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Why do this exercise as response writing on a blog?
In addition to practising the useful skills of response writing for fluency, another reason we use an online discussion board in our reading and writing class is that the research solidly shows that brainstorming or discussion activities for groups are more effective if participants start by working individually (O'Connell, 2010; Markman, 2017): by writing on a blog, we can generate a greater variety of independent ideas, which is what we want here and in similar exercises in Skillful.In fact, experts at Harvard University's School of Management and elsewhere are sure that this can be very effectively done using online tools (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2015). Blogging is one effective way to do this, which is the reason I've turned Bixby and Scanlon's discussion exercise into a quick blogging discussion. Over the coming weeks, we will do several of the discussion exercises as online discussions, which is also a common component of university classes today.
Bixby and Scanlon's questions
Discuss these questions in a comment.
- Describe a geographical place (just one) where survival is difficult. Have you ever been in such a place?
- What makes survival so difficult there?
- What would you need to have to survive there? What are the two most important things you would need?
Write two or three paragraphs to address the questions in any order. Remember, it's response writing where we want your ideas written down in sentences as quickly as possible. Think for a minute or two, and then write. Then write your next idea, and the next one. And repeat.
Write as though your readers have not seen the questions. Your writing should make sense as an independent piece of work.
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Reference
- Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing: Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education
- Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2015, April 2). Why brainstorming works better online. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/why-brainstorming-works-better-online
- Markman, A. (2017, May 18). Your team is brainstorming all wrong. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/05/your-team-is-brainstorming-all-wrong
- O'Connell, A. (2010, February 4). Sometimes, it’s better to brainstorm alone. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/02/when-its-better-to-brainstorm
I thought of the scenes on Mars in the movie The Martian starring Matt Damon, which came out a few years ago. That environment was very hard to survive in. It was dry, had no oxygen, was subject to extremes of temperature, and was very lonely for the astronaut abandoned there. I really enjoyed how he had "science the shit" of his problems to solve them. (I'm not sure if that is exactly his words, but he said something like that.)
ReplyDeleteMars, of course, is a very difficult environment to live on, but we are now exploring it. I read a report yesterday that the Rover vehicle there has just detected methane, which is something that on Earth is mostly produced by living things, so maybe there is life somewhere on Mars. That would be an amazing discovery.
On Earth, much of my own country, Australia, is also very hard to survive in. Most of Australia is dry, hot desert, and almost the entire population lives on the coasts, where plants and animals grow and where there is more water for us.
I think so, the water is the important thing for our life.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAfter I read your opinion about the Mar, It made me think about the new world discovery. I believe that someday we will find another planet where people can live and be alive there. If I have to pick one of 8 planets of our solar system to live apart form our earth, I will choose to live in the Saturn now that I really like its rings. It is very astonishing and enchanting. When I first saw them, it definitely amazed me and made me really want to find more its picture, and absolutely motivated me to pay attention when I had an astronomy class. Finally, its rings give me an encouragement that there is nothing that human can not do nowadays.
DeleteI couldn't agree more about your opinion. The Mars is very hard to survive in. In addition to, I ever watch other movies about the living of life outside world such as 'Prometheus', 'Avatar', 'Interstellar', 'Gravity' etc. I think little oxygen, little water, and high gravity impacts to be arduous for living.
DeleteFrom my point of view, a geographical place where survival is difficult is a top of Everest Mountain which temperature can be extremely low and your body may be freeze there.I think if we will survive there we have to prepare a medical kit and energy bar or maybe some expert mountain climber who can save your life in case of emergency.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that a top of Everest mountain is hard to survive. In addition to the extremely cold weather there, another factor that makes survival there so hard is low amount of oxygen. I heard that many people can't reach to summit and pass away along the path because they can't resist the low oxygen environment.
DeleteI completely agree with your place. I think there have been many adventurers who really wanted to go to the top of Everest mountain. Unfortunately, according to the report that I have heard, there was few adventurers who could go to the top and in the worst and saddest case, some of them passed away.
Delete1. For me, I think the desert where is the highest temperature may be difficult to survive because the weather can lead to dehydation. I have never been that place before.
ReplyDelete2.There are many thing you have to cencern. Physically, you lack of water whicg basically human can't stand lacking this within 3 days. Mentally, you felt depressed and lost of self-control.
3.For me, the two important thing I will take are the biggest bottle comprised of water and seperate it appropriately and make you strong mind to face the toughness.
I agree that desert is where difficult to survive and I like twos reasons why it's difficult to survive there that are physical and mental term.
DeleteI would like to ridiculously say about my university. Actually, I often think that my university is such a place that is difficult to live and be alive for 4 years that I have to study there. There are plenty of very clever and smart students. Some students didn't have to pay attention when they were studying in class. They just took a nap and slept whenever they wanted. At that moment, I though that oh!! such lazy guys, they would get a bad grade for sure. Afterwards, when it was time to announce the grade results, they all got such a better grade than me, some of my friends got A in a row. I, at that time, was like how did you guys do that? really? OMG!! what in the world!!. They definitely drove me crazy and made me feel like a foolish haha. In contrast, even if I had done my best and hardest, I still got a bad grade, not like them. All the story that I have mentioned, I am trying to tell you that it is a good idea to choose university in order to be the one of place that we are extremely difficult to survive haha.
DeleteAlthough I've never been to any desert in this world but I've find it's difficult to live. For me, I think desert is one of the hardest place to survive in term of the temperature that can kill every life in the area. With such a hot weather, this place got drought.
ReplyDeleteIn desert, water is the most important substance. With water life can run properly. And also, we need storage food to survive in such a place.
I couldn't agree more with you. In my opinion, there are a lot of dangerous places and place that is difficult to live in the long time and I think the 2 most dangerous places are a scorching dessert and a very high and cold mountain. If I have to choose one of them, I will automatically choose the former to be the place where is the hardest to live and survive.
DeleteIn my opinion, the geographical place where is hard to survive is Sahara desert. I haven't been there since it is far from Thailand and difficult to live.
ReplyDeleteThere are two things that make this place hard to survive. The first one is the water. Human have to drink water to keep organ system balance. Since Saraha is desert, there is no water there. The weather is another reason. Sahara locate in the hot place so it make people lose their balance.
However, I think water is the most important thing to survive in this place, .
Except the water, what is the important thing you would need?
DeleteActually, I would say the main thing that we should bring it with you apart from water, it would be some proper clothes to protect you guys from poisonous animal, such as insects and sneaks, and sand storm which could happen anywhere and anytime without signal to notice you. Personally, I had to live there even 1 day, to be honest I would be dead undoubtedly LMAO
DeleteIn my oppinion I think,one of the geographical place that is hard to suvival is desert where I have never been there before.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard place to survive becase it's climate between day and night are etremely different. So, people might find it hard to adapt when you are at that place. Another reason is almost everywhere is sand there have no sources of water or plant or food that can grow there. Its also has sand storm that can hardly injure human.
I have never want to live there, but if i have to, I have to prepare food and water to eat and drink.I need proper clothes and thing to protect me from its climate and wild animals.Also some vehicles that can travel on sand.
Which desert do you talking about?
DeleteI guess it would probably be the Sahara desert or some famous desert for its size and climate.
DeleteIn my opinion a geographical place where survival is difficult is north pole. I never been to north pole before but I've been to Russia once and people there told me that the lowest temperature could be under -50 degree celsius which can make your eyelash freeze.
ReplyDeleteThe extremely cold weather makes survival so difficult there. People cannot plant the trees for food and there is only few animal that can survive in that area. Therefore, people can die of freezing in the cold weather and starving. If people want to survive there, they should need a lot of dried food and thick clothes, as thick as possible, to keep their bodies warm.
I agree. Australia is not very cold, but I thought that the winters in Sydney were too cold for too long. One of the great things about living in Thailand is that it's never really cold, at least not in Bangkok.
DeleteI don't like it when the outside temperature is around 40 C, but the solution to that is to stay inside with air conditioning.
I agree with now that north pole is the place that is difficult to survive. It is true that they need thick cloth and prepared some food. I also think that correct type of hose like igloo house is important too.
DeleteI think that quite a difficult place to visit and I have never been there too but I will visit there once in my life.I hope to take a photo with a polar bear and staying in a igroo haha .
DeleteI agree with you that it's hard to survive in north pole because of the temperature. And the most important thing we need in the place is dried food and thick clothes. The other thing i found it really helpful is the lighter or match. I think it's really hard to set the fire in the weather.
DeleteI think Sahara desert is hard to survive. I have never been there yet. It is a difficult place to survive because it has no water around the area and its weather is too hot.Moreover the sand storm happen somtimes. I think the most important thing that you must bring is water and properly clothes
ReplyDeleteYou have chosen the same place as me, Sahara desert and I totally agree with your opinions. I think we should try going there for once. I really want to try surviving there.
DeleteFrom my personal experience, I have never been such a place that statement asks. However, in my pint of view, Sahara desert in the middle east is the best choice to be my answer. There are 2 main information that I really want to tell you
ReplyDeleteThe first main information that you should know is the weather of the desert. The weather there is extremely scorching even for people who live in tropical areas such as Thai, Chinese and Japanese. If you want live there and survive, you have to acclimate to such a hot weather.
The second things is that you have to bring a lot of water and clothes that can protect yourself from sunlight and some animals in that desert.
Hopefully, I wish everyone could live and survive there comfortably and happily.
Describe a geographical place (just one) where survival is difficult. Have you ever been in such a place?
ReplyDeleteI have been in a place named JPS.(It's a camp for scout)
What makes survival so difficult there?
It's difficult to survive because the footpath is rough and I didn't get allowed to drink. A coach is very fierce
What would you need to have to survive there? What are the two most important things you would need?
The two most important things are water and friend. If you don't have any friend there, it's going to be thwe worst.
Although I have never visited volcano, Volcano is one difficult place to survive.
ReplyDeleteThere are many factors make survival so difficult there such as the climate that is really hot and dust that consists of a great number of Carbondioxide and smoke.
Well, I would certainly need water as the most important thing to survive during living in a hot and dry place. Moreover, I would need protect mask too because there is many dust and toxic gas there.
I think so because Volcano is unpredictable phenomenon so it will lead to diasater and the number of people who lost increases.
DeleteI really like Wan's idea. volcano is an extremly place that I have never thought about. It is really important to be prepared for the irruption too. Like people in Hawaii.
Delete1
ReplyDeleteTham Luang cave complex, in Chiang Rai
Inside the cave is really dark the water cover the flood. Human also hard to walk inside the cave
2
Because you hardly see the detail inside and Hard to walk too. You have no food to eat.
3
Food, Light
I never been to a geographical place ,but think Amazon is difficult to survive because it have a lot of dangerous animal and difficult environment.
ReplyDeleteIf I have to go there I need food, medicine, water and the most important is a map or a gun most
i think the most difficult place to survive is desert. i've never been there before but i know it's extremely hard to survive in this place. Water is limited and really hard to find in desert and the temperature is so different between day and night.
ReplyDeletethe most two important things you must have to survive in this place is water and cloths. if you don't have any water , you will die in three days and you need cloths to protect you form the sun.
As you can see our friends' opinions and comments, almost all students thought that the places where is difficult to survive are a dessert and a high mountain. Personally, I completely agree with them and also agree with you. I guess that if we all had to live there around 3 days without where to live and sleep, we might not be dead but we would probably get extremely hungry and be ready to kill anyone to be our foods LOL
DeleteIn my view 'The Lost City of Z', 2016 film starring Charlie Hunnam and Tom Holland, express that the Amazon Rainforest is very arduous to live the life. This place has many poisonous and venomous animals, many brutes, many diseases and flues in the wild, and many poisonous plants that result of difficult life.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, I think it has two things for living the life in this place; firstly, the survival skills is very essential, because everything is possible to happen in this, i.e., the uncertainty is certainty in this rainforest. And for responding many dangerous events, the humam that survive in and adventure this place must has many skills about the living in the wild. Secondly,the contemplated mind is very crucial, because not only the survival skills are essential but also the human should have the contemplated mind for reckoning that each day we should live something and if we confront the unexpected situation, we will do how to solve and controlling and commanding the mind to be insane.
The Amazon Rainforest is the very critical place for surviving in and the resourcefulness skills with the contemplated mind that will help us to live the life in this place.
In my opinion, I though Saharah desert is one of the places in the word that very difficult to live and survive but I never been before. I knew about this place on the internet. There had only sand with very hot weather from the sun and hard to find the tree can survive in this environment like this. Sometime, this place may occur a huge sand disaster.
ReplyDeleteI believe if I need to survive, I will take a lot of instant food as many as I can take.
If I have to take only two things to survive in a difficult situation like this, I will take energy water and clothes. The reason that I choose energy water because It can replace both water and food. The last one, clothes is the thing that use to protect my body from the sun.