Ticket 2 Unit 6 Cultural Issues

This post provides a comprehensive summary of “Ticket 2 Unit 6 Cultural Issues,” including vocabulary, functions, grammar, and writing. By the end of this summary, you will know what to expect from this unit and how to get good marks in your English exams.

TALE OF CONTENT

• Vocabulary
• Functions
  • Defining Concepts
  • Complaining and Apologizing
• Grammar: Phrasal Verbs
• Writing: Personal Letter

Vocabulary Ticket 2 Unit 6 Cultural Issues

Some Values and Their Meaning

1. Culture: The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively
2. Altruism: Selflessness, generosity, and kindness
3. Citizenship: The set of rights and duties
4. Initiative: The ability or opportunity to act before others do
5. Tolerance: The ability to accept and respect the opinions and beliefs of others
6.  Intolerance: Unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one’s own
7.  Coexistence: The ability to live together in harmony
8.  Cooperation: Participating and working together towards the same end or objective
9.  Equity: Equal treatment to anyone
10.  Diversity: Showing a great deal of variety; very different
11. Stereotype: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person.

Some Values and Their Antonyms

• Altruism vs. selfishness
• Tolerance vs. intolerance
• Cooperation vs. individuality
• Equity vs. injustice
• Responsibility vs. irresponsibility 
• Love vs. hatred
• Harmony vs. Conflict

Some Collocations Related to Cultural Issues

• Culture diversity
• Civic education
• Moral obligations
• Cultural shock
• Common good
• Global citizenship

Functions: Defining Concepts

Define Your Concept

Here are some expressions that you may use to introduce or give a definition of a word:

• ….(X)… can be defined as ……(Y)….
• ….(X)… refers to ….(Y)…
• ….(X)… designates ….(Y)…
• ….(X)… means ….(Y)…
• ….(X)… can be described as ….(Y)
• ….(X)… exemplifies …(Y)…
• ….(X)… characterizes …(Y)…
• ….(X)… denotes …(Y)…
• ….(X)…signifies …(Y)…
• ….(X)… is synonymous with …(Y)…
• …(X)… is characterized by …(Y)…
• …(X)… is used to describe …(Y)…
• …(X)… can be interpreted as …(Y)…

Examples:

• Prejudice can be defined as an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, mainly when formed without enough thought or knowledge.
• Diversity refers to many different types of things or people being included in something.
• Racism designates the belief that people’s qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races.
• Cultural appropriation denotes the act of taking elements of a marginalized culture without understanding or respecting its significance.
• The hijab signifies a Muslim woman’s devotion to her faith and is not a symbol of oppression.
• Xenophobia is used to describe the fear and hatred of individuals who are perceived as foreign or different.
• Cultural relativism can be interpreted as the belief that cultural practices should be evaluated in the context of their own culture and not based on Western standards.

Functions: Complaining and Apologizing or Saying Sorry

A complaint is expressing displeasure or discontent about a situation or an event.

NOTICE:

Complain (verb)

Complaint (noun)

Complaining

• I have got a bit of a problem here, you see………………
• I am afraid I have to make a serious complaint
• I don’t know how to say it but,…………………………
• Look, I’m not satisfied with the way you…………
• I am in the obligation of saying that……….
• I have a serious complaint about………….
• I have been patient long enough, but……………
• I want to complain about….
• Excuse me if I’m out of line, but…
• There may have been a misunderstanding about…
• I’m sorry to bother you, but…

Apologizing

• I do apologize for…
• I must apologize for…
• I apologize for…
• I’d like to apologize for…
• I am so sorry for…
• I shouldn’t have…
• It’s all my fault.
• I’m ashamed of…
• Please, forgive me for…
• Excuse me for …
• I’m sorry for…
• Pardon me for this…
• Please, forgive me for my….
• Please, accept my apologies for…

Accepting Apology

• It’s ok
• It’s not important
• Never mind
• Don’t worry about that

Examples of complaints and apologies

Customer: I don’t know how to say it but, the food at your restaurant was not up to par.
Manager: I’m sorry to hear that. Can you tell me more about what was wrong with it?
Customer: It was undercooked and had a strange taste. I’m afraid I have to make a serious complaint.
Manager: I apologize for the poor experience. We take food quality very seriously, and I will make sure to address this with our kitchen staff.

Customer: I want to complain about the customer service I received.
Shopkeeper: I’m sorry to hear that. Can you please tell me more about what happened?
Customer: The representative was unhelpful and rude. Excuse me if I’m out of line, but I expect better from your company.
Shopkeeper: I understand your frustration, and I apologize for the poor experience. We strive to provide excellent customer service, and I will make sure to address this with our team.

Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of verbs and particles (prepositions, adverbs). The particle can change the meaning of the verb altogether.

For example:

• Break down:
  • The car broke down on the highway. (The car stopped functioning.)
• Break up:
  • They decided to break up after years of dating. (They ended their romantic relationship.)
• Break into:
  • Someone tried to break into our house last night. (Someone attempted to enter the house illegally.)

Sometimes phrasal verbs consist of three elements:

• look forward to
• put up with
• sit in for

To see a list of the most frequently used phrasal verbs, click on PHRASAL VERBS.

Writing: Personal Letter (Informal)

A personal letter (informal) is a letter you write to someone your age. S/he can be your friend or your sibling, etc. The layout must be respected.

The Sender’s Address

The date

Dear Emma/ Tom

Thanks a bunch for your letter. It was kind of you to let me know about………I was excited/sad to hear that…………. I shall let you know about………….. First, …………………………………………………………………………………………………. Second, ………………………………………………………………………………..Third, …………………………………………………Finally, ……………………………..

Well, that’s it for now. Hope to hear from you soon

Till then, peace and love

Your Name

Personal Letter (Informal) example

Dear Emma,

Thanks a bunch for your letter. It was kind of you to let me know about your upcoming trip to the beach. I was excited to hear that you’ll be spending some relaxing days by the sea. I can already imagine the fun you’ll have building sandcastles and soaking up the sun.

I shall let you know about my plans for the weekend. First, I’m thinking of catching up on some reading that I’ve been putting off. There’s this new novel I got, and it’s been calling out to me from my bookshelf. Second, my family and I are planning a movie night on Saturday. We’ve got a list of comedies lined up to have a good laugh together. Third, I’m trying my hand at baking again. Remember those chocolate chip cookies I made last time? Well, let’s just say they didn’t turn out as planned. This time, I’m determined to get them right. Finally, I’ll be attending a friend’s birthday party on Sunday, so that should be a blast.

Well, that’s it for now. Hope to hear from you soon and hear all about your beach adventures. Don’t forget to bring back a seashell for me!

Till then, peace and love.

Take care, Tom