实用英语写作
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Chapter 2 Paragraph WritingI. Paragraph StructureIn general, the purpose of a paragraph is to express one point, idea or opinion that supports the thesis of your essay.For exampleSubject matter:Students require more recreational time in order to better focus This main idea is expressed through three sections of a paragraph:Beginning - Introduce your idea (topic sentence).Middle - Explain AND prove your idea (supporting sentences).End - Make your point again, transition to next paragraph (concluding sentence AND transitional sentence).Point out the three sections in the paragraph below:Students require more recreational time in order to better focus on lessons in class. In fact, studies have shown that students who enjoy a recess* of more than45 minutes consistently score better on tests immediately following the recessperiod. Clinical analysis further suggests that physical exercise greatly improves the ability to focus on academic materials. Longer periods of recess are clearly required to allow students the best possible chances of success in their studies. Clearly, physical exercise is just one of the necessary ingredients for improving student scores on standardized tests.*recess - A pause from doing something (as work), breakThere are four sentence types used to construct a paragraph: topic sentence; supporting sentences; concluding sentence; transitional sentenceII. Topic SentenceA topic sentence is the main idea, your attitude, your evaluation of something. Most body paragraphs present one main point in your discussion, expressed in a topic sentence.Commonly appearing at (or near) the beginning of a paragraph, a topic sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph. What usually follows a topic sentence are a number of supporting sentences that develop the main idea with specific details. Having no topic sentence is bad both for the writer and the reader. First, the reader has to read the entire paragraph to get to the point. This is one side. Lack of a topic sentence also causes the writer to drift away from the topic. He loses control over the writing. He may write 3 sentences about one controlling idea and 1 for the otherwhich causes an imbalance within the writing.The topic sentence of a body paragraph has three functions:1. It supports the thesis by clearly stating a main point in the discussion.2. It announces what the paragraph will be about.3. It controls the subject matter of the paragraph. The entire discussion – theexamples, details and explanations – in a particular paragraph must directly relate to and support the topic sentence.Think of a body paragraph or a single paragraph as a kind of mini-essay in itself. The topic sentence is, in a sense, a smaller thesis. It too asserts one main idea on a limited subject that the writer can explain or argue in the rest of the paragraph. Like the thesis, the topic sentence should be stated in as specific language as possible.Here‟s one example that shows how a topic sentence works in a body paragraph:Essay thesis: The Study Skills Center is an excellent place for students who The Center offers students a variety of free services designed to improve basic skills. Those who discover their study habits are poor, for instance, may enroll in a six-week mini-course in study skills that offers advice on such topics as how to read a text, take notes, and organize material for review.Students whose math or writing skills are below par can sign up for free tutoring sessions held five days a week throughout each semester. In addition, the Center presents weekly seminars on special topics such as stress management and overcoming test anxiety for those students who are finding college more of a nerve-wracking experience than they expected;other students can attend evening seminars in such worthwhile endeavors as vocabulary building or spelling tips. Finally, the Center offers a series of tests to identify the presence of any learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, that might prevent a student from succeeding academically. With such a variety of free services, the Center can help most any student.Analysis:1. The topic sentence supports the thesis by stating a main point: one reasonwhy the Center provides excellent academic help.2. The topic sentence announces the subject matter of the paragraph: avariety of free services that improve basic skills.3. The topic sentence controls the subject matter: all the examples –themini-course, the tutoring, the seminars and the testing – support the claim of the topic sentence.Placing Your Topic SentenceAlthough the topic sentence most frequently occurs as the first sentence in the body paragraph, it also often appears as the second or last sentence. A topic sentence that directly follows the first sentence of a paragraph usually does so because the first sentence provides an introductory statement or some kind of “hook”to the preceding paragraph. Sometimes, a topic sentence also appears at the end of a paragraph that first presents particular details and then concludes with its central point.Some paragraphs with a topic sentence near the beginning also contain a concluding sentence that makes a final general comment based on the supporting details. The last sentence of the following paragraph, for example, reemphasizes the main point.Of all nature‟s catastrophes, tornadoes may cause the most bizarre destruction. [Topic sentence] Whirling out of the sky at speeds up to 300 miles per hour, tornadoes have been known to drive broom handles through brick walls and straws into tree trunks. In one extreme case, a Kansas farmer reported that his prize rooster had been sucked into a two-gallon distilled-water bottle. More commonly, tornadoes lift autos and deposit them in fields miles away or uproot trees and drop them on lawns in neighboring towns. One tornado knocked down every wall in a house but one –luckily, the very wall shielding the terrified family. Whenever a tornado touches the earth, spectacular headlines are sure to follow. Characteristics of an Ideal Topic Sentence1. Focused (making a single point; in specific terms)that tries to deal with two topics at the same time confuses the reader.2. Manageableit is seldom discussible; A broad topic sentence means you have too big a topic to deal with in a paragraph.3. Discussibleyour opinion or feelings on the topic, not a fact. It should give you something to say.4. Interesting (having something worthwhile to say)Compare the unfocused topic sentences below with their revisions:1. Too many people treat animals badly in experiments.Focused: The cosmetic industry often harms animals in unnecessary experiments designed to test their products.2. Grades are an unfair pain in the neck.Focused: A course grade based on one multiple-choice exam doesn‟t accurately measure a student‟s knowledge of the subject.3. Finding the right job is important and can lead to rewarding experiences. Focused: Finding the right job can lead to an improved sense of self-esteem. Activities1. Each of the following questions presents one attribute of a topic sentence. Four topic sentences follow the attribute. From these four sentences, pick the one which has the attribute.1) FOCUSED:(A)Our math teacher is knowledgeable but not very patient.(B)June 1st is International Children‟s Day.(C)Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance.(D)My teacher helped me get over my fear of computers, which I find useful inmy studies.2) BROAD:(A)Freedom is priceless.(B)It takes a village to raise a child.(C)All public figures should necessarily understand that the inevitable price ofbecoming a public figure is the loss of privacy.(D)Only by questioning accepted wisdom can we advance our understanding ofthe world.3) NARROW:(A)Computers are widely used in schools.(B)The restaurant owner listened to my complaints patiently.(C)Well begun is half done.(D)Learning English is not a breeze.4) DISCUSSIBLE:(A)The whole atmosphere of the world in which we live is tinged by science.(B)The cricket sang.(C)A thought went up my mind today.(D)Victory comes late.5) DULL:(A)I treasure my candle not for its beauty, its sentimental value, or even itsusefulness, but for its simple, stark ugliness.(B)Youth often comes to us, like a breeze stirring the landscape.(C)Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed.(D)Love is a wonderful thing.2. Always be sure your topic sentence supports the particular thesis of your essay. Point out in each of the follow two groups of topic sentences those which don‟t belong in the particular essay promised by the thesis.Group OneEssay thesis: During the past fifty years, movie stars have often tried toTopic sentences:War II, stars sold liberty bonds (战时公债) to support the country‟s war effort.2). Many stars refused to cooperate with the blacklisting of their colleaguesduring the McCarthy Era in the 1950s.3). Some stars were actively involved in protests against the Vietnam War.4). More recently, stars have appeared in Congress criticizing the lack oflegislative help for struggling farmers.Group TwoEssay thesis: The recent tuition hike may discourage students from attending Topic sentences:2). Out-of-state students will have to pay an additional “penalty” to attend.3). Tuition funds should be used for scholarships.3. Point out the topic sentences in the following paragraphs; identify the paragraphs that also contain concluding sentences.Denim is one of America‟s most widely used fabrics. It was first introduced during Columbus‟s voyage, when the sails of the Santa Maria were made of the strong cloth. During our pioneer days, denim was used for tents, covered wagons, and the now-famous blue jeans. Cowboys found denim an ideal fabric for protection against sagebrush, cactus, and saddle sores. World War II also gave denim a boost in popularity when sailors were issued jeans as part of their dress code. Today, denim continues to be in demand as more and more casual clothes are cut from the economical fabric. Because of its low cost and durability, manufacturers feel that denim will continue as one of America‟s most useful fabrics.Almost every wedding tradition has a symbolic meaning that originated centuries ago. For example, couples have been exchanging rings to symbolize unending love for over a thousand years. Most often, the rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand, which was thought to contain a vein that ran directly to the heart. The rings in ancient times were sometimes made of braided grass, rope, or leather, giving rise to the expression “tying the knot.” Another tradition, the bridal veil, began when marriages were arranged by the families and the groom was not allowed to see his bride until the wedding. The tossing of rice at newlyweds has long signified fertility blessings, and the sweet smell of the bride‟s bouquet was present to drive away evil spirits, who were also diverted by the surrounding bridal attendants. Weddings may vary enormously today, but many couples still include ancient traditions to signify their new life together.4. Write a topic sentence for each of the following paragraphs.Paragraph 1American relaxing at home, for example, may put on kimonos, which is a Japanese word. Americans who live in a warm climate may take an afternoon siesta on an outdoor patio without even realizing that these are Spanish words. In their gardens, they may enjoy the fragrance of jasmine flowers, a word that come into English from Persian. They may even relax on a chaise longue while sipping a drink made with vodka, words of French and Russian origin, respectively.Paragraph 2For example, the Eskimos, living in a treeless region of snow and ice, sometimes build temporary homes out of thick blocks of ice. People who live in deserts, on the other hand, use the most available material, mud or clay, which provides good insulation from the heat. In Northern Europe, Russia, and other areas of the world where forests are plentiful, people usually construct their homes out of wood. In the islands of the South Pacific, where there is a plentiful supply of bamboo and palm, people use these tough, fibrous plants to build their homes.Paragraph 3Famous inventor Thomas Edison, for instance, did so poorly in his first years of school that his teachers warned his parents that he‟d never be a success at anything. Henry Ford, the father of the auto industry, also had trouble in school with both reading and writing. But perhaps the best example is Albert Einstein, whose parents and teachers suspected that he was mentally disabled because he responded to questions so slowly and in a stuttering voice. Einstein‟s high school record was poor in everything but math, and he failed his college entrance exams the first time. Even out of school the man had trouble holding a job –until he announced the theory of relativity.Paragraph 4When successful playwright Jean Kerr once checked into a hospital, the receptionist asked her occupation and was told, “Writer.” The receptionist said, “I‟ll just put down …housewife.‟” Similarly, when a British official asked W. H. Auden, the award-winning poet and essayist, what he did for a living, Auden replied, “I‟m a writer.” The official jotted down “no occupation.”。
