaps more than anyone or anything else, America's break with the past. From Kathleen Yancey, English 102 Supplemental Guide (1989): 25.

3. the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three-fourths are caused by head injuries. Half of those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head. From "Bike Helmets: Unused Lifesavers," Consumer Reports (May 1990): 348.

4. Matisse is the best painter ever at putting the viewer at the scene. He's the most realistic of all modern artists, if you admit the feel of the breeze as necessary to a landscape and the smell of oranges as essential to a still life. "The Casbah Gate" depicts the well-known gateway Bab el Aassa, which pierces the southern wall of the city near the sultan's palace. With scrubby coats of ivory, aqua, blue, and rose delicately fenced by the liveliest gray outline in art history, Matisse gets the essence of a Tangier afternoon, including the subtle presence of the bowaab, the sentry who sits and surveys those who pass through the gate. From Peter Plagens, "Bright Lights." Newsweek (26 March 1990): 50.

5. While the Sears Tower is arguably the greatest achievement in skyscraper engineering so far, it's unlikely that architects and engineers have abandoned the quest for the world's tallest building. The question is: Just how high can a building go? Structural engineer William LeMessurier has designed a skyscraper nearly one-half mile high, twice as tall as the Sears Tower. And architect Robert Sobel claims that existing technology could produce a 500-story building. From Ron Bachman, "Reaching for the Sky." Dial (May 1990): 15.