English Writing Section
When you‟re done with Part 1 of your BBA exam – Math, English and Analytical sections, you‟ll find yourself facing Part 2 – the Writing section. Expect to have a total of 4-5 questions carrying 25-30 marks.
A few pointers that you should always keep in mind:
Time Management
Your first job in this section is keep an eye on the time. You most definitely have to practice writing within given time constraints. No matter how fast you think you write or how good your content is, not keeping track of time and not being able to completely answer all the questions is going to cost you marks.
Number and type of questions
Quickly go through all the questions and create a mental map of how much time you are going to allocate to each question. Keep track of time and make sure you are hitting your time objectives while answering. Do not forget to figure out what the question exactly wants. You could be asked to write paragraphs, essays, and sometimes they will leave it up to you. Then there is the matter of determining what kind of essay you want to write before you‟re starting- argumentative, narrative, or something else. An unexpected number of examinees lack clarity in their writing. That is why it‟s important to understand what writing is being expected and what responses best answer the questions.
Length of answers
Your objective in this section is to deliver adequate answers. Not too much, not too little. Keep in mind how much space you have been allotted for the respective question and just like keeping time objectives, fitting your answer in the given space is important. Remember, if the examiner knows you‟ve rushed it in the end, he/she is more likely to assume that you‟ve failed to plan properly. That is yet another thing that will cost you marks.
Order of answering
A rule of thumb is to attempt the questions that you feel you can do your best in. It is unwise to leave these for later. Leave the hardest for last.
Expert Advice:
1. Always take a few moments to think about the answer before starting to write. Once you have a basic layout (a map of all the points you‟ll be touching) of what you‟re going to write in your mind, then start. You have no idea how much time this will save you.
2. Never write more than what you think is absolutely necessary. An incomplete answer sheet with great content quality always gets less marks than a complete answer sheet with average content.
3. Make sure you always include these 3 types of sentences: ASSERTIONS - JUSTIFICATIONS - EXAMPLES
Think of your ideas in terms of these 3 types of sentences, and you‟ll never run out of content to write.
PARAGRAPH
What is a paragraph?
Paragraphs are comprised of sentences, but not random sentences. A paragraph is a group of sentences organized around a central topic. In fact, the cardinal rule of paragraph writing is to focus on one idea. A solidly written paragraph takes its readers on a clear path, without detours. Master the paragraph, and you‟ll be on your way to writing “gold-star” essays, term papers, and stories.
How do you write a paragraph?
Four essential elements, when used correctly, can make an okay paragraph into a great paragraph.[Notice how the following are some good examples of paragraphs themselves.
1. Element #1: Unity. Unity in a paragraph begins with the topic sentence. Every paragraph has one single, controlling idea that is expressed in its topic sentence, which is typically the first sentence of the paragraph. A paragraph is unified around this main idea, with the supporting sentences providing detail and discussion. In order to write a good topic sentence, think about your theme and all the points you want to make. Decide which point drives the rest, and then write it as your topic sentence.
2. Element #2: Order. Order refers to the way you organize your supporting sentences. Whether you choose chronological order, order of importance, or another logical presentation of detail, a solid paragraph always has a definite organization. In a well-ordered paragraph, the reader follows along easily, aided by the pattern you‟ve established. Order helps the reader grasp your meaning and avoid confusion.
3. Element #3: Coherence. Coherence is the quality that makes your writing understandable. Sentences within a paragraph need to connect to each other and work together as a whole. One of the best ways to achieve coherence is to use transition words. These words create bridges from one sentence to the next. You can use transition words that show order (first, second, third); spatial relationships (above, below) or logic (furthermore, in addition, in fact). Also, in writing a paragraph, using a consistent verb tense and point of view are important ingredients for coherence.
4. Element #4: Completeness. Completeness means a paragraph is well-developed. If all sentences clearly and sufficiently support the main idea, then your paragraph is complete. If there are not enough sentences or enough information to prove your thesis, then the paragraph is incomplete. Usually three supporting sentences, in addition to a topic sentence and concluding sentence, are needed for a paragraph to be complete. The concluding sentence or last sentence of the paragraph should summarize your main idea by reinforcing your topic sentence.
Paragraph writing subjects may come from a wide range of topics – from knowledge-based ones to opinion based and argumentative ones. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers in this section. You have to ensure that what you‟re writing is defendable and not blatantly unbelievable.
Sample topics:
Pursuing business studies vs. Pursuing Science
The Changes in the Ocean
Causes and Effects of the Popularity of Fast Food Restaurants
Internet Influence on kids
Sports in Bangladesh
Effects of professional sport on children
Domestic violence
Growing up with a single parent
Effect of school bullying on children
Music & Mood
Dating at a young age
Earthquakes and the potential dangers they bring
Social media‟s effects on young people
Growing up in poverty
How stress impacts health
Impacts of drug use
The influence of my favorite movie/book on me
Impacts of war
What impact smoking has on a pregnant woman
Telling lies. The cause and effect
The causes of divorces
What is the impact of genetically engineered food?
How globalization affects the economy
The effects of credit culture
What are causes and effects of terrorism
What makes a person a good teacher/mother/doctor/artist?
What are the effects of homeschooling?
What caused WWII
Effects of online dating
Uber‟s influence on taxi drivers
How happy relationships affect a person
How travelling the world affects life and personality
Keep in mind that some difficult topics require prior knowledge on the matter while others require
you to write about critical issues that people are not comfortable to discuss or write about in
general. On that note, remember that there is no right or wrong answer – just defendable ones and
weak ones.
ESSAY
A simple approach to essay writing is to think of it as a collection of interrelated and coherent paragraphs. A basic essay would be structured like this:
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: Body 1
Paragraph 3: Body 2
Paragraph 4: Body 3
Paragraph 5: Conclusion
Introduction:
The purpose of the introduction is to present your position (this is also known as the "thesis" or "argument") on the issue at hand but effective introductory paragraphs are so much more than that. Before you even get to this thesis statement, for example, the essay should begin with a "hook" that grabs the reader‟s attention and makes them want to read on. Examples of effective hooks include relevant quotations ("no man is an island") or surprising statistics ("three out of four doctors report that...").
Body Paragraphs:
The middle paragraphs of the essay are collectively known as the body paragraphs and the main purpose of a body paragraph is to discuss and support your thesis. For the first body paragraph, you should use your strongest argument or most significant example unless some other more obvious beginning point (as in the case of chronological explanations) is required. In other words, this is where you will start to “make your case”.
A one sentence body paragraph that simply cites the example of "George Washington" or "LeBron James" is not enough, however. An effective essay will follow up on this topic sentence by explaining the example to the reader. It will also, more importantly, explain why that example is relevant.
Remember to use: Assertions – Justifications – Examples throughout the different body paragraphs.
Use transitional sentences at relevant points, usually at the beginning and end of paragraphs, to improve the flow of the essay.
Conclusion:
Although the concluding paragraph comes at the end of your essay, it should not be seen as an afterthought. The final paragraph is your last chance to make an impact. The last thing the reader seescan make a significant impression. One way to think of the conclusion, funnily enough, is as a second introduction because it does in fact contain many of the same features. While it does not need to be too long – four well-crafted sentences should be enough – it can make or break an essay.
Effective conclusions can open with a concluding transition ("in conclusion," "in the end," etc.) and an allusion to the "hook" used in the introductory paragraph. After that you should immediately provide a restatement of your thesis statement.
Argumentative Essays
An argumentative essay is a type of essay that presents arguments about both sides of an issue. It could be the case that both sides are presented as equally balanced, or that one side is presented more forcefully than the other. It all depends on the writer, and how he/she approaches the issue. The general structure of an argumentative essay follows this format:
1. Introduction: Attention Grabber / hook, Background Information, Thesis Statement
2. Body: Three body paragraphs (three major arguments)
3. Counterargument: An argument to refute earlier arguments and give weight to the actual position
4. Conclusion: Rephrasing the thesis statement, major points, call to attention and concluding remarks.
The general structure can often be adjusted according to how you want to write but it is a good place to start when you are getting used to these essays.
The following essay is a student response to the question “Is war ever justified?”. Please discuss the essay with your instructor. It is a thorough response under exam conditions.
Q. Is war ever justified?
To those of you who are horrified at war, it is easy to say at once that war is never justified and disagree totally with the question. However, a little thought will lead us to conclude that there are at least a few instances that a country is justified in going to war. In other words, it is my opinion that war can be just under certain circumstances.
First of all, we see that countries are often forced to go to war to defend themselves. A defensive war certainly seems justified. Quite often in history we see examples of countries which are threatened or even attacked by more aggressive neighbours. In these instances, it is certainly justified to go to war. In recent times Iraq attacked Kuwait. This was clearly an act of aggression and it is impossible to believe that the Iraqis had any justifiable reason. The Kuwaitis were forced to defend themselves and because of the total unpreparedness of their armed forces had to depend on the help of other countries. Though it is easy to argue that self-defence is a justification for war, it is difficult to define at which stage a country should begin to defend itself. During World War Two, Japan launched an attack on the United States at Pearl, Harbour, catching the Americans off-guard. If the US had known that Japan would attack her, would it bejustifiable for the Americans to attack first? In a case like this which country is the aggressor? Here it is difficult todecide. We are forced to the conclusion that a country is justified in defending itself when an attack is imminenteven if the attack has not taken place.
History records other justifications for going to war. Fairly recently, India went to war to help the Bangladeshisfrom genocide when Pakistan attacked and went about systematically annihilating the population. In this instance,the world supported both Bangladesh’s and India’s actions. Clearly this was a just war. From this we can conclude that a country is justified in attacking another in order to save the people from a third country being massacred.Yet another reason to consider would be in the event of a famine or other natural disaster. Assume a situationwhen a country faces severe famine or drought whereas a neighbouring country has an abundance. In such an instance the country faced with the disaster would be justified in attacking and seizing for itself some of the abundance of its neighbour. It would make no sense for a population to die out when it can save itself. In such an instance what would not be justified is if the country attacks a country which has barely enough for its own population.
Hence we see that even though most of us abhor war, there are situations when war is justified.
(473 words)
Example: Argumentative essay on Malaria
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through female Anopheles mosquitoes. Each year, over half a billion people will become infected with malaria, with roughly 80% of them living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly half a million people die of malaria every year, most of them young children under the age of five. Unlike many other infectious diseases, the death toll for malaria is rising. While there have been many programs designed to improve access to malaria treatment, the best way to reduce the impact of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa is to focus on reducing the number of people who contract the disease in the first place, rather than waiting to treat the disease after the person is already infected.
There are multiple drugs available to treat malaria, and many of them work well and save lives, but malaria eradication programs that focus too much on them and not enough on prevention haven’t seen long-term success in Sub-Saharan Africa. A major program to combat malaria was WHO’s Global Malaria Eradication Programme. Started in 1955, it had a goal of eliminating malaria in Africa within the next ten years. Based upon previously successful programs in Brazil and the United States, the program focused mainly on vector control. This included widely distributing chloroquine and spraying large amounts of DDT. More than one billion dollars was spent trying to abolish malaria. However, the program suffered from many problems and in 1969, WHO was forced to admit that the program had not succeeded in eradicating malaria. The number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who contracted malaria as well as the number of malaria deaths had actually increased over 10% during the time the program was active.
One of the major reasons for the failure of the project was that it set uniform strategies and policies. By failing to consider variations between governments, geography, and infrastructure, the program was not nearly as successful as it could have been. Sub-Saharan Africa has neither the money nor the infrastructure to support such an elaborate program, and it couldn’t be run the way it was meant to. Most African countries don't have the resources to send all their people to doctors and get shots, nor can they afford to clear wetlands or other malaria prone areas. The continent’s spending per person for eradicating malaria was just a quarter of what Brazil spent. Sub-Saharan Africa simply can’t rely on a plan that requires more money, infrastructure, and expertise than they have to spare.
Additionally, the widespread use of chloroquine has created drug resistant parasites which are now plaguing Sub-Saharan Africa. Because chloroquine was used widely but inconsistently, mosquitoes developed resistance, and chloroquine is now nearly completely ineffective in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 95% of mosquitoes resistant to it. As a result, newer, more expensive drugs need to be used to prevent and treat malaria, which further drives up the cost of malaria treatment for a region that can ill afford it.
Instead of developing plans to treat malaria after the infection has incurred, programs should focus on preventing infection from occurring in the first place. Not only is this plan cheaper and more effective, reducing the number of people who contract malaria also reduces loss of work/school days which can further bring down the productivity of the region.
One of the cheapest and most effective ways of preventing malaria is to implement insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). These nets provide a protective barrier around the person or people using them. While untreated bed nets are still helpful, those treated with insecticides are much more useful because they stop mosquitoes from biting people through the nets, and they help reduce mosquito populations in a community, thus helping people who don’t even own bed nets. Bed nets are also very effective because most mosquito bites occur while the person is sleeping, so bed nets would be able to drastically reduce the number of transmissions during the night. In fact, transmission of malaria can be reduced by as much as 90% in areas where the use of ITNs is widespread. Because money is so scarce in Sub-Saharan Africa, the low cost is a great benefit and a major reason why the program is so successful. Bed nets cost roughly 2 USD to make, last several years, and can protect two adults. Studies have shown that, for every 100-1000 more nets are being used, one less child dies of malaria. With an estimated 300 million people in Africa not being protected by mosquito nets, there’s the potential to save three million lives by spending just a few dollars per person.
Reducing the number of people who contract malaria would also reduce poverty levels in Africa significantly, thus improving other aspects of society like education levels and the economy. Vector control is more effective than treatment strategies because it means fewer people are getting sick. When fewer people get sick, the working population is stronger as a whole because people are not put out of work from malaria, nor are they caring for sick relatives. Malaria-afflicted families can typically only harvest 40% of the crops that healthy families can harvest. Additionally, a family with members who have malaria spends roughly a quarter of its income treatment, not including the loss of work they also must deal with due to the illness. It’s estimated that malaria costs Africa 12 billion USD in lost income every year. A strong working population creates a stronger economy, which Sub-Saharan Africa is in desperate need of.
Expert Advice on Argumentative Essays:
Argumentative Essay Topics:
Should high school education be mandatory?
Is it better to be an only child?
Should parents be held responsible for the crimes of their children?
Should academic achievement be a primary consideration for college admission?
Is our political process fair?
Should you believe every word in an infomercial?
Should funny cat videos be allowed on YouTube?
What is the worst song in the world?
Computer games have a negative effect on individuals
Sex education is the only way to eliminate many issues, including teenage pregnancy
Abortions should be illegal
Is the use of animals for research purposes justified?
Cloning should be banned
Is gun control an effective method of reducing crime?
Is death penalty justified?
Do you believe euthanasia (assisted suicide) is right?
Should same-sex marriages be made legal?
Torture is never justified
Smoking in public places should be banned
Legalization of marijuana in some states is wrong
Production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal
Cross-cultural marriages contribute to racial tolerance
Single-parent children behavior is different than that of children with both parents
Women are less engaged in criminal activity than men
Young people are predisposed to negative influence because they are more rebellious by nature
Violence in the media causes violence in children
Sexual content on TV has a negative impact on teenagers
Homeschooling is an ideal way to obtain quality education
Forests are the lungs of the Earth. Should rainforests destruction be prohibited?
Global warming is a myth
Media influence the female perception of the body image. Agree or disagree.
Violent video games directly correlate to violence in schools. Agree or disagree.
Translation
*Translations will be either Bangla to English or English to Bangla or both
For example-
English to Bangla
I consider that the greatest national sin is the neglect of the masses. No amount of politics would bear any value until the masses in Bangladesh are once-more well-educated, well-fed and well-cared for. They pay for our education, they build our mosques and temples, but in return they get kicks. In reality, they are like our slaves. If we want to regenerate Bangladesh, we must work for them.
জনগণের প্রতি অবহেলাকে আমি সবচেয়ে বড়ো জাতীয় পাপ বলে মনে করি। কোনো রাজনীতি থেকেই কোনো ফল পাওয়া যাবে না, যতক্ষণ না বাংলাদেশের সাধারণ মানুষ আবার সুশিক্ষিত হয়, পর্যাপ্ত আহার পায়, এবং যথেষ্ট যত্ন লাভ করে। আমাদের শিক্ষার জন্য তারা অর্থ দেয়, তারা আমাদের মসজিদ আর মন্দির গড়ে দেয়, কিন্তু পরিবর্তে তারা পায় পদাঘাত। বাস্তবিক পক্ষে তারা আমাদের ক্রীতদাসের মতো। আমরা যদি বাংলাদেশকে পুনর্জাগরিত করতে চাই, তবে তাদের জন্য আমাদের অবশ্যই কাজ করতে হবে।
Bangla to English
ছাত্রদের নিজস্ব কর্তব্য আছে। নিজেদের প্রতি, পিতামাতার প্রতি, আত্মীয়-স্বজনের প্রতি, দেশের প্রতি এবং সামগ্রিকভাবে সমাজের প্রতি তাদের কর্তব্য আছে। ছাত্রজীবন হলো জীবনের বীজ বপনের সময়। সেজন্য একজন ছাত্রের উচিত তার স্বাস্থ্য গঠণ করা, ভালো অভ্যাস গড়ে তোলা এবং ভালো ব্যবহার করা। জীবনে ভালো এবং বড়ো হওয়ার নিশ্চিত পথগুলির অন্যতম পথ হলো পিতামাতা ও শিক্ষকের প্রতি অকৃত্রিম শ্রদ্ধা ও ভালোবাসা পোষণ করা এবং মহাপুরুষদের জীবনী পাঠ করা।
Students have their own duties. They have duties to themselves, to their parents and relatives, to their country and to society at large. Student life is the seedtime of life. So a student should build up his health, form good habits and behave nicely. One of the surest ways to be good and great in life is to have genuine respect and love for one’s parents and teachers and read the lives of great men.