Honestly, I really don’t like this Green Dorm Competition idea. I get that they want to save energy, but come on! It’s freezing in the dorms during winter! I can barely feel my fingers sometimes, and now they expect us to cut back on heating? That’s just not realistic. And it’s not just about comfort! It’s the pressure it puts on us. What if I need to take a hot shower after class or stay up late studying with the lights on? I shouldn’t have to feel guilty for basic needs! I can already imagine roommates fighting over who’s wasting electricity. That will just make people annoyed and stressed, not more eco-friendly. Honestly, it sounds like a good idea on paper. But in real life it’ll just cause conflict and make things worse.

Basic Template:

Reading Main Point: 

- "As stated in the announcement/article/letter…" 

Reasons from Reading: 

- "This is because ___ and ___." 

Transition: 

- "There are two reasons why the woman supports/objects to this ...." 

- "The woman has negative feelings about this decision." (for mixed-opinion scenarios). 

First Reason: 

- "To start with, she states that…" 

Second Reason: 

- "In addition, she points out that…" 

Advanced Template:

The announcement/article discusses [the proposed change]. 

This is partly due to [reason 1], as well as [reason 2]. 

The woman promptly voices her support/objection to this change. 

Initially, she claims that [details], elaborating further that [additional details]. 

Moreover, she seems to believe that [details]. From her perspective, [more detailed reasoning].

While I understand the concern about plastic bags, I think the situation is more complicated than the reading suggests. First of all, when it comes to carbon emissions, manufacturing paper or cloth bags can actually have a greater environmental impact than plastic ones. Producing paper bags, for example, requires cutting down trees, a lot of water, and heavy energy usage. If people don’t reuse them many times, they might end up doing more harm than good. Second, the real issue with plastic isn’t the material itself—it’s how we dispose of it. If properly sorted and recycled, plastic bags don’t need to end up in the ocean or landfills. In fact, plastic recycling has improved a lot in recent years, and many communities already have systems in place. Finally, plastic bags are lightweight, inexpensive, and actually produce less waste by volume compared to other packaging. So banning them might not be as environmentally smart as people assume.

Question Three Template (General to Specific)

Basic Template:

1. Stating the Term or Idea

“The reading is about (TERM/CONCEPT)”

2. Give a Small Amount of Detail from the Reading

“It states that…”

3. Transition

“The professor casts doubt on this concept/these ideas.”

4. First Example/First Part

“To begin with, he/she says/posits that…”

5. Second Example/Second Part

“Next, he/she says that…”

 Advanced Template:

 According to the reading, [title of reading] is [definition].

The professor challenges these statements.

First, he explains [details from example 1/ point 1]. Moreover, [more details from example 1/point 1].

The second thing is [details from example 2/point 2]. The professor goes on to say that [more details from example 2 /point 2].

Today we’re going to talk about two major climate phenomena that affect global weather patterns: El Niño and La Niña. Both are part of what we call the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO cycle, which describes fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the equatorial Pacific. El Niño occurs when sea surface temperatures become unusually warm in the central and eastern Pacific. This warming disrupts normal wind patterns and leads to abnormal weather conditions around the world. For example, during El Niño years, countries like Peru and Ecuador often experience heavy rainfall and flooding, while places like Indonesia and Australia suffer from droughts and forest fires. It also tends to reduce the number of Atlantic hurricanes. In contrast, La Niña represents the cool phase of the ENSO cycle. The trade winds become stronger, pushing warm water westward and allowing colder water to rise near the South American coast. This usually results in opposite weather patterns. So, Southeast Asia and Australia get more rain, while parts of South America experience dry spells. La Niña can also increase hurricane activity in the Atlantic. Both events are natural, but they have global consequences, affecting agriculture, fishing, and even economies.

Explain how the examples of El Niño and La Niña illustrate the concept of large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions. Use information from both the lecture and your own notes to support your response. You will have 20 seconds to prepare your answer and 60 seconds to speak.