Read the argumentative essay below. Study the notes summarizing the arguments and the counter-arguments
a. Re-construct the arguments by referring to the key-words only. Add some arguments of your own.
b. Construct the counter-arguments by referring to the key-words. Contribute some counter-arguments of your own.
c. Take part in class discussion arguing in favour or against the proposition.
‘The Only Way to Travel Is on Foot’
The past ages of man have all been carefully labelled by anthropologists. Descriptions like ‘Paleolithic Man’, ‘Neolithic Man’, etc. neatly sum up whole periods. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the 20th century, they will surely choose the label ‘Legless Man’. Histories of the time will go something like this: ‘In the 20th century, people forgot how to use their legs. Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains from a very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth-dwellers of that time because of their extraordinary way of life. In those days, people thought nothing of travelling hundreds of miles each day. But the surprising thing is that they didn’t use their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were marred by the presence of large car parks.’
The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world – or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countryside constantly smears the window. Car drivers, in particular, are forever obsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: “I joined the Navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.” The typical 20th-century traveller is the man who always says ‘I’ve been there’. You mention the remotest, most evocative place-name in the world like El-Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to say ‘I’ve been there’ – meaning “I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else”.
When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again. By travelling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The traveller on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him travelling and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical weariness. He knows that sound, satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travellers.
The argument: key words
1. Past ages carefully labelled by anthropologists: Paleolithic Man, Neolithic Man, etc.
2. 20th century: anthropologists’ label: ‘Legless Man’
3. A history of this time might sound like this:
4. 20th century: people forgot use of legs; used cars, buses, trains from early age
5. Lifts, escalators in all buildings prevented them from walking
6. Situation forced upon earth-dwellers: way of life; travelled long distances
7. Even on holiday: cable railways, ski-lifts, roads to tops of mountains
8. Don’t use our eyes any more: hurry to get from place to place
9. Air travel: a bird’s-eye view of the world, or less
10. Car and train: a blurred image of the countryside
11. Car drivers: urge to go on and on without stopping; motorways to blame?
12. Sea travel: summed up in old song: ‘I joined the Navy...’
13. Typical 20th-century traveller: ‘I’ve been there’. El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk: through at 100 miles an hour
14. When travelling at high speeds present means nothing: life in future
15. Actual arrival is meaningless; want to move on
16. Suspend all experience; present no longer a reality; might as well be dead
17. Traveller on foot: lives constantly in present
18. Travelling and arriving: the same thing, arrives with every step
19. Experiences present moment: ears, eyes, whole body
20. End of journey: weariness, satisfying sleep: just reward
The counter-argument: key words
1. Travelling at high speeds is a means not an end. But it is also a pleasure in itself.
2. E.g. drivers experience great thrill, satisfaction travelling long distances.
3. Air travel: exciting; unusual view of the world. Sea travel: a holiday in itself; modern ships are floating cities.
4. Approach to travel in 20th century: practical and labour-saving.
5. Foolish to climb a mountain when there’s a railway or road up it.
6. Travelling on foot: exhausting; you get nowhere fast.
7. If we depended on our legs, we would be isolated from each other, as in the past.
8. Modern means of communication make the world a small place.
9. It’s now possible to see many countries, meet people of all nations.
10. Man uses his intelligence to extend his abilities: e.g. computers extend, not replace the use of our brains.
11. Modern means of travel extend, not replace the use of our legs.
12. Future anthropologists (and others) will have much to be grateful for.
ACT IT OUT
These people are all members of a travel club who are meeting in order to plan their annual holiday.
| · a geography student · a retired bus driver · a professor of classical languages · a coal-miner · a writer of detective stories · an actor · a journalist | · a musician · a travel agent · an airplane pilot · a psychologist · a spy · a politician · a keen amateur sportsman |
Choose one of these roles and, first of all, decide for yourself what sort of holiday you would like. Make notes. Then act out the discussion. Eventually you must all agree on one trip; try to persuade the others that your suggestions are the best, but be prepared to compromise.
| possible destination(s) | itinerary | length of trip | transport |