Integrated writing question : Blood type

Reading passage
One question that foreigners are often asked in Japan is, “What is your blood type?” They are usually surprised by this question and wonder why it was asked. The reason is very simple. Many Japanese believe that a person’s personality is determined by their blood type.

According to this very popular idea in Japan, people with blood type O are outgoing, and very sociable. They appear very self-confident and love to be the center of attention.  Those with blood type A are very different.  Though they seem to be calm on the outside, they are very nervous inside. They are the most artistic of the groups and are often shy and sensitive.  Blood type B makes individuals strong-minded and goal-oriented. They tend to be individualists and like to find their own way in life. The final group, type AB, however, has more mixed characteristics.  Type AB people can be both outgoing and shy, both confident and timid. Apart from this ‘split-personality’ image, type ABs like to help others, and are viewed as trustworthy. 

The idea that blood type influences personality is very widespread in Japan.  Women’s magazines regularly include analysis of blood-type personality in their pages, and last year there were more than fifty TV programs that focused on the issue. Some people even choose their future wife or husband because of their blood type.(225 words)

The Listening passage
What is very interesting about the popularity in Japan of the idea that blood type determines personality is the fact that it is complete and utter nonsense. There is absolutely no scientific basis for such a belief. Put quite simply, blood type actually has no effect at all on the personality you have. The idea originated in the racist theories of early 20th century German thinkers who wished to explain the superiority of the German race over Asian races. The idea was then picked up by the Imperial Japanese Army who hoped it could help identify good soldiers. It didn’t and the Japanese army decided the theory was worthless. What led to the popularity of the theory today was a book written in the 1970s by Masahiko Nomi. This book  entitled ‘Compatibility By Blood Type’, was a huge bestseller and led to the nationwide craze for evaluating people according to their blood type. Still, there is no escaping the fact that the craze is completely irrational. Blood type has nothing at all to do with personality, a point made by Satoru Kikuchi, a professor of psychology at Shinshu University. He says, "It's simply sham, false science. the idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It's like racism." (215 words)


Bloodtype Notes
Reading
Main idea: widespread Japanese belief about bloodtype
MP 1: --- many Japanese believe blood type dictates personality
MP 2: --- Japanese believe
             -- type O outgoing, sociable
             -- type A calm outside, nervous inside
             -- type B strong-minded , goal oriented
             -- type AB shy & outgoing, confident & timid
MP3: --- magazines, TV often focus bloodtype analysis
MP4: --- people even choose wife/husband by BT

Listening
Main idea: this idea totally irrational
MP 1: --- no scientific basis for belief
            -- BT has zero effect on personality
MP2: --- idea comes from 20th C.racist German ideas
            -- researched by IJA
            -- found to be worthless
MP3: --- popularized by Masahiko Nomi's 1971 book
            -- huge bestseller
MP4: --- Saoru kikuchi (psych. prof) says false science/ like racism

Question: How does the information in the listening passage challenge the information in the reading passage?

Sample essay
In this set of materials, the reading passage discusses a commonly held belief in Japan, but the listening passage informs us that this belief is quite irrational.

The reading passage describes the popular belief in Japan that blood type has an important effect on one's personality. For example, many Japanese are convinced that all persons with type O blood are outgoing and sociable, and those with type A are externally calm, but internally nervous. Type B and AB also have identifiable traits. In Japan, the media often provide magazine articles and TV programs dealing with blood type. Some people even go so far as to let this idea affect their choice of spouse.

In the listening passage, however, we are told that this belief in the influence of blood type is not, in any way, based on science. The idea originally came from 20th century German racist thinkers. It was later researched by the Japanese army who realized that it was incorrect. Belief in blood type is popular in Japan nowadays because of a bestselling, 1971 book which promoted this idea. It is not, however, scientifically based. A psychology professor of Shinsu university calls it fake science and says that making judgments about people because of their blood type is equivalent to being racist. (215)