Task commands

Look at the list of tasks in the first list. In particular, look at the words in bold, which are telling the writer/speaker what he/she must do. Match these words with a suitable definition of the task command in the second list. Two of these definitions can be used more than once.

1. Account for the increased use of technology in modern society. ______

2. Analyse the effects of climactic change (sự thay đổi khí hậu) around the world. ______

3. Assess (v-ước định, đánh giá) the improvements (sự cải tiến) you have made in your English since you started using this book. ______

4. Compare the lifestyles of young people in Britain and young people in your country. ______

5. Define the word ‘hope’. ______

6. Demonstrate the different features of this computer. ______

7. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of growing up in a single-parent family. ______

8. Elaborate (v-thảo  tỉ mỉ) on your feelings about capital punishment. ______

9. Estimate the costs of setting up a website for the company. ______

10. Evaluate how useful our class visit to the Bank of England was. ______

11. Examine (v-kiểm tra) the causes of global warming. ______

12. Explain the sudden interest in old-fashioned toys such as yo-yos. ______

13. Identify the person who attacked you. ______

14. Illustrate (v-minh họa) the problems the National Health Service is currently facing. ______

15. Justify (v-thanh minh, bào chữa) your reasons for refusing to help me. ______

16. Outline (v-phát thảo) the history of the motor car in the last fifty years. ______

17. Predict (v-dự đoán) the changes that we are going to see in information technology in the next ten years. ______

18. Suggest ways in which you can become a more efficient student. ______

19. Summarise your feelings towards a united Europe. ______

20. Trace (v-lần theo) the development of nuclear technology from its earliest days. ______

A. Describe what you think can be done in order to achieve something.

B. Tell in advance what you think will happen.

C. Explain, with real examples, why something has happened or is happening.

D. Give a brief history of something, in the order in which it happened.

E. Give the meaning of something.

F. Talk about something with someone else, or write about it from different viewpoints.

G. Calculate (but not exactly) the value or cost of something.

H. Give a broad description of something without giving too much detail.

I. Explain something closely and scientifically.

J. Write or talk about the different aspects (e.g., causes, results) of something.

K. Explain something in more detail than you did previously.

L. Look at two things side by side to see how they are similar or different.

M. Explain something in a few main points, without giving too much detail.

N. Say why something has happened.

O. Show or prove that something is right or good.

P. Show how something works, usually by physically operating it so that the other person knows what it does and how it works.

Q. Give a physical description of somebody.

R. Calculate the value of something.

Answers:

1. N 2. I 3. R 4. L 5. E 6. P 7. F 8. K 9. G 10. R 11. J 12. N 13. Q 14. C 15. O 16. H 17. B 18. A 19. M 20. D

Other words and expressions which you might find useful include: give an account of / calculate / characterise / classify / comment on / consider / contrast / criticize (v-chỉ trích, phê bình) / deduce (v-suy ra, suy diễn) / describe determine / differentiate between / distinguish between (v-phân biệt giữa) / elucidate (v-làm sáng tỏ) / enumerate (v-đếm, liệt kê) / express / list / mention / relate show / speculate (v-suy xét, nghiên cứu) / state