TUTOR: All right. As you both know, each team is responsible for giving a presentation to the rest of the class on the topic they researched and wrote a paper about. Amina and Gregory, I’ve looked over your paper on the causes of WWII in Europe, and I think you’re ready to move on to presentation planning. How do you guys feel about the quality of the research you’ve done?  

AMINA: Well, I feel like we have somewhat of an understanding of our topic.

GREGORY: Yeah, we did the best we could within the time limitations.

TUTOR: So, Gregory, are you saying that you don’t think the research is thorough enough?

GREGORY: No, not exactly. I just think there is more we could have looked at with more time.

TUTOR: For example?

GREGORY: Like, it would have been nice to read more of the literature from the pre-war era. I’m sure it offers a lot of insight into the conditions that led to the war.

AMINA: We also wanted to watch more films from that period. We had a list of some that were recommended by a variety of sources.

TUTOR: I see. It’s always like that, isn’t it? There’s just never enough time. But I assure you that the research you have is quite sufficient. Speaking of which, have you thought about what material you will cover in your presentation?

GREGORY: We’ll definitely talk about some disagreements between Western governments at the time, and how, you know, angry Germany was about that.

AMINA: And also how the international community failed to prevent conflicts following WWI.

TUTOR: Then, your presentation is going to be about the larger political causes? What about Germany’s domestic social issues?

AMINA: Yes, those as well. After all, Germany’s weak economy at the time was a big reason why the public was so angry.

TUTOR: OK, good. Although another group is going to present on Nazism, it’s important that your group, as the first presenters, sort of, well, set the stage with an overview of all of the causes of this conflict.

GREGORY: We definitely plan to talk about as many of the causes as we possibly can. The problem is how to fit them all into a 20-minute presentation.

TUTOR: Right, which is why I want to talk with you about how you will present this information. How you present is sometimes even more important than what you present. Do you have any ideas?

AMINA: A PowerPoint was our first thought. I mean, it’s something we are both familiar with.

GREGORY: And it allows us to use visuals, like pictures and maps.

TUTOR: Hmm... That’s a good start, but try to get even more creative. You need to relate the causes of this war from the past with the contexts that students today are personally familiar with.

AMINA: Actually, it did occur to me to make parallels between the social discrimination in Nazi Germany with problems in Somalia. I could draw on my own family’s experience as Sunni Muslims.

GREGORY: That would be great, Amina, since there are other students of Somali descent in our class.

TUTOR: Wonderful! This connection between the past and the present will really capture everyone’s attention. But remember, you only have 20 minutes, so you need to plan the sequence of your talk very carefully.

GREGORY: I’m quite sure it will only take me 5 to 8 minutes to provide a background of the political history.

AMINA: Then I will come in with the pre-war social context. I’m not exactly sure how to lead into the comparison with Somalia though...

TUTOR: What if, let’s say, you were to show a document, maybe a list, outlining the major causes for social discrimination in general...and then apply them to both Nazi Germany and present-day Somalia.

AMINA: Yeah, that might work.

GREGORY: It would really emphasize the role of any kind of discrimination or social inequality in causing violent conflicts. 

TUTOR: Exactly. Now, let me see if I have some kind of document like that in my computer files... Yes, here it is. I’ll email it to you both. So, will you be able to send me a draft of your PowerPoint by Friday?

AMINA: I think so. Gregory?

GREGORY: If we get to work right away, it shouldn’t be a problem.

TUTOR: Great. Then we just need to quickly go over...

(Fade Out)

Answer

1. D

2. G

3. F

4. C

5. 20 minutes

6. Pictures

7. Maps

8. Somalia

9. Sunni Muslims

10. political history