Level II
Chapter 6
Writing
English | Vietnamese
IC3, IT, TOEFL, Best Answer
English | Vietnamese
Assessment
Reforms and Human Development
What are the priorities in renovation in a developing country?
Câu hỏi hướng dẫn:
Read the following extracts and sayings. Jot (write briefly) your first response to each item in the space provided. Then discuss in class what response you have to the changes that have occurred since the Đổi mới policy. Discuss these questions:
- Do you agree or disagree that such changes have occurred?
- What priorities do you think have been given by the government in the renovation process?
- Do you think other aspects of Đổi mới policy should take priority? If so, what other priorities do you consider important and why?
Since the Đổi mới policy has been implemented in 1988, Vietnam has achieved many significant successes in different fields: economic, politic and social. People’s living standard has been improved, and people have now a better living condition than many years ago. Also many people escape from illiteracy… (http://vn.fujitsu.com/vietnam
One of the factors that contributes to all those achievements is that telecom and information technology that has been introduced and developed.
On December 26, 1996 the World Bank made a press release concerning a new 55 million dollar loan given to Vietnam for upgrading rural infrastructure. Most of the money is used to upgrade rural roads in fifteen poorest provinces. (http://www.csuchico.edu/)
Before the market mechanism, goods were not permitted to be sold or bought on the market but were distributed according to a planned distributing system. (Vu, 1994, p.16)
The service industries such as trade, hotel, tourism, transport, etc. having not been considered important previously, since the years of the 1990s these industries were gradually expanded and developed. (Social Science 2001, p.41)
”Cutting the river, banning the market” (Ngăn Sông, Cấm chợ)
“Look directly at the truth, appreciate the truth, speak the truth”
“Changes to the family, which is the cell or basic unit of society cannot be separated from those of the nation and the country.” (Le Thi, The Role of the Family in the Formation of the Vietnamese Family)
Although the country remains largely agricultural (85%) since Đổi mới, industrialization and urbanization have accelerated. The country is currently suffering from enormous uncontrolled urban migration, despite government attempts to restrict the flow. The standard of living in cities and differing cultural influences is leading to and increasing the polarization of the country between rural and urban areas. (paraphrased from “New Spirits Fear Old Ones”)
Freewriting Exercise
Write quickly, without worrying about grammar, spelling, or punctuation, anything that comes into your mind as you read the following questions. Don’t think about the quality or try to edit as you write; just write down as many thoughts as you can for several minutes.
- How was life in Vietnam before 1990?
- What difficulties did people have? (food, services, transportation…)
- How is life now to compare with that period of time? Is it better or worse? In what ways?
- What changes have occurred? What are the results of these changes?
After you are finished, look over what you have written and pick out the best thoughts or ideas. You will use them to write a composition about changes and their effects.
Introduction to Skill(s):
Writing an Introduction
The first paragraph of an essay is the introduction. It prepares the reader for the essay, giving the reader an interest in the topic of the essay. There are several ways to introduce an essay. Following are the two types of introductions: general-to-specific and chronological.
GENERAL–TO-SPECIFIC
In this type of introduction, you begin with the most general sentence and move on to more specific ones. It can be represented by the chart below.
Example:
There have been several changes since the renovation policy. These changes have been in political, economic, social and educational aspects. Particularly in economics, there has been a shift from the central subsidy model to the market mechanism. It is this change that results in a more favorable business environment and better living conditions for people.
CHRONOLOGICAL
This type of introduction leads chronologically to the issue you want to discuss. It is almost like a story: if you tell the story well, the reader will want to continue reading to see what happens next, or to see how this amusing, interesting, or shocking incident relates to the essay as a whole.
Example:
The renovation policy initiated in 1986 has brought about major changes in every aspect of Vietnamese society, first and foremost in the economy. Viet Nam was seriously destroyed by many years of war, ranking the poorest amongst the former socialist countries, and suffered from the US embargo. Now, the country has sustained a high-growth rate, has ended famine, reduced inflation, and become one of the biggest rice exporters in the world—all of which has contributed to the maintenance of social stability. While being proud of these successes, we should also look carefully at problems that still need to be solved or are likely to emerge in the economic as well as social fields.
Writing the thesis statement
The thesis statement of an essay usually appears at the end of the introduction. It expresses the main idea of your essay. Often, the thesis statement announces the topic and suggests the ways in which you support your point of view. One way to write a thesis statement is to answer one or more information questions (beginning with WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW, and so on).
Read the sample general-to-specific introduction above again and answer the following questions:
1. What is the thesis statement? _______________________________________________
2. Find the part of the thesis statement that expresses the topic of the essay. Underline it.
3. Find the ideas in the thesis statement that support the topic. How many are there? Write them here.
4. Suppose that this thesis statement is the answer to a question. Which question below is the one that the thesis statement answers?
- What change happened in the Vietnamese economy?
- Was there a change in the Vietnamese economy?
- In what way has the change in the Vietnamese economy affected people’s life?
Writing Assignment:
In this chapter you will write an essay about one important renovation in governmental policies (in education, economics, politics, medicine, transportation, agriculture, or tourism, etc.) Explain how this change has affected people’s life.
Before you write, formulate your ideas and brainstorm by reading the articles that follow and completing the exercises.
Vocabulary:
Throughout this chapter, words in the introductory section and in the following articles have been written in bold print. These are words that either we have not used before or are key words used when talking about Đổi mới policy. As you encounter these words in bold, find out what they mean. In the University 1 Listening and Speaking Chapter 6 it is suggested that you make a personal vocabulary book.
Cause and effect vocabulary and sentences
When writing about such things as reforms, development, reconstruction and renovation, we often find it useful to write in such a way that shows cause and effect. Because one thing has been done, this is the result. Here are some examples from this chapter’s readings and exercises:
- - - - - - - -- - -Effect - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Cause
Changes have occurred because of the renovation policy.- - - - - - - -Cause- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - Effect
Since the Đổi mớipolicy has been implemented in 1988, Vietnam has achieved many significant successes.- - - - - - - - - Cause - - - - - - - - - - - Effect
Because of Đổi mới policy, tourism, trade, transportation needs and the service industry has held more importance.
Important Expressions and Structures when writing about cause and effect:
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| Noun |  |
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Noun |
- As a result of + NOUN,…
- As a result, + CLAUSE
- Because of + NOUN,…
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Cause |
Passage(s) in English:
Here are two articles about changes that have come about because of Đổi mới policy. One article focuses on the economical changes and the other focuses on the social changes. These articles were selected to give you more ideas for your writing assignment. The paragraphs from each article are divided in such a way that you can identify key words then write a paraphrase for each paragraph. You may also choose to use the writing space to jot down notes or write down your response to the paragraph.
To lighten the load of work involved, you may break into small groups and assign different paragraphs for vocabulary and paraphrasing to each group. Each group, then, should share their work with the class. After this has been done, then each student can write a reaction to each paragraph.
Article 1: SOCIOECONOMIC RENOVATION IN VIET NAM
The Origin, Evolution, and Impact of Doi Moi
Edited by Peter Boothroyd and Pham Xuan Nam
Chapter 13 http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-9407-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
(1) The renovation policy initiated in 1986 has brought about major changes in every aspect of Vietnamese society, first and foremost in the economy. Viet Nam was seriously destroyed by many years of war, ranking the poorest amongst the former socialist countries, and suffered from the USembargo. Now, the country has sustained a high-growth rate, has ended famine, reduced inflation, and become one of the biggest rice exporters in the world—all of which has contributed to the maintenance of social stability. While being proud of these successes, we should also look carefully at problems that still need to be solved or are likely to emerge in the economic as well as social fields.
(2) To advance from a command, centrally planned, and state-subsidized economy to a market economy under control of the state, Viet Nam has had to change a number of its economic policies. These include the diversification of forms of ownership, acceptance of private proprietorship, multilateralization of the external economy, and price liberalization. These changes have enabled people, and enterprises of all types to do business equally as per the law. Every economic entity is protected with the rights of ownership and legal income, and is free to contract, seek markets, choose technology, and determine the scale, type, and form of business. These policy changes have produced an economy that is more vibrant than one could imagine before the renewal process.
(3) As a result of the renewal of economic policies, a number of trades and traditional handicrafts, which had been shrinking or on the verge of extinction, have survived and been given new life. Thanks to the development of commodity production, the household economy has recovered and evolved, making many people wealthy (10 to 15 percent of total farming households) as millionaires or even billionaires. A survey in Quảng Na--Đà Nẵng Province also showed that 46.5 percent of the families who had higher living standards regarded this improvement as due to the new policies on agriculture in particular, and on the whole economy in general.
(4) While Đổi mới has been comprehensive, most attention has focused on the economy and the renovation of economic policies. It is now time to pay equal attention to social policies. The renewal of social policies should be based both on fundamental principles, and on the particular conditions and traditions of this country. The economic achievements brought about by renovation are impressive, but the social influence is not so clear. Reforms in economic policies do not immediately lead to positive effects in the social field; on the contrary they are the source of evil at some times and in some places. The market economy is still in the initial stage in Viet Nam, but it already reveals both positive and negative effects in a variety of social aspects. These need to be considered when making social policies.
(5) It is taken for granted that the nature of a social policy is to serve human beings; in other words, to be people-centered. Although the system of social policies is designed to stabilize the society and motivate development, the policies are for individuals in the final analysis. Hence, they cause impacts on all aspects of life, and on all strata in the society and the relationships among them. On the one hand, social policy exploits and fosters the potentials of every individual and the whole community; on the other hand, it contributes to solving social problems, and even to averting challenges that may become catastrophes for the community and the whole society. In this respect, a social policy plays an important role in establishing social order and a system of wholesome social relations. Therefore, social policy is closely related to legality and morality. That is why social policy affects people from the time they are in the womb to the moment of passing away. Social policy also relates to health, education, population, training, employment, cultural enjoyment, security, privacy, struggle against social evils, relief aid, insurance, and social privileges.
(6) Although the settlement of social problems cannot be achieved without economic growth, it is wrong to think that if there is growth, social problems are automatically solved. Therefore, we cannot wait to develop a rich economy before starting to consider and resolve social problems. Ignoring social policies would have negative consequences and lead to disorder. In view of the strong impact of social policies on the economy, sound social policies would contribute, if effective, to economic development. Conversely, inappropriate social policies sometimes negate economic achievements or createobstacles to economic growth. These relationships reflect the dialectical integration of the economy and the society, particularly in the case of the market economy.
Article 2: “New Spirits Fear Old Ones:Change in the Vietnamese Family”
(excerpts and paraphrases fromhsc.csu.edu.au/pta/scanswdocs/vietnam2.doc)
(7) With the adoption of Đổi mới, Vietnamese society has been bombarded with new influences. These influences include industrialization, westernization, modernization, individualism and capitalism. All of these factors have had a profound impact on the nature of the Vietnamese family.
(8) Since Đổi mới policy has been enacted, a number of modifications of the traditional structure and nature of marriage have occurred. Marriage is still regarded as an important institution in Vietnamese society. Despite Western ideas, few couples in Vietnam live together before marriage. Most young people now have the right to decide on their marriage partner, yet without parental consent, there may be no follow through, especially since parents bear the burden of expenses for the wedding. Western capitalism has influenced Vietnamese wedding ceremonies, however. Higher living standards have lead to more elaborate expectations for the wedding celebration giving way to more expensive weddings. And though the influence of modern ideas of marriage have not led to a significant increase in cohabitationprior to marriage, there has been a rise in the amount of newly wed couples (77%) who choose to live separately from their families. But people are waiting longer to marry and are more likely to have sexual relations before marriage.
(9) With urbanization on the rise, the divorce rate and number of cases of adultery has also been on the rise. Research also shows that there has been a high incidence of domestic violence. This is not a new phenomenon to Vietnamese society nor is it a result of changing influences. However, since Đổi mới there has also been an increase in openness to the investigation and handling of such social issues. Recent polls have indicated a changing perception among many young couples. In the Vietnam Investment Review (Thanh Nien) it was reported that an important factor in family happiness was home appliance ownership (34%) which scored higher than sex (27%).
(10) In recent years Vietnam has suffered from the problems of uncontrolled rural—urban migration. This urbanization of the country has led to a change in the family structure. The western-style nuclear family is becoming more and more common in Vietnam. A survey conducted in Ha Noi in 1995 showed that nuclear families accounted for 66% percent of all family types while the traditional three generation household accounted for 33%. This urban migration has also led to the break-up of families in rural areas as young people leave their parents and grandparents in the village and move to the cities. The parent-child relationship is also affected. With the move to the city often comes the development of a dual-income family. This places new stresses on traditional family roles and values. Urbanization has also led to less reliance on extended family members and the inability of families to rely on their community for support. The proverb “Rich in children, abundant in wealth” has come under threat from this rise in urbanization, but also in the government’s attempts to control the spiraling populationgrowth of Vietnam by introducing a two-child policy.
(11) Another outcome of this rural-urban drift has led to the break-up of many rural families. For higher wages, children are sent to the city to find work to supplement the family’s income. This has led to serious problems in large cities with street children and homelessness. However, many alternative or substitute families have developed in the cities. Many young people from the same region band together in the cities to form surrogate families in which they live together and look out for each others’ welfare generally acting in the traditional role of the families left back in the countryside.
(12) While Đổi mới has opened up opportunities for Vietnamese generally, the opportunities have not been shared evenlybetween the sexes. Vietnam is a country where gender roles are undergoingvast changes. However, the new opportunities available to women have led to conflict with traditional roles and can often be the cause of great anxiety and stress. Men still hold on to the idea that they are superior to women and that the women's role is to 'serve'. Despite increased cases of both partners in marriage working outside the home, the houseworkaverage has remained the same with men averaging 48 minutes of house work per day compared to 3 hours 9 minutes for women. The traditional role of women looking after the house is in direct contrast to the fact that a vast majority of women are now in full-timepositions outside of the family. Women are often doing the same work for the same pay as men and are making many non-family decisions, but at home they are expected not to make certain decisions and continue their traditional role. Women are also becoming increasingly vocal about their demands to achieve equality. These ideas were reflected by the increasing participation of women in Parliament. By 1997, 26.7% of the National Assembly were women.
Exercises and Activities for Comprehension and Analyzing Content:
- How many types of problems does the writing discuss? What are they?
- What successes are there in the economic policy?
- What problems result from economic development?
- What outside influences come into play when a country opens up to a market economy?
- What aspects of a social policy should be paid attention to?
Exercises and Activities for Building Skills
Exercise 1
Identify the type of introduction of the below paragraph. Explain your choice.
Before 1986 in Vietnam, life was so difficult for people both in city and in the countryside. Doing private business was not permitted and the circulation of goods was at a standstill. Services such as hotel, tourism and transport were not developed. Since the renovation policy in 1986, the government has given a lot of priorities to developing the country’s economy, expanding the goods distribution system and services. As a result, life in Vietnam has improved in several ways.
Exercise 2
Write an introduction of your own on the following topics:
- Women’s life in Renovation
- Human development: living standard, health and education
Exercise 3
Identify the causes and effects in the following sentences by underlining them and writing “C” under the causes and “E” under the effects.
- Because the policeman saw me driving 40 mph on a 35 mph street, he gave me a ticket.
- The firefighter stated that poor electrical wiring, the severe thunderstorm, and the burning candles caused the house to burn down.
- Because Sharon did not take her final US history exam, she failed the course, was unable to graduate, and was taken off the school honor roll.
- Because the patient had poor dental hygiene and poor eating habits, he now suffers from several cavities and serious gum disease.
- A lack of knowledge about cross-cultural negotiations can lead to misunderstanding in a business transaction that can result in loss of profits in the long run.
Exercise 4
Create your own cause-and-effect sentences. The following are several topics. For each one, create a good cause-and-effect sentence. You can choose to write either a cause or an effect of each topic. Use the language given in the previous section and follow the example.
Example:
Topic: Someone broke a hip.
Sentence: Because John slipped and fell hard on the icy sidewalk, he broke his hip.
1. Topic: Someone caught a bad cold.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
2. Topic: Someone had a great vacation.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
3. Topic: A person you know is an excellent reader.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
4. Topic: You just saw an automobile accident.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
5. Topic: There has been an increase in crime in your neighborhood.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
6. Topic: The city government has just raised the taxes where you now live.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
7. Topic: You had a fight with a close friend or relative.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
8. Topic: You friend doesn’t pay attention in class.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
9. Topic: Someone is willing to take risks.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
10. Topic: Your brother learns to speak a foreign language fluently.
Sentence: ______________________________________________________
Exercises and Activities for Developing Content of Student Writing:
Choose Your Topic:
In this chapter you have read several articles, paraphrased and responded to numerous ideas by freewriting and answering questions. Re-read all of your writing and select a topic that you feel you have ideas about that you can expand on in writing. For example, you may feel you have a lot to say about the standard of living for your family before and after Đổi mới policies were put in place. Perhaps you have a lot to say about how the social structure in rural areas has been influenced by Đổi mới policies—traditional family values, work ethic, stress and/or potential.
And remember, your essay assignment is to write about how one policy has effected life in Vietnam. So, begin to shape your ideas into cause and effect.
Because of Đổ i m ớ i policy X, my family was able to ________________________.
Because of more equality given to women because of Đổ i m ớ i policies, these social issues have come to a more prominent position: X, Y, and Z.
Exercises and Activities for Incorporating Skills into Student Writing:
General-to-Specific or Chronological?
What type of introductory paragraph would best support your essay topic? Experiment by writing an introductory paragraph using the style that you think would support your essay.
Select Cause and Effect Statements
Re-read your freewriting and responses that relate to the topic you’ve chosen. Have you written any sentences that are cause and effect? Have you written down any ideas that can be re-written to show cause and effect?
Make a list of sentences on the topic that you have chosen in a way that shows cause and effect.
For example:
Because the government made it easier for families to open small businesses, my family was able to open up a small café.
Because women have encountered more equality in the work place, widowed women do not have to rely so heavily on in-laws for support.
Outline
You may want to use an outline like this to organize your essay. Choose between the two introductory paragraph outlines below:
Introductory Paragraph (General to Specific)
- Sentence 1: General statement
- Sentence 2: more specific statement
- Sentence 3: more specific statement
- Sentence 4: more specific statement
- Sentence 5: Thesis Sentence (specific)
Introductory Paragraph (Chronological)
- Sentence 1: First W happened
- Sentence 2: Then X happened
- Sentence 3: Then Y happened
- Sentence 4: Then Z happened
- Sentence 5: Thesis Sentence
Paragraph A
- Sentence 1: Topic Sentence (ts)
- Sentence 2: Idea of support (a)
- Sentence 3: Idea of support (b)
- Sentence 4: Idea of support (c)
- Sentence 5: Summarizing sentence (s)
Paragraph B
- Sentence 1: Topic Sentence (ts)
- Sentence 2: Idea of support (a)
- Sentence 3: Idea of support (b)
- Sentence 4: Idea of support (c)
- Sentence 5: Summarizing sentence (s)
Paragraph C
- Sentence 1: Topic Sentence (ts)
- Sentence 2: Idea of support (a)
- Sentence 3: Idea of support (b)
- Sentence 4: Idea of support (c)
- Sentence 5: Summarizing sentence (s)
Concluding Paragraph
- Sentence 1: Restating the thesis Sentence and the supporting ideas (R)
- Sentences 2-4: More sentences can be used to restate the topic and supporting ideas (optional).
- Concluding Sentence: ( CS)
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