1、Lecture Five Paragraph Writing(2)英文段落主题句的写作 I The Components of a Paragraph 段落是文章的基本构成部分,写好段落是些好文章的第一步.文章的段落有若干相互有联系的句子组成,说明一个主题思想,或从某一角度对文章的主题进行阐述.然而,段落不是有一组句子任意砌成.它具有一定的结构模式和基本特征,并遵循一定的展开手法。4 types of paragraphs:the topical paragraph the introductory paragraph the transitional paragraph the conclu
2、ding paragraph The Topical Paragraph:If a paragraph has a central idea,and all the sentences are developed closely around the idea,the paragraph is called a topical paragraph.The Introductory Paragraph:a good idea of the main subject of the writing,a suggestion of your attitude towards the subject a
3、nd the direction in which your essay is to be developed.The Transitional Paragraph:a signal of a change in content in a piece of writing.E.g.In the modern world new inventions and new scientific discoveries are made daily.New products of all kinds appear in shops.Social relationships and ways of liv
4、ing change rapidly.When people want to talk or write about all these new things,they need names for them and words to describe them.Where so all the new words come from?(introductory paragraph)Here are ten ways in which new words arise.There are a few others,but these are enough to suggest what happ
5、ens.(transitional paragraph)The Conclusion Paragraph It strengthens the message by emphasizing the main points of the whole essay in a summary,drawing a conclusion from preceding paragraphs,evaluating what has been done,expressing a judgment or a kind of feeling,or echoing the opening paragraph to b
6、ring an essay full circle.E.g Competing with television since the early 1950s,the American film industry has changed dramatically.So have films themselves.But whatever changes are brought about,motion pictures will always remain an important American art form and s significant cultural force.1 段落的结构
7、段落的结构(Structure of Paragraph)Gold,a precious metal,is prized for two important characteristics./First of all,gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.Therefore,it is suitable for jewelry,coins,and ornamental purposes.Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever,
8、for example,a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago./Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science.For many years,it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications.The most recent use of gold is in
9、astronauts suits.Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships.In conclusion,gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.1)The Topic Sentence in a Topical Paragraph In a topical paragraph,the central idea or topic is usually expressed in a complete
10、 sentence.(a descriptive or a narrative paragraph occasionally may not have a topic sentence;an expository or an argumentative paragraph usually does have a topic sentence)The placement of the topic sentence The requirements of the topic sentence:.The Completeness of the Topic Sentence a complete se
11、ntence.The Clarity of the Topic Sentence state the central idea clearly,definitely,and unmistakably.Public hygiene in Changsha is a debatable subject.Public hygiene in Changsha is a serious problem.To play any kind of musical instrument,one needs to know something about the instrument.To play the pi
12、ano,one needs to spend much time practicing finger exercises.The Specificity of the Topic Sentence Being specific means limiting the topic to the size suitable for a paragraph.College students learn how to write good compositions.The title of a composition should provoke the readers interest and giv
13、e him an idea of what the composition is about.The Controlling Idea of the Topic Sentence:key words e.g.Our library is the source of spiritual wealth.Plastic wrappers worsen the environmental pollution.The Writers Point of View A good topic sentence should reveal the writers point of view or the pos
14、ition which the writer takes in dealing with the subject.e.g.It is a shame to waste food.The English evening party last night was a great success.Last Monday morning,I had an embarrassing experience on the bus on my way to work.The growing heavy population is a major problem in China.The Wording of
15、the Topic Sentence 主题句(Topic Sentence):说明段落的中心思想或段落主题的句子,是段落展开的依据.它由两部分组成,即主题(topic)和支配思想(controlling idea)构成.支配思想规定段落发展的脉络,限制主题覆盖的范围.主题句起到概括段落中心思想作用,它往往是一个概括性的句子.如果太宽,太笼统,则超出一段文章的范围,无法把问题说清楚.通常在写作时对自己提一个what,who,when,why,how这样的问题.牢记主题的三个条件:A topic sentence is a complete sentence.Driving on freeways
16、 The importance of communication How to register for college classes A topic sentence contains both a topic and a controlling idea.Driving on freeways requires skill and alertness Gold,a precious metal,is prized for two important characteristics.Registering for college classes can be a frustrating e
17、xperience for new students.A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph It gives only the main idea.It does not give any specific details.Eg:The Arabic origin of many English words is not always obvious.(ok)It is warmer in Guangzhou than in Beijing because Guangzhou is in the sout
18、h while Beijing is in the north.(too specific)English is too difficult to learn.(too general)2).The Supporting Sentences of a Paragraph Other sentences that explain,clarify,or justify the topic sentence are supporting sentences.They provide details,facts,examples,reasons,testimony,etc.,to prove the
19、topic sentence so that your reader will be convinced that what the topic sentence expresses is right.3)The Concluding Sentence of a Paragraph It helps to leave a deeper impression of the main topic of the paragraph on your readers.Not every paragraph has a concluding sentence,nor is the last sentenc
20、e in a paragraph necessarily a concluding sentence:the last sentence could be the topic sentence.3)结尾句(Concluding Sentence):对文章的内容进行归纳总结.结尾句必须与主题句相呼应.有些段落短不必有结尾句;有时主题句在段尾,主题句就是结尾句.It means the last sentence has the same meaning as the topic one but not in the same sentence pattern.In conclusion,gold
21、 is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.扩展句(Supporting Sentences):They explain the topic sentence by giving reasons,examples,facts,statistics,and quotations.Some of the supporting sentences that explain the topic sentence about gold are:扩展句对主题句的中心思想进行详细解释,举例说明加以论证.一般展开句有下来特点(1
22、)清楚详实,不可含糊其词或言之无物,必须有强烈的说服力.(2)条理分明,上句为下句铺平道路,下句是上句的自然延伸.First of all,gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.For example,a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago.Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to
23、 industry and science.The most recent use of gold is in astronauts suits.E.g.Good manners are important in all countries,but ways of expressing good manners are different from country to country.Americans eat with knives and forks;Japanese eat with chopsticks.Americans say“Hi”when they meet;Japanese
24、 bow.Many American men open doors for women;Japanese men do not.On the surface,it appears that good manners in American are not good manners in Japan,and in a way this is true.But in any country,the only manners that are important are those involving one persons behaviors toward another person.In al
25、l countries it is good manners to behave considerately toward others and bad manners not to.It is only the way of behaving politely that differs from country to country.Bamboo has many uses.Its tender young shoots can be eaten.Bamboo stems are so strong that they are used to build houses,and even hi
26、gh bridges over rivers.The soft pulp inside bamboo stems can be made into fine paper.In warmer countries,many people have their houses made entirely of bamboo:the walls,the floor,the roof.Nearly everything inside their houses is made of bamboo.No wonder people say bamboo is a useful plant.2 段落的特点段落的
27、特点 1)段落的整体性或一致性(Unity):一段文章只能讨论一个中心思想,文章中所有的细节都要与主题相关,利于说明这个中心思想.Unity means that you discuss only one main idea in a paragraph.The main idea is stated in the topic sentence,and then each supporting sentence develops that idea.2)连贯性(Coherence):各句子的安排必须符合一定的顺序和条理:句子与句子之间衔接要紧密,过度要流畅 Coherence means th
28、at your paragraph is easy to read and understand because your supporting sentences are in logical order and your ideas are connected by the use of appropriate transition signals.The Coherence and Continuity of a Paragraph transitions and connectors 可以通过俩列两种手段来实现(1)内容的安排方法-按一定的逻辑顺序(时间/空间/一般与具体/重要与非重要
29、).所谓的一般与具体的顺序主要是指段落的整体框架.通常,主题句在段首的段落按“一般到具体”,即演绎顺序写成;主题句在段尾,则是按“具体到一般”,即归纳顺序写成.重要与非重要的顺序是针对段落内部细节排列次序而言.从非重要到重要的顺序是重要性递增;从重要到非重要是重要性递减。(2)使用过度性词语-句与句之间使用适当的过渡性词语,起“启,承,转,合”的作用.引导读者全面了解句子见的逻辑,准确地理解段落的思想.3 段落的展开手法段落的展开手法 1)时间顺序法:按事物发生的时间先后为线索展开段落,主要是叙述一件事物的经过.主要用于故事,自传等.动词常用过去时 E.g.In my thirty years
30、 as a secretary,I have had to master three different kinds of writing machines.I began my career on the manual typewriter.Then ten years later,I found myself being forced to adapt to an electric typewriter.Recently,I have to give up my electric typewriter for a word processor.After using it,I dont b
31、elieve I would returning to the age of 按程序或步骤展开段落,主要用于叙述做一件事应遵守的程序或步骤,多用于科技文章和操作说明书,动词常用被动语态 E.g.Do you know how tea is made?First,.Then,.Next,After this,.Finally.at the beginning/to start with/after that/later,in the end,finally/2)空间顺序法:主要用于描述一个场所或空间.几天做法是:先选定一个位置,以此为出发点依次叙述和描写.方法有:从上到下;从左到右;有远到近;有
32、表及里;按顺时针方向 in between/next to/on the left/on the top of/opposite/close to 3)举例法:在主题句中开门见山摆出自己的观点,然后举出具体事例对其进行说明.对具体细节的安排:一般到具体具体到一般for instance/such as/take.for example/4)对照比较法:比较是讨论两个或几个问题相同点的方法;对比是讨论两个或几个问题不同点的方法.比较对比的对象必须是同一类型的事物,比较项应属于同一范畴.具体做法有:先描述甲方的所有细节,再描述乙方的所有细节;两方听说描述,逐点比较 at the same time
33、/similarly/compared with/just as/in contrast with/instead of/in spite of/E.g.Cats make better pets than dogs.Dogs are messy and do not clean up after themselves.They eat too much food,and require too much care.Besides,Dogs jump up on people,and knock over furniture.Cats,on the other hand,are clean a
34、nd tidy.They eat sparingly,and take care of themselves.Cats are usually well mannered pets.(先说甲再说乙的对比)E.g.Cars and bicycle are both privately owned means of transportation.In others words,they have in common the fact that owner can decide when and where to go by themselves.However,there are a lot of
35、 differences between them.It costs a lot more money to buy a car than a bicycle.In addition,a car is far more expensive to run.For example,a car uses gasoline,which is expensive,whereas a bicycle uses only human energy.On the other hand,as far as comfort is concerned,a car is better than a bicycle.A
36、 car protects you from weather,and has comfortable seats and plenty of room to carry people and luggage.Furthermore,a car is much faster than a bicycle.(两方同时描述,逐点比较)5)因果法:解释事物之间的原因与结果的关系.可以是先因后果,或者是先果后因.Owing to/for this reason/bring about/result in(from)/be responsible for/be due to/have an effect
37、on/EX:The divorce rate in China is on the rise.There are at least three main reasons contributing to this phenomenon.(social attitude/economic activities/legal changes)6)定义法:对引起歧义的词或术语以及一些有多种解释的抽象概念进行说明或解释.To be defined as/to refer to/to be used to describe 7)分类法:把具有共同特征的事物按一定的标准进行归类.每一类必须是同一范畴.Grou
38、p into/divide into/fall into/according to/in terms of/E.g.Science affects the human life in many ways.By its application,In the first place,it creates new methods to deal with the diseases which kill people.Whats more,it reduces the working hours and increases working products.The most important of
39、all is that science changes peoples mind.8)归纳法:先铺叙细节后归纳出概括性的结论,讲其主题句置于段尾,即从具体事例或现象归纳出一般性的,令人信服的道理或结论.E.g.Many people go to school for an education.They learn language,.others go to school to learn skills so that they can make a living.School education is very important and useful.Yet on one can lear
40、n everything from school.A teacher,no matter how much he knows,cannot teach his students everything they want to know.The teachers job is to show his students how to read and how to think.So,much more is to be learned by the students themselves.9)演绎法:从一般性的结论推演至具体事例并加以论述,最后在回到结论;还可以通过若干具体事例或现象中归纳出一般性
41、道理.E.g.Postcards always spoil my holidays.Last summer I went to Italy.I visited museums and sat in public gardens.A friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian.Then he lent me a book.On the last day,I got up early and bought 37 cards.I spent the whole day in my room,but I did not write a single card.4主题句创作练习 主题句+扩展句1+扩展句2+扩展句3 1)The upward trend in divorce rate in China reflects three important changes in our society.2)Why do I decide to stay on the assembly-line to study for two or three years more?The reasons are as follows.3)Population explosion becomes a serious problem.
