Part-4.-The-Paragraph

TheParagraphCONTENTS010302CriteriaofanEffectiveParagraphStepsinWritingaParagraphWaysofDevelopingParagraphs01StepsinWritingaParagraphAparagraphisagroupofrelatedandorderlysentencesthatdeveloponecentralideacompletely.Itisaunitofthought.Itmaybeapartofanessay,orstandalonelikeamini-essay.Paragraphsvaryinlength.Whatdecidesthelengthofaparagraph?(p64,papa1.)topic,role/positionAnyway,aparagraphshouldlongenoughtodevelopitsmainideaclearlyandcompletely.One-paragraphessayTopicsentenceSupportingsentencesConcludingsentenceMainideaoftheparagraphDevelopandsupportthepoint/topicReminderthereadersofthemainidea/topicTopicsentence:statesthemainideaSupportingdetails:3-5sentencesthatsupportthetopicConcludingsentence:restatesthetopicexamplestatisticsfactsreasonsquotationse.g.Somepeoplehavepooreatinghabits.Someskipthebreakfast.Somealwaysordersupersizeproportions.Someeatalmostnofruitorvegetables.Thepooreatinghabitsmayaffectpeople’shealth.Step1:Thinkofthetopicorthemeormainidea,andexpressitinacompletetopicsentence.Step2:Thinkofrelevantdetailsorexamplesorfacts,andorganizethosedetails/facts,gettingthesupportingsentences.Step3:Basedontheabove,writeanappropriateconcludingsentence.“IfIhadtolimitallmyremarksaboutparagraphwritingtosevenwords,Iwouldsay,‘Stateyourtopicsentenceandsupportit.’”—ProfessorVirginiaSchiltThetopic+ThecontrollingideaWhatmakesatopicsentence?limitedsubjectThewriter’sattitude,pointofview,orideae.g.1.Mygirlfriendisverywarm-hearted.topicControllingidea2.Highwayaccidentsarealwayscausedbyabsent-mindedness.topicControllingideaMorepractice:Underlinethetopicsandcontrollingideas.1)Thekitchenisthemostwidelyusedroominmyhouse.2)Insectsservemanyusefulpurposes.3)Mybossisanambitiousman.4)Ourvocationturnedouttobeadisaster.Whatarethefeaturesofatopicsentence?1)Isitacompletesentenceorasentencefragment?2)Isitadeclarativesentenceoraquestion?3)Doesitstateanopinionorafact?4)Doesitgiveageneralstatementorsomespecificdetails?completesentencedeclarativeopinionGeneral:neithertoogeneralnortoospecific,notinvolvetoomanyideasCaseStudy:Aretheygoodtopicsentences?toogeneralgood①AmericanfoodistastelessandgreasybecauseAmericansusetoomanycanned,frozenandprepackagedfoodsandbecausetheyfryeverythinginoilorbetter.②Americanfoodisterrible.③Americanfoodistastelessandgreasy.toospecifictoomanyideasgoodCasestudy:Aretheygoodtopicsentences?Task3onP66①SanFranciscoisfamousforitstemperateclimate,itsmanytouristattractionsanditscosmopolitan(世界性的)atmosphere.②SanFranciscoisfamousforitstemperateclimate/touristattractions/cosmopolitan(世界性的)atmosphere.Spottingthetopicsentence:P64-651&2MiddleSpecificandadequatesupportVagueandgeneralexplanationUnderdevelopedparagraphsVividandspecificsupportVividandpersuasivesupport:1)Narrativeexamples:“Thesecrettogoodwriting—therealsecret—isusingexamples.”experiencesorstoriesVividandpersuasivesupport:1)Narrativeexamples:e.g.Theso-calledDoubleElevenisnotalwaysreliable.LastNovember11th.,Iboughtamp3fromTaobao,becauseIthoughtitcouldbemuchcheaperthanusual.However,Iwaswrong.Thetruthis,thesellerfirstraisedtheprice,andthenloweredabitonthatday.Severaldayslater,IloggedontoTaobaoandfoundthepricewasevencheaperthanmyprice.Iwascheated.Soangry!Lively&interestingVividandpersuasivesupport:1)Narrativeexamples:2)Statistics:e.g.EverytwoandahalfminutessomeoneintheUSisrobbedwithagunpoint,andeveryfortyminutessomeoneismurderedwithagun.Lively&interestingVividandpersuasivesupport:1)Narrativeexamples:2)Statistics:3)Statementsofauthorities:e.g.“IfIhadtolimitallmyremarksaboutparagraphwritingtosevenwords,Iwouldsay,‘Stateyourtopicsentenceandsupportit.’”—ProfessorVirginiaSchiltLively&interestingVividandpersuasivesupport:1)Narrativeexamples:2)Statistics:3)Statementsofauthorities:Lively&interestingconvincing&persuasivePlentyofevidenceandenoughspecificdetailstosupportyourpoint!Notknowhowtobrainstormtherelevantfacts&details:1)Why?2)How?3)When?1)Why?e.g.Topicsentence:Vegetablegardenstakealotofplanning.AskYourself,“Whydogardenstakealotofplanning?”Comeupwithatleasttwosub-topics:becausethesoilneedstobeprepared;becausevegetablesneedtobeplantedatspecifictime…Developthesub-topicswithmoredetails,gettingthesupportingsentences.Vegetablegardenstakealotofplanning.Theytakeplanningbecausethesoilneedstobeprepared.Soilshouldbetilledinthefall,aftertheharvestseason.Besides,itshouldbetestedinthespring,especiallyforacidityandnitrogen.Gardenstakeplanningalsobecausevegetablesneedtobeplantedatspecifictimes.Lastyear,Iplantedthelettucetoolate,sothatbythetimeitshouldhavebeenreadyforharvest,ithaddiedfromheat.Therefore,youshouldplanyourgardeninadvance.TopicsentenceSub-topicsConcludingsentenceTopicsentenceSupportingsentencesConcludingsentence2)How?3)When?e.g.Myroommateisconstantlysleepy.Heissleepyinthemorningwhenhegetsup.Hefumbleswiththealarmclock.Heissleepywhenheisinclass.HeoncefellasleepinMathIIIandcrunchedhisjawinthedesk.Heissleepyintheevening.Heisalwaysinbedby8:00pm.Myroommatesleepsallthetime.TopicsentenceSupportingsentencesConcludingsentenceN.B.Allthesub-topicsanswerthesamequestion!e.g.Topicsentence:Hitchhiki