4. Ways of developing paragraphs

CommonMethodsofParagraphDevelopmentLecturer:ShenYuru---Listing---Exemplification---CauseandEffect---ComparisonandContrast---Classification---DefinitionCommonMethodsofParagraphDevelopmentReadingandRecitingStudieshaveindicatedanumberofvaluestoreadingandreciting,asopposedtoreadingalone.Foronething,whenyoureadsomethingwiththeknowledgethatyoumustsoonrecitewhatyouhaveread,youaremorelikelytobemotivatedtorememberandlesslikelytobecomeinattentive.Foranother,recitationprovidesimmediateknowledgeofresults,sothatyoucanseehowwellyouaredoingandadjustandmodifyyourresponsesaccordingly.Finally,recitationprovidesactivepracticeinrecallingthematerialyouwishultimatelytoretain.Listing:PresentingfactsonebyoneTransitionsforListingforonethingforanothertobeginwithfirstsecondalsobesidesmoreoverfinallyoneanotherstillanother…TelevisionTelevisionpresentsavividworldinfrontofus.Forexample,TVcankeepusinformedofwhatishappeningthroughouttheworld.Foranotherexample,withaTVsetathome,wecanvisitagreatmanytouristattractionsindifferentcountries.Besides,TVbringsvariousformsofentertainmentstoourhomessuchassportscompetitions,concerts.ThepicturesonTVlooksorealthatwefeelasiftheeventsweretakingplacerightbeforeoureyes.Exemplification:DemonstratingourideasComparethefollowingtwopassagesaboutthesametopicanddecidewhichisbetterandexplainwhy.AWhatIsLanguage?Alanguageisasignalingsystemwhichemployssymbolicvocalsounds.Letustakeacloserlookatthisdefinition,foritislanguageaboveallelsewhichservestodistinguishhumansfromotheranimals.Otheranimals,itistrue,cancommunicatebymeansofcries.Suchcries,nevertheless,lackanumberofthecentralattributesoflanguage.Humansthroughtheircapacityreplaceonewordwithanothertoformaninfinitevarietyofutterancescapableofconveyingfarmoreinformationthanthecriesofanimals.Thenumberofutterancesavailablethroughspeechislimitless.Incontrast,thoseofanimalsareconfinedtoafixednumberofsetsequences.BWhatIsLanguage?Alanguageisasignalingsystemwhichemployssymbolicvocalsounds.Letustakeacloserlookatthisdefinition,foritislanguageaboveallelsewhichservestodistinguishhumansfromotheranimals.Otheranimals,itistrue,cancommunicatebymeansofcries.(Forexample,dogsmaybarkatintruders,catshissatrivals,lambsbleatforattentionoftheirmothers.)Suchcries,nevertheless,lackanumberofthecentralattributesoflanguagethatenablesustodivideahumanutteranceintowords.Humansthroughtheircapacityreplaceonewordwithanothertoformaninfinitevarietyofutterancescapableofconveyingfarmoreinformationthanthecriesofanimals.(Forinstance,humanwarningscanconveyfarmorepreciselythenatureofthethreattheypointtothancanthesinglewarningscreechabirdhasinitsrepertoire.“Lookout,someoneisstealingyourbag!”doesnotsoundtoodifferentfrom“Lookout,someoneisstealingyourbike!”yettheycarryfarmorespecificinformationthananyanimalcouldcaptureinitscries.)Thenumberofutterancesavailablethroughspeechislimitless.Incontrast,thoseofanimalsareconfinedtoafixednumberofsetsequences.(Thetitcanbetakenasacaseinpoint,beinglimitedtoabouttwentydifferentcalls.Thislimitationisinitselfanexplanationofwhyanimals’criestendtobeverygeneralinmeaningandlackthespeakingabilitytoconveyhighlyspecificinformation.)GeneralRulestoAbidebyWhenChoosingandUsingExamples---Choosethosethatcanforcefullyandlogicallyillustrateourpointofview---Selectthosethatareunusual,thatwillcatchandholdthereader’sattention---ArrangetheexamplesinorderofincreasingimportanceTransitionsforExemplificationforexample(instance)foranotherexampleacaseinpointoneexampleis…anotherexampleis…alsofurthermoremoreoverbesidesinaddition...Practice1.Uselistingorexemplificationtodeveloponeofthefollowingtopicsentencesintoaparagraph.1)Travelingiskindofeducation.2)Increasingyourvocabularycanhelpyouinanumberofways.3)Inthemodernworld,wecanacquirethelatestinformationbyvariousmeans.4)Thistermseveralusefulandinterestingcourseshavebeenoffered.2.Exemplifytheimpactofcomputerscienceonpeople’slife.ComparisonandContrast:UsingFamiliarThingstoExplaintheUnfamiliarTwobasicsteps---identifyingthepointsforcomparisonandcontrast---chooseaneffectivewaytoorganizethesimilaritiesanddifferencesTwobasicwayssubject-by-subject;point-by-point---Alsocalled“blockcomparison(contrast)”,or“dividedpatternofcomparison”,or“half-and-halfstructure”---TopresentthetwosubjectsseparatelySubject-by-subjectorganizationGeneralstatement:(TherearedifferencesorsimilaritiesbetweenAandB.)SubjectA:(Characteristics)SubjectB:(Characteristics)Example1BothProfessorYangandProfessorWuaremyfavoriteteachers,yettheyteachwithverydifferentstyles.ProfessorYang,a30-year-oldfemale,likestogetherstudentsinvolvedinclassdiscussion.Thus,herclassisusuallylivelyandstimulating.ShealsolikestouseTV,CD,andothermoderntechnologytoassistclassroominstruction.Sinceshedoesn'tgiveanyhomework,yourgradeinherclassdependsmainlyontwoorthreebigexams.Andmakenomistakeaboutit,sheisatoughgrader!(continued)ProfessorWu,ontheotherhand,isalmosttheoppositeofProfessorYang.A50-year-oldmale,ProfessorWutendstolectureallthewaythroughaclass,buthissolidknowledge,clearorganization,andoccasionalhumorkeepyoufromdozingoff.Healsolikes