Fifth task. 

Task A:

Reflexion.

Stereotypes.

Personally, I consider that a stereotype is a characteristic or certain behavior that identified individuals from specific places. Stereotypes are given in positives and negatives ways. It means that are some goods and other not so good. People often accept those behaviors and characteristics when they consider these are true, but there are some others that they completely regret due to the fact that they feel offended by them. There are some narrow-minded people who understand the word stereotype as discrimination and prejudices; what it is important to know is that are related but not the same.

 I loved the video talking about Latin American people stereotypes because I agreed with most of them. Actually, I think most of them are true maybe because those apply to me, such as: Latinos are fiery and hot-tempered, Latinos know how to dance, and are always up for a party and some others. I really have fun watching this video. Also, I read some that I did not know are stereotypes for people from other countries like East Asian women like white guys, European men always pay the bill and that they drink a lot, Arabs like to show off.

Finally, I believe that citizen from different countries needs to be recognize by stereotypes. Even though there are positives or negative, it is an element that is part of a person like a type of identity. Moreover, Colombian are recognize by some of them and that in an international way. Some are negative, which are most, and other positives such as: Colombia is just a Caribbean country, all the women are beautiful supermodels, the food is delicious and Colombians are addicted to coffee. On the other hand the negative stereotypes are more representative rather than the positives. Some of them are that Colombians are drugs dealers and associated us with narcos and Guerilla.

Task B: 

ACTIVITIES:

·         * Identify the underlying assumptions.

Passage 6.1

Students of the late twentieth century regularly campaigned against nuclear weapons. Students rarely demostrate against nuclear weapons any more. Students must be less political than they used to be.

Assumption: Nowadays not all students are interested in topics like those; weapons and political issues.

The short text tell me that before, all students are interested in political aspects like nuclear weapon, but now in the actuality not all students are aware about these issues.

·         * Implicit assumptions used as reasons.

Activity: Identify the conclusion and the implicit assumption used as reasons to support the conclusion.

Passage 6.9

People used plants as a method of curing illness for centuries before the advent of modern medicines. The same plants are often used by the pharmaceutical industry as the basis for the medicines we use even today. Medicines are now expensive to produce and purchase. It would be better if we returned to traditional methods, using leaves and roots of plants rather than mass-produced pharmaceuticals.

Conclusion: It would be better if we returned to traditional methods, using leaves and roots of plants rather than mass-produced pharmaceuticals.

Reason 1: People used plants as a method of curing illness.

Reason 2: The same plants are used by pharmaceutical industry as the basis for the medicines we used today

Reason 3: Medicines are now expensive to produce and purchase.

·        *  False premises

Activity: Make a judgment about whether the argument is likely to be based on sound or false premises.

Passage 6.18

Five percent of people got married last year, and five percent the year before. This means that ten percent of people get married every two years. Therefore, in twenty years time, everybody will be married.

Judgment: The argument given by the passage that in twenty year time everybody will be married, is a false premise because the fact that a quantitative study has showed some similarities in terms of percentages during the last year and the year before. It does not mean that every year will be a five percent. So, it is not true that in certain time everybody will get married.

·        * Implicit arguments

Passage 6.28

Now that Mr Potts has died, we will have to decide on the future of his estate. As he left only three daughters and has no living sons, the estate will have to pass to his dead brother’s son, Mr Andrew Potts.

Implicit argument: The implicit argument is that even Mr Potts has three daughters, the estate never will pass to them. I consider that it is a sexism situation; that women are not as important as men. I relate this with sexism. (Machismo).

·       *  Stereotypes

1.      The color Pink is only for girls

2.      Sexism: Men are more important that girls. For them are a specific uniform rather than the poor stewards’ costumes for women.

3.      That only British people eat roast beef.  Roast beef is the dish spcially for British

4.      People with red hair is fiery and hot-temper.

5.      Caribbean people like Reggae and Spanish like Flamenco.

6.      When there are many football fans always there are troubles.

7.      S

8.      Retired people just want to rest.

·         * Assuming causal links

Passage 7.3

The man’s body was found in the kitchen. A bloody knife was found nearby. The lock on the door had been broken. Somebody must have broken in and killed the man.

In this passage the assumption is that a man was killed in the kitchen of a house. It is the assumption because of the bloody knife and the broken lock on the door.   

·        *  Identifying the nature of the link.

Passage 7.7  

Reason 1: The price of football tickets has risen.

Reason 2: Football players receive higher wages than ever before.

Conclusion: Spectators are paying more to watch matches in order to pay footballers' high wages.

The nature of the link is that those sentences are related in the sense of increase the prices for a football ticket in order to give some money to soccer players.

The reasons make the conclusion stronger.

·        *   False analogies

Passage 7.10 The earth’s atmosphere is like a blanket of gases around the earth. It is only a thin layer but it helps to maintain the temperature of the earth, keeping us warm. It also offers a layer of protection from the intensity of the sun.

The two things that are compared here is the earth atmosphere and a blanket of gases.

This comparison make the analogy. I consider that this analogy is valid because is explaining the function of the earth atmosphere that is covering as a blanket does.