In courtrooms, lawyers defend their clients by giving a clear claim and then giving evidence. Claims should be followed up with a strong defense, which is evidence. In this lesson, we’ll talk about claims and evidence, and how they play a role.
Do you think having 4-day work weeks is good or bad for employees? Why?
A good answer starts with a strong response to a question. Look at the following answers. Are they strong or weak?
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Yes, I think 4-day work weeks are effective because they allow people to better plan out their time and work more efficiently.
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I don’t know.
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The environment should be taken care of because humans need a healthy environment to survive.
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It was great - we went to go see the cherry blossoms at the park.
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Maybe.
Defense requires what we call evidence. Evidence is basically any example (statistics, study results, personal/other people’s experiences, facts, etc.) that can back up your claim. Good evidence demonstrates understanding of the question!
Let’s go back to the initial question: Do you think having 4-day work weeks is good or bad for employees? Why?
- What kind of evidence can you use to prove your claim?
- Now go back to the initial question and put it all together.
Do you think having 4-day work weeks is good or bad for employees? Why?
- Here are the questions that you’ve already seen in the previous lesson. Try to answer by giving both a strong opinion (claim) and evidence.
- Do you have any hobbies?
- Do you think work-life balance is important?
- How do you commute to your workplace?
- Has your hometown changed in the last 10 years?
- Is Japan a good place to live?