ADV. 13.3. CONTRIBUTING TO SOCIETY

I. DISCUSSING NEEDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY 

2. ACKNOWLEDGING OTHER PEOPLE'S POINTS

Acknowledging others' points

When we're having a conversation, it's always important to let other people feel that you've been listening and you respect their ideas. Here are some expressions: That does certainly seem to be the case. That's a valid point you brought up. I'd definitely say so. You hit the nail on the head there. Among these four expressions, hit the nail on the head probably sounds the most informal, but it's a good one to use when you strongly agree with the idea. To express your strong agreement in a more formal way, you can also say: I'm in complete agreement with you about that. 3. ADDING TO OTHER PEOPLE'S POINTS Here are some phrases you can use to add your opinions to expand on others' ideas: I'd like to add that people will feel the area is neglected. And on top of that, we might want to start a neighborhood watch. To take that one step further, we should inform everyone about the neighborhood watch. Here are more expressions for building on others' ideas and keeping the conversation constructive. A: We have to make sure the local residents know what to watch for in the neighborhood. B: For me, it's also about deciding what actions to take. A: We'll need to work closely with the police to combat street violence. B: And if I could build on that, it's also critical to involve other city organizations.

II. TALKING ABOUT HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS 

1. WORLD ISSUES

Prefixes and suffixes

Understanding common prefixes and suffixes allows you to make an educated guess about the meanings of new words. They also help you build connections between words that share a common root.

Negative prefixes

The following negative prefixes dis- and in- change a positive adjective into a negative one. advantaged – disadvantagedsufficient – insufficient If an adjective starts with the letter l, it usually takes the il- prefix. When it starts with the letters m or p, im- is commonly added. Ir- comes before an radjective. literate – illiterateprobable – improbableregular – irregular The prefix under- means a lack of something. nourished – undernourished The prefix over- means there is too much of something. populated – overpopulated The suffix -less turns a noun into an adjective that indicates something does not exist or that someone is lacking. home – homeless 2. SOUNDING CAUTIOUS Using approximate statistics   When giving statistics that are not exact, use approximating language to help you avoid error. Notice that in the region of gives an approximate range, and as many as describes a rough number the speaker wants to stress is a large amount. The population of homeless people was in the region of 0.6 million to 0.7 million in 2013.Figures suggest that as many as a hundred million people worldwide are homeless.That's something like 800 million people suffering from insufficient food.It was found that approximately 750 million adults in the world were illiterate. Hedging is a technique of using cautious language to protect your point and avoid sounding too absolute. One way to hedge is to use verbs like estimate, judge and guess. The World Food Organization estimates that more than 10 percent of the starving people it helps live in urban areas. There are also common hedging phrases that qualify a statement, when you don't expect everyone to agree. If I remember correctly, it was over 1 million people. It seems that they occur in every single country all over the world. It appears that this doesn't happen only in disadvantaged areas. 4. CITING FROM A SOURCE Citing sources   You will sound more objective and believable by citing the sources of the information you introduce. A common way to do so informally is to use the past continuous. I was listening to this podcast the other day that said volunteer holidays have become very popular. I was watching a documentary on wildlife last night, and it said that some national parks are short of funding. You can also use reporting verbs like report, say, state. The UN reported problems with hunger. When you're less certain about the source, you can ask a question using Was it …?. Was it that website Charitable International that said individuals account for the majority of donations? If you can't remember the exact source, you can make a vague reference using somewhere. I remember reading somewhere that something like 750 million adults in the world can't read or write.

III. TALKING ABOUT MAKING AN IMPACT 

1. SPEAKING ENGAGINGLY

Techniques for speaking engagingly

Let's look at a few techniques to engage your audience when speaking.

Using figurative speech, or non-literal or metaphorical wording, can make what you say more interesting. For example, weave means to make cloth with thread, and backfire describes the misfire of an engine. You have a wonderful opportunity to weave doing good into your culture. His plan totally backfired. You can also use intensity adverbs to add engagement to your speech.

 To succeed spectacularly, you need to be willing to fail spectacularly.

Other common intensity adverbs are truly, genuinely and tremendously.

You can also add emphasis by replacing common words and phrases with stronger ones. In the following examples, notice the use of every single, nothing but and more than.

People are basically good, and if you give them the right tools, they will prove that to you every single day.

We want nothing but the best for our customers.

I'm more than willing to transform the company into one that benefits not only the stakeholder but also the general public.

IV. WRITING TO ARGUE OR PERSUADE

1. WHAT IS CSR

CSR language

Here is some language related to corporate social responsibility (CSR). We should conform to social expectations. All companies have moral responsibilities. CSR is just a publicity stunt for shareholders. It's just a marketing device. It's an attempt to manipulate public perceptions. Companies want to maintain a positive public image. The company is recognized for ensuring fair benefits for its staff. Better benefits lead to less turnover and higher productivity. Companies have an obligation to operate sustainably. 2. BUILDING AN ARGUMENT Writing to persuade   In the article about CSR, the author used a very common structure to build her argument: opening, expansion, concession, refutation, and summary.   The opening   In the opening, the author stated the topic, CSR, and then gave her position, so readers would understand the main idea immediately.   The expansion   After the opening, she builds her argument by expanding with details about CSR – for example, that companies should pay a livable wage. The concession   Then, as part of her argument, she made a concession, acknowledging an opposite opinion, that some people think CSR is a publicity stunt. This is an effective way to demonstrate your objectivity and awareness of different positions.   The refutation   After the concession, the author immediately refutes the opposite opinion and further strengthens the arguments for her own position. She lists the benefits of CSR – for example, less turnover and higher productivity.   The summary   Finally, she reiterates her support for CSR by restating the points covered in the article. 3. MAKING CONCESSIONS AND REFUTING Weakening an opposing opinion in a concession   Your concession doesn't always have to be absolute. Even if you take on board an opposing opinion, you can still weaken that opinion a little to reinforce your own point. For example, you can use a modal verb like may or might. Critics may argue it's too expensive for a company to give back to the public. However … You can use verbs like feel and believe to reduce an opposing viewpoint from a fact to an opinion. Notice how some people helps downplay the opinion. Some people believe that CSR is too expensive. On the other hand … You can also directly address the opposing argument. One common argument against CSR is that it's too time consuming. I don't agree … Refuting an opposing opinion   You can make a concession and refute an opposing opinion in the same sentence. Have a look at the examples. Which clause is the concession, and which is the refutation? While it might be true that CSR can be expensive, we need to take into consideration its obvious benefits to companies. Although CSR may take away some time from employees' work responsibilities, it's also evident that it gives employees a sense of satisfaction.