Top 5 Best Lesson Plans on Expressive Language in Argumentative Writing (Part 2) (Vietnamese Literature 12)

Part III

DETERMINING THE SUITABLE TONE AND LANGUAGE IN ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

Question 1

Question 1 (page 156, Vietnamese Literature 12, Volume 2)

a.

- The topics and specific content in the two paragraphs differ, but their tone shares similarities: passionate, intense, and highly expressive.

- Differences:

+ Paragraph 1: a firm, assertive, and forceful tone.

+ Paragraph 2: a calm, heartfelt tone, expressing admiration for the poet.

b. The main factor causing the tonal differences is the subject matter and content being discussed.

c.

- Paragraph 1: uses political and social terminology, with structural repetition, parallelism, and listing techniques.

- Paragraph 2: incorporates literary and life-related vocabulary, combining various sentence structures and rhetorical devices like exclamatory sentences and parallelism.

Question 2 (page 156, Vietnamese Literature 12, Volume 2)

a.

- Paragraph 1: features a powerful, urgent tone. The writer uses imperative and assertive language with repetitive sentence structures to achieve this tone.

- Paragraph 2: a critique of Xuân Diệu’s poetry, written with a tone of praise, enthusiasm, and deep affection. The writer employs numerous adjectives to convey states and intensities, using a mix of short, long, and complex sentences, repetition, and listing techniques.

b.

- In Paragraph 1, the repetition of the phrase “we,” combined with the conjunction “But” and the emphatic sentence “No!” generates a strong, forceful tone. The phrase “O compatriots!” evokes a passionate call-and-response tone.

- In Paragraph 2, the frequent use of verb-adjective combinations enriches the imagery and liveliness of the writing, resulting in a smooth and heartfelt tone.

Question 3 (page 154, Vietnamese Literature 12, Volume 2)

* Based on the material explored, identify the key characteristics of tone in argumentative writing:

- The primary tone of argumentative writing is formal and serious.

- The tone can shift throughout the essay to suit specific content: lively, forceful, calm, humorous...

Practice

Question 1 (page 157, Vietnamese Literature 12, Volume 2)

- Paragraph 1: Hồ Chí Minh uses precise language, employing political terms and repetition, with short sentences emphasizing affirmations. This gives the writing a firm, decisive, and persuasive tone.

- Paragraph 2: Nguyễn Tuân employs sophisticated language, using parallel structures and syntactical repetition (in the opening) to create a distinctive, eloquent tone. This reflects deep empathy for the poet Tú Xương.

- Paragraph 3: The author compares Kiều and Từ Hải, highlighting contrasts in personality, character, and emotions. The writing uses contrasting adjectives and parallel sentence structures, giving the text a rhythmic and balanced tone, showcasing the duality between the two characters.

Question 2 (page 158, Vietnamese Literature 12, Volume 2)

- The three issues raised are social argumentative topics.

+ Use precise language, avoiding clichés, over-complicated expressions, and colloquialisms.

+ Write grammatically correct sentences and choose appropriate sentence structures: declarative, exclamatory, or interrogative.

+ Choose the correct tone: emotional or detached, but reflective (with deep and accurate thought).

+ Rhetorical devices can be used to enhance expressiveness and appeal.

Part III

DETERMINING APPROPRIATE TONE IN ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

Question 1 (Page 155, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Study the excerpts in the textbook and answer the following questions.

Solution:

a.

- While the subject matter and content of the two excerpts differ, the tone in both is similarly formal and serious.

- In addition to this commonality, each passage has distinct tonal features:

+ Excerpt 1: a passionate, powerful, and forceful tone

+ Excerpt 2: a calm and earnest tone

b. The primary factor influencing the difference in tone is the subject matter and content of each passage.

- Excerpt 1 addresses the crimes of French colonialists, condemning them on behalf of the Vietnamese people and the world. It asserts that the struggle for Vietnam's independence is inevitable.

- Excerpt 2 discusses the poetry of Han Mac Tu, explaining that what is referred to as "insane poetry" actually represents "extraordinary vitality," "boundless desire for life," and "a very human dream."

c. The choice of vocabulary, sentence structures, and rhetorical devices play a key role in expressing the tone of each passage.

- Excerpt 1: employs political and social terms (freedom, equality, fraternity, democracy, law, public opinion, policies, etc.), using repetition, parallelism, and enumeration.

- Excerpt 2: uses literary and life-related vocabulary (poetry, poetic meaning, insane poetry, life force, desire to live, dreams, awareness, life, death, etc.), combining exclamatory sentences, parallel structures, and rhetorical devices such as repetition.

Question 2 (Page 156, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Study the following excerpts and answer the related questions.

Solution:

a.

- Excerpt 1:

+ The tone is forceful and urgent. The author uses imperatives, commands, and strong affirmations (e.g., "People of the nation, rise up! No! We will... never..."),

+ Repetition is used for emphasis (e.g., "We want peace, we want compromise. But the more we compromise, the more the French colonists advance...").

=> The author chooses an appropriate tone for urging the nation to rise against colonial oppression.

- Excerpt 2: is a commentary on the poetry of Xuan Dieu.

+ The tone is celebratory, passionate, and fervent.

+ The author uses many adjectives to convey emotional states and intensity (e.g., fervent, quiet, intoxicated, hurried, fleeting, happy, sad, deep, tender, eager, excited, tragic, etc.).

+ Sentence structures are varied, combining short and long sentences, layered sentences, and rhetorical devices like repetition and enumeration.

b. The factors that differentiate the two passages:

- Excerpt 1 addresses the Vietnamese people with the aim of motivating them to rise up against French colonialists.

- Excerpt 2 is a tribute to Xuan Dieu's poetry, focusing on celebrating the poet's love for life and passion for the world.

Question 3 (Page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

From the material studied in Parts 1 and 2, identify the most important feature in argumentative writing.

Solution:

The most important feature in argumentative writing:

- The tone is generally formal and serious.

- Different sections of the writing may shift in tone depending on the specific content: enthusiastic, forceful, reflective, humorous, etc.

Question 1 (Page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Analyze the specific features in the use of vocabulary, sentence structures, and tone in the argumentative passages (from the textbook).

- Excerpt 1: Ho Chi Minh uses precise, politically charged vocabulary to declare the severing of ties with the French colonists, notably employing parallelism and short sentences for emphasis. As a result, the tone is strong, decisive, and resolute.

- Excerpt 2: Regarding the time and poetry of Tu Xuong, Nguyen Tuan uses very sophisticated language (e.g., "wandering delusions," "scholarly soul," "desire for harmony," etc.). The author uses repetition and parallel sentence structures, creating a distinct tone that is erudite, creative, and dynamic in its expression.

- Excerpt 3: The author compares the characters of Kieu and Tu Hai to highlight their differences in character, qualities, emotions, and ideals. The passage employs many contrasting adjectives (e.g., weak-strong, disgrace-glory, enduring-rebellious). Additionally, the sentence structure is parallel, reinforcing the rhythm and symmetry of the comparison.

Question 2 (Page 158, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Choose one of the following topics to write a short argumentative essay, paying attention to the use of vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone.

- All three topics involve social issues.

- While writing, students should pay attention to the requirements of the assignment:

+ Use accurate language, avoiding clichés, unnecessary complexity, and slang.

+ Write grammatically correct sentences. Choose appropriate sentence structures: compound, exclamatory, interrogative...

+ Select the right tone: emotional or detached but thoughtful (with clear and deep reasoning)?

+ Consider using rhetorical devices to enhance emotional impact and persuasiveness.

Suggested Topic:

Topic 1: Your thoughts on the career choices of young people today.

Introduction:

- Introduce the issue at hand.

Body:

* Explanation:

- Career: a concept referring to the work people pursue, for which they are trained and educated to produce material and intellectual products that fulfill societal needs and benefit the individual.

* Analysis, Evidence, and Commentary:

- Career choices should be based on one’s abilities and interests.

+ Choosing the right career brings passion, satisfaction, and the opportunity to use one’s skills.

+ Choosing the wrong career can lead to frustration, with work becoming a burden.

- Benefits: With societal progress, diverse careers offer more opportunities.

- Challenges: The growing demands of society require higher skills from workers.

+ Some professions offer high income, while others provide lower earnings.

+ Some professions suffer from oversupply of workers, while others face shortages.

- Career Choice Philosophy:

+ Must align with personal circumstances, health, finances, and background.

+ Should reflect personal abilities, passions, and preferences.

+ Don’t follow trends, as societal needs change over time.

+ Once a career is chosen, it is important to continuously improve one’s skills.

- A fulfilling career leads to prosperity, as well as personal satisfaction and meaning in life.

- Conclusion:

+ Career choice is not just about earning a living but also finding happiness and living a meaningful life.

Question 1 (Page 155, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

a. Similarities:

+ Both passages have a definite tone: the condemnation of French colonial crimes against our people, and the expression of Hàn Mặc Tử's passion for life.

+ The language is formal, serious, and resolute, with a tone of affirmation.

Differences:

+ Passage 1: lively, strong, and passionate tone.

+ Passage 2: calm, sincere, and earnest tone.

b. The main factor distinguishing the tones is the subject and content of each passage.

Passage 1 condemns the atrocities of the French colonists and affirms the inevitability of Vietnam's independence.

Passage 2 discusses Hàn Mặc Tử's poetry, explaining the term 'crazy poetry' as actually reflecting extraordinary vitality and a deep love for life.

c. The use of vocabulary, sentence structure, and rhetorical devices:

+ Passage 1: employs political and social vocabulary, with frequent use of syntactic repetition, parallelism, and listing.

+ Passage 2: uses literary and life-related vocabulary, employing various sentence structures and rhetorical figures such as exclamations and syntactic repetitions.

Question 2 (Page 156, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Passage 1: Written as a call to the entire nation, the tone is powerful and urgent, with strong language, imperative and declarative sentences, and syntactic repetition.

Passage 2: Written as a commentary with a satirical tone about the 'bulging belly' phenomenon, creating a humorous and slightly ironic tone through playful language and double meanings.

b. Characteristics of argumentative writing: formal and serious tone.

The main tone of argumentative writing is formal and serious, but individual sections may adopt varying tones based on the specific content, such as lively or subdued.

Question 3 (Page 156, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

The most important feature of tone in argumentative writing is its ability to convey emotions, attitudes, and evaluations through language, sentence structure, and rhetorical devices.

Practice

Exercise 1 (Page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Passage 1: Hồ Chí Minh uses precise, fitting vocabulary to declare independence.

+ He uses political terms extensively.

+ The sentence structure is marked by repetition and parallelism, with short, emphatic sentences.

→ The tone of the passage is firm, decisive, and strong.

Passage 2: Discussing Tú Xương's poetry, Nguyễn Tuân uses exquisite language, employing repetitive structures and parallelism, creating a unique, refined tone.

Passage 3: Written in a comparative style, this passage highlights the differences in the personalities, qualities, and emotions of Kiều and Từ Hải.

The passage uses contrasting adjectives to emphasize key points, creating a balanced, gentle tone.

Exercise 2 (Page 158, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Topic 1: Your thoughts on the career choices of today's youth.

Outline:

Introduction: Discuss the importance of career choice in shaping one's future.

Everyone needs to have a clear perspective and direction for their career to live a fulfilling life.

Main Body:

Career: The concept of work that one chooses, is trained for, and engages in to create tangible or intangible products to meet societal needs and benefit oneself.

Discussing career choice:

+ Choosing the right career brings passion and opportunities to grow and contribute.

+ Choosing the wrong career leads to lost opportunities, and work becomes a burden.

Advantages: With societal development, diverse career opportunities open up for workers.

Challenges: The increasing societal demands require higher skill levels from workers.

+ Some industries offer high incomes, while others provide lower earnings.

+ Many professions suffer from either oversupply or shortage of workers.

Career choice perspectives:

+ Should be aligned with personal abilities, health, finances, and background.

+ It should reflect one's talents, passions, and interests.

+ Avoid following trends, as societal demands constantly change.

+ Once a career is chosen, it should be nurtured, with a focus on skill improvement.

Mastering one's profession and pursuing it with passion leads to a prosperous life, as desired.

Conclusion: A career not only ensures livelihood but also contributes to happiness, giving life greater meaning.

III. Determining the Appropriate Tone in Argumentative Writing

1. (Page 155, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2):

a. The tone in both excerpts shares a sense of urgency and fervor, with a strong emotional impact.

Distinct characteristics:

- Passage 1 has a forceful, resolute, and impassioned tone in denouncing the enemy, but also conveys sorrow when recounting the atrocities suffered by our people.

- Passage 2 carries a more subdued and earnest tone.

b. The main differences in tone between these passages lie in sentence structures, expressions, and rhetorical devices used in syntax.

- Passage 1 discusses the crimes of French colonists: "They manipulated public opinion, enforced an ignorant policy..."; "They used opium and alcohol to weaken our people."

- Passage 2 is about Hàn Mặc Tử’s poetry: "His words and poems, which he called ‘crazy poetry,’ are not truly mad at all! What seems like ‘horror’ in his poems is not horrifying in the least."

c.

- Passage 1 uses syntactic repetition with the structure “They...,” and figurative language such as the metaphor “immersing in revolutions.”

- Passage 2 uses repeated structures such as “... actually...,” and argumentative sentence forms like “...actually...,” combining different sentence styles for impact.

2. (Page 156, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2):

a.

- Passage 1’s tone is inspiring and motivating, with an energetic drive. The author employs declarative, decisive sentences and effectively combines short and long sentences for emphasis.

- Passage 2 has a more fluid, tender tone, with the author using emotive words and a listing style to evoke deep emotions.

b. The factors contributing to the tonal differences:

- Passage 1’s repetition of the phrase “we” paired with contrasting conjunctions like “but” in the sentences, alongside the emphatic “No,” creates a strong, compelling tone.

- Passage 2’s use of many verb phrases, adjectives, metaphors, and the overall graceful tone gives a heartfelt, tender feel.

3. (Page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2): The key feature of tone in argumentative writing:

- The predominant tone in argumentative writing is formal and serious.

- Different sections of the text may shift in tone to suit the specific content.

Practice

Question 1 (Page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2):

- Passage 1: uses sophisticated language, metaphors, and argument structures like “The truth is... not...,” with a resolute, commanding tone and a high persuasive power.

- Passage 2: employs expressive language with a tone of empathy, resonating deeply with poet Tú Xương.

- Passage 3: uses compound sentences and syntactic repetition, presenting a rhythmic and balanced tone, with contrasting pairs such as “weak-strong, shame-glory.”

Question 2 (Page 158, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2):

One of the following topics can be selected for the essay:

Suggested Topic 1: Your thoughts on the career choices of today’s youth.

- Choosing a career is a crucial matter that holds great significance for everyone.

- Highlight the importance of career choice in today’s society: To survive and assert one’s place in life, every individual needs to select and dedicate themselves to a profession, working hard to achieve success in that field.

- Choosing a career you are passionate about will foster enthusiasm and drive. Thus, career selection should be made thoughtfully, based on personal strengths and interests.

Part III

DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE TONE IN ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

Question 1 (page 155, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

a. Compare the tones in the two excerpts:

- Similarity: both tones are assertive, serious, and decisive.

- Differences: the first excerpt has a forceful, passionate tone of indignation, while the second adopts a respectful, heartfelt, and tender tone.

b. The main factors contributing to the tonal differences in these excerpts are the audience, content, and purpose of the argument.

- Excerpt 1: denounces the atrocities of French colonialism against our people.

- Excerpt 2: explains and affirms the profound beauty within the complex poetry of Hàn Mặc Tử.

c. To express the tone:

- Excerpt 1: uses a high frequency of political and social vocabulary; employs listing, repetition, and declarative sentence structures.

- Excerpt 2: utilizes literary language; combines exclamatory and declarative sentences; uses syntactical repetition (For instance: “These poems… are not… they represent… they convey… they express…”).

Question 2 (page 156, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

a. The tone and its expression in the following examples:

- Excerpt 1: To express a forceful, powerful, and urgent tone, the author uses politically charged vocabulary and a combination of sentence types such as exclamatory, imperative, declarative, and repetition.

- Excerpt 2: To convey a tone of admiration, love, and emotional connection, the author uses evocative vocabulary (rich in reduplication and adjectives), repetition, listing, and varying sentence lengths.

b. The basis for the tonal differences:

- Excerpt 1 targets the entire nation with the goal of motivating the people to rise up against French colonial rule.

- Excerpt 2 addresses the poetry of Xuân Diệu, aiming to celebrate his joyful, life-affirming spirit.

Question 3 (page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

The most important feature of tone in argumentative writing is its formality and seriousness, but it can shift to suit the specific content of each section.

Practice Exercise

Question 1 (page 157, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

- Excerpt 1:

+ Word choice: frequent use of political and social terms (colony, Allies, people, government, Democratic Republic, king, abdicate, colonizers, independence, monarchy…).

+ The author uses syntactical repetition, declarative sentences, alongside parallel structures. Most sentences are short and direct to convey clear, straightforward points.

+ The tone is assertive, clear, and determined.

- Excerpt 2:

+ Word choice: refined, artistic, impressionistic, and poetic language (dreamy, scholarly, yearning soul, nostalgic, talented…).

+ The author employs syntactical repetition, parallel structures, and explanatory sentences.

+ The tone is affectionate, empathetic, celebratory, and admiring.

- Excerpt 3:

+ Word choice: numerous contrasting adjectives and phrases.

+ The passage compares the characters and lives of Thúy Kiều and Từ Hải, using conditional sentence structures (“If… then”) to highlight the stark differences between the two figures. A key stylistic device is syntactical repetition.

+ The tone is harmonious and balanced.

Question 2 (page 158, Literature Textbook 12, Volume 2)

Suggestions:

Topic 1: Your thoughts on the career choices of today’s youth.

Introduction:

- Introduce the topic for discussion.

Main Body:

* Explanation:

- A career is defined as a profession or work that an individual chooses, trains for, and contributes to in order to produce goods or services that benefit society and provide personal fulfillment.

* Analysis, evidence, and discussion:

- Career choices should align with an individual's abilities and interests.

+ Choosing the right career brings passion and motivation, allowing one to fully develop their talents.

+ Choosing the wrong career can lead to dissatisfaction, stress, and missed opportunities.

- Advantages: Societal progress has led to a diverse range of career opportunities.

- Challenges: With increasing societal demands, workers need to possess higher skill levels.

+ Some professions offer higher financial rewards, while others provide lower income.

+ Some industries face labor surpluses, while others experience shortages.

- Career selection advice:

+ Choose a career that suits personal circumstances, health, financial status, and background.

+ It should reflect one’s abilities, passions, and interests.

+ Avoid chasing trends in career fields, as societal needs evolve.

+ Once a career is chosen, commit to continuously improving one’s skills.

- Mastering a profession and pursuing it with passion leads to a prosperous life.

- A call for personal reflection and action:

+ Each individual should assess their true abilities when selecting a career.

+ Career choice should integrate one’s abilities and interests, with abilities being the deciding factor.

Conclusion:

- A career not only supports one’s livelihood but also brings happiness and fulfillment, making life more meaningful.