Advanced Writing with English in Use

Processesandsystems • Module2C

1.1 The organization of a process description

This model is takenfrom a fravel book describing a journey downthe Mississippi.

The authorhas visited a button factory. Theorganizationof the passageis

exemplary; what is more,althoughthe processis desc ribed int he past (the

factory visit i s seen as an eventin thewriter 's j ourney), thewriter uses the

passive voice in the characteristic manner.

A Readthroughthe textandchoose thebest phrase(A-I<)tofill each of the

gaps.Writeone letter in each gap.Four.otthesuggestedanswersdo not fit at

all. Theexercise beginswithan example (0). -

G Making buttons G

Thewholeprocessofbuttonmakingwasni cely con ta ine d

and comprehen sibl e. Itsta rte d (0) G of the factory

an d rose,machine by machine,tothetop.On(1) _

theliqu id plasticwaspouredintoano ildrum, mix ed with

dye andhardener,andslopped into a cen t rifuge like a big

sp in -d rier, where (2) formed an even, translu cent

sheet ofsoft rubbery st u ff.Thesheetwaspassed intothe

machine that punched it into a thousand or so round

buttonblanks; (3) were fedona conveyor beltinto

anoven whe retheywerebakedhard;thenthey werecooled

andsentonup (4 ). Heremore machines d rilled

n eedleholesin theman d carvedpatterns on(5) _

The y werepolishedinatumbling vatofwoode nshoepegs,

and(6) theywere so rte dinto cardboard boxes.

Atothe next floor

Bupstairs again

Cthefirst floor

D the top floor

E 01'the path

F theirfrontsand backs

Gatth ebot tom

IIth e blanks

I itw asw hi rle d arounduntilit

.^1 the shee t.
K pie ce sofso ftstuff

BCan youfindthree wordsin the text that the writerwould not haveused if he

had been writing this for a scientificstudy of manufacturingindust ries?

1.2 Writing practice

Write a short description of one of theseprocesses.Write in a fairlyformalstyle,

using the previoustwo textsas models.

• The production of milk,from grassto table


• How the human bodyworks


• The greenhouseeffect


• A StarisBorn- the process of stardomfrombirth todeath , in one field of
  yourchoice (rock music, sport, film, etc.)

Types of writing • 55