Page 195 - New Grammar with a Smile 6

• Write a good ending.
In an essay, you sum up the points that have gone before and draw a conclusion
from that. But in an article, it’s better to give the reader something to think about,
perhaps by asking them another question or giving them a call to action. Often,
the best endings link back to the starting point in some way.

Here is an example of an article.

Rainwater Harvesting in India

Rainwater harvesting, also known as RWH, is a simple method by which rainfall is
collected for future use. The collected rainwater can be stored and used in different
ways. With groundwater levels getting depleted by the day, rainwater harvesting can
help reduce the effects of drought.

Rainwater harvesting is not a new science in India. There are several old practices
across the country which teach the local people how to store the rainwater safely
and use it in times of need. One such example is the ‘Taankaa’ system in Gujarat
and Rajasthan.

Around 10,000 houses in the city of Ahmedabad and many houses in Rajasthan have
large underground tanks or ‘taankaas’ that can each store 25,000 litres of rainwater.
These serve as mini reservoirs for families during water scarcity.

‘Surangas’ continue to be one of the less known traditional water harvesting systems
of Kerala. They are being gradually replaced by borewells to meet the water needs
of the people. ‘Surangas’ can be compared to a horizontal well in hard soil formations
from which water seeps out and flows out of the tunnel to be collected in open ponds.

‘Madakas’ are one of the fast disappearing traditional rainwater harvesting structures
found in Karnataka and Kerala. They are naturally occuring depressions with high
terrain on three sides where water from the surrounding slopes, mainly runoff from
the rains, is collected.

These water conservation methods can be easily practised in individual homes,
apartments, parks, offices and temples across the world. Farmers have recharged their
dry borewells, created water banks in drought areas, greened their farms, increased
sustainability of their water resources and even created a river. It is time we did our
bit for the environment, not just for the sake of Mother Earth, but for our own sake
as well.

Now, write articles in not more than 250-300 words on the following.
1. The influence of gadgets on young adults
2. Books—our best friends
3. Working as a team
4. The importance of school uniforms in schools

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