Transcript 1. Introductory paragraphs

Paragraph Techniques
Unit 4 Special Types of Paragraphs
Lecturer: Shang Yanzhi
1. Introductory paragraphs
2. Transitional paragraphs
3. Concluding paragraphs
1. Introductory paragraphs
A good introduction to an expository or
argumentative essay accomplishes these functions:
(1) It arouses readers’ interest.
(2) It introduces your subject.
(3) It presents your thesis logically and quickly.
(4) It sets the tone---humorous, serious, somber,
light- hearted, angry---of what will follow.
1.1 Effective methods for introductions
1.1.1 A directly stated thesis
1) general-specific
For generations, morality has been molded primarily by
parents, religion, and school. Children traditionally acquired
their ideas about what is right and wrong, which goals are
important in life, and how others should be treated from these
sources. But now there is another powerful force influencing
youngsters. Television is implanting in children negative
values about sex, work, and family life.
1.1.1 A directly stated thesis
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2) Thesis-explanation
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We all know that failure is the mother of
success. It means that when a person fails, he
doesn’t lose heart or give himself up, instead,
he draws some lessons from his failure and
works even harder. Such a person is sure to
make success sooner or later.
1.1.1 A directly stated thesis
3) Claim & counter–claim
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Nowadays, with the improvement of Chinese
people’s living standard, more and more families
can afford to buy private cars. Some people
regard owning a private car as a sign of success.
They think private cars can bring them respect,
convenience and comfort. I don’t think so. In my
opinion, private cars have many negative effects,
and should not be encouraged in China.
1.1.2 Dramatic Introduction
1) A Brief Narration ( a story or personal experience）
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Last year, I went traveling to Nanjing with my
mother. In one of the parks, we saw many dead fish
floating on the surface of the lake. My mother told
me these fish were killed by the polluted water.
How terrible! Nowadays, pollution has become a
serious problem that calls people’s attention all over
the world.
1.1.2 Dramatic Introduction
2) A Description
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My hometown used to a beautiful small village. The
village was covered by many kinds of green trees. Every
morning the birds were singing happily in the trees. The
small river running around the village was clean and
pure with many fish in it. But now, everything has
changed. The trees have died. The birds have stopped
singing. The river has got dry. And the fish have all
disappeared. What happened to them? It was pollution.
The village was severely polluted by the newly built
factories around it.
1.1.2 Dramatic Introduction
3) A Question
My Roommate’s Dishonesty
Have you ever known a person who tells lies
about you behind your back? Has anyone ever
stolen your English paper and turned it in as his
own, or told stories about himself that you later
found were untrue? My roommates Fred is guilty of
all of these acts; he’s dishonest in his dealings with
me and with others.
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Have you noticed that the once clear and
blue sky has turned to be dark and grey? Have
you considered the problem that the birds have
stopped singing in the morning? Have you
wondered why we can seldom observe the
bright moon and shiny stars in the city’s
evening sky? This phenomenon is caused by
the serious environmental pollution.
1.1.3 Serious Introduction
1) A Quotation
The Importance of Health
As the proverb goes, “No one knows the value of health
until he loses it.” In other words, nothing is more valuable
than health.
How to Read Books
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed,
and some few to be chewed and digested.” Perhaps this is
the best advice on how to read, given by Francis Bacon.
1.1.3 Serious Introduction
2) Startling facts or statistics
Seventy percent of the respondents (回答者) in a poll
conducted by columnist (报刊专栏作家) Ann Landers stated
that, if they could live their lives over, they would choose not
to have children. This starting statistic makes one wonder
what these people believed what parenthood wood be like.
Most parents, it seems, have unrealistic expectations about
their children. Parents what their children to accept their
values, follow their paths, and succeed when they failed.
1.1.3 Serious Introduction
3) Quotation
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What is a little learning? A little learning
suggests “ scanty knowledge,” “ being ignorant
and ill –informed,” or “ half baked knowledge.”
An English proverb reads: “A little learning is s
dangerous thing.” I think it quite right. But why is
it dangerous? The following points will clarify my
stand and reasoning.
1.1.3 Serious Introduction
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4) Definition
A proverb reads: “ A little learning is a
dangerous thing.” It means “People with a
little knowledge are often unaware of their
ignorance and are consequently misled.”
(quoted from Pope’s Essays on Criticism) I
agree to both the sayings and will prove the
truth by deduction as follows.
1.2 Ineffective Methods for
Introductions
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1. Avoid beginning your paper with a complaint
or an apology.
2. Avoid beginnings that start too far back.
3. Avoid beginning with an introduction that
merely repeats the assignment.
4. Avoid starting your essay with a reference to
the title.
A Summary
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1) A directly stated thesis
2) A story or personal experience
3) A brief narration or description
4) A question
5) A quotation or definition
6) Startling facts or statistics
Transitional Paragraphs
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State Of Mind and Efficiency
College students tend to complain either about their teachers’ teaching
methods, or about their intelligence quotient if they find, however hard they
are, they cannot achieve satisfactory results. Is it really the case that their
poor results are solely due to the problems as they think to be? The answer is
definitely “No”.
As a matter of fact, there are many other factors that have something to
do with a student’s performance, among which his state of mind is the most
important.
When a student is in good mood and his mind in peace, his brain works
most efficiently. On the contrary, if he is in a troubled mood, he cannot
concentrate on anything he is doing. He may find his head as numb as a
block of wood, unable to think., to deduce, to calculate or even to read. This
is typical of the case when a student worries too much about his studies,
when he has too many things to do, when he thinks too much about other
things. So to get a good result in his studies, a student must learn to keep his
3. Concluding Paragraphs
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An effective conclusion will accomplish the
following functions.
1. Summarizing the essential points
discussed in the essay
2. Arriving in an conclusion
3. Raising an echo to the beginning
3.1 Effective Methods for Conclusions
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1) A restatement of the thesis
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Since private cars bring us much trouble
and waste us a lot of money, they should be
reduced in China. If government can open up
more bus routines and increase the taxes for
using cars, more and more people will choose
to travel by bus and private cars will become
fewer and fewer in China.
3.1 Effective Methods for
Conclusions
2) A summary or conclusion
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Therefore, you must keep healthy before
you become wealthy. In order to be healthy,
you should develop a good living habit and do
physical exercises regularly. Remember the
proverb “Health is not valued until sickness
comes.”
3.1 Effective Methods for
Conclusions
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3) An Echo
Now the law has passed to allow college
students to get married. College students
can be free to have their choice. I think it is
fight. If such law had been passed 15 years
earlier, what has happened to the two
college students would have been avoided.
3.1 Effective Methods for
Conclusions
4) A few words of encouragement
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a. Writing is an important skill for college
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students to master. If they read a lot and keep
practicing everyday, they are sure to make some
progress in writing..
b. Generation gap can lead to many troubles in
life and need people’s great care. If both parents
and children can stand in each other’s shoes and
try to understand each other, generation gap is
sure to be narrowed.
3.1 Effective Methods for
Conclusions
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5) A call for support or action
It is high time that we solved the problem
The school authority should realize the
injustice cheating will bring and take some
measures to prevent it. Every honest student
should also be encouraged to fight against
those students who cheat. Only in this way can
the phenomenon disappear in examinations.
3.2 Ineffective Methods for
Conclusions
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1) Don’t merely repeat your thesis.
2) Avoid some overworked expressions as In
conclusion, In summary, I hope, I have shown.,
or In the final analysis
3) Don’t introduce a new topic.
4) Avoid conclusions that apologize or back
out.
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Choose one of the following topics
and write an essay of about 200
words. Pay attention to your
introduction.
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1. My Friends
2. Saving Money
3. The Value of Exercise
4. Teenage Love
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