Ex. 7 Academic Writing: Speech patterns and rhetorical devices
Academic Writing: Speech patterns and rhetorical devices
5. General quantifiers
Ex. 1 Give Russian equivalents of the following quantifiers: so far, any, both, alone, single, a bit, some, the same, the whole.
Ex. 2 Make up sentences of your own to illustrate the usage of these words.
Ex. 3 Read the following sentences, pay special attention to emphatic quantifiers:
a) Economists do not seem to have made any progress in forecasting future economic situation.
b) They both have written extensively in this field.
c) These principles have been studied by both economists and lawyers.
d) This book should be of interest to both students and professors..
e) In the book the problem is discussed with both clarity and accuracy.
f) This theory portrays modern economic situation as both under government and market control..
g) The results that the company is going to achieve are both possible and desirable.
h) We can’t come to this conclusion from this evidence alone.
i) Mathematics alone cannot give us the base for this approach.
j) No single topic in economics generates more controversy than the one describing quality standards.
k) It seems a bit artificial to forecast future.
l) Your point of view suggests that the budget figures need some revision.
m) It was assumed that the results might be positive but some probing proved otherwise.
n) Some people's immune systems fight AIDS rather effectively.
o) These procedures are approximately (essentially/ exactly) the same in different economic analytical schemes.
p) Both methods work in basically the same way.
q) If you follow the same rule you will get the same results.
r) This notion refers to a whole set of theories.
s) The experiments undertaken in the company changed the whole picture.
t) The company economists explore how these assumptions fit into the model as a whole.
6. Emphatic connectors:
Ex. 1 Give Russian equivalents of the following emphatic connectors: even if / though, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, whatever, whenever.
Ex. 2 Use these words in sentences of your own.
Ex. 3 Translate these sentences, pay special attention to emphatic connectors.
a) Karl Marks’ and Adam Smith’s theories might be compared even if they were not historically related.
b) The books written by a famous economist Porter are quite popular even if one is in disagreement with his views.
c) Even though this issue has been broadly discussed there hasn't been a unanimous
d) conclusion.
e) Modern scientists have no explanation of this phenomenon; however, they hope to find some.
f) In detail, however, we shall see that the budget figures are not so balanced.
g) However, this is what cannot be taken for granted.
h) Before looking at this matter, however, it is worth collecting all possible data.
i) His book has a variety of virtues; I do, however, have certain criticisms.
j) This approach is the most vulnerable; nevertheless, it is rather informative and convincing.
k) There is no clear way of testing these products, none the less, the company technologists are trying to find one.
l) The situation in the market is vague, it is none the less clear that positive tendencies are vivid.
m) Whatever the outcome of the research might be they hope to double the output.
n) The results of the experiment should be at hand whenever necessary.
7. Impersonal constructions accounting for backgrounds
Ex. 1 Find Russian equivalents and make up sentences of your own with the following phrases:
It is …common knowledge (experience )
… well known/ commonplace that…
… a matter of common observation…
… generally agreed/ accepted that…
... claimed /being claimed
It is taken for granted that…
It is not entirely clear…
It is encouraging that…
It is hoped that…
It turns out/ proves to be …
It would be of great interest to …
8. Focusing
Ex. 1 Find Russian equivalents and make up sentences of your own with the following phrases:
This ...implies/ proves/ shows/ yields/
...is meant to support our theory
...will allow me to propose…
...offers a way of
...is another way of approaching …
9. Commenting and demonstrating intentions
Ex. 1 Find Russian equivalents and make up sentences of your own with the following phrases:
...it is important to view…
…it is particularly necessary to underline…
…it seems impossible …
…it will be shown that…
…it is easy/ (not) hard/ relatively simple to demonstrate/show/ prove/ verify that…
…it must be recognized that…
…to make a distinction between …one should…
…it may be difficult to understand …
…it can be/ is (not) easily shown/ proved…
…on further examination it was discovered that …
…to grasp this point we must…
…in order to achieve/ clarify...it is necessary to …
…to argue this, I’d like to…
... it is not sufficient to define …
10. Evaluating and prospecting:
Ex. 1 Find Russian equivalents and make up sentences of your own with the following phrases:
It is appropriate/ convenient/ desirable/ essential...
... to start with…
… to present/ to outline /to show…
It is ...fair/ fruitful/ helpful/ important/ instructive/ interesting/ logical to…
It is ...natural/ proper/ reasonable/ sensible to mention that…
It is ...safe/ suitable/ useful/ wise/ worth to introduce some terminology/definitions.
It is ...informative to turn to…
…wise to begin with …
... natural to recognize (conclude) that …
It seems …
...fair to say
...important to emphasize that…
...logical to ask whether …
It would be
...reasonable to assume that…
...safe to predict that …
It might be helpful to examine …
It is essential to make clear/ to see that …
It is (not) good (enough) to appeal to …
It is (none the less) clear that …
It became/ is (not) clear/ obvious that…
It is/ seems (quite) logical (to assume) ... that…
It is difficult/ possible to imagine that…
It is evident/ self-evident (for us)/ (un)likely/ (highly) probable that…