YOUR SITE HERE LOGO Lecture Two: Introduction Well-begun is half done!
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YOUR SITE HERE LOGO Lecture Two: Introduction Well-begun is half done!
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YOUR SITE HERE LOGO some common ways to begin the writing 1). Pointing out the phenomenon 2) Asking rhetorical questions 3) Contrasting opposite viewpoints 4) Quoting famous sayings 5) Telling a story 6) Giving a definition
Transcript of YOUR SITE HERE LOGO Lecture Two: Introduction Well-begun is half done!
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LOGOLecture Two: Introduction
Well-begun is
half done!
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LOGOIntroduction
The introductory paragraph is to introduce your topic and signal where you are going with your topic
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LOGOsome common ways to begin the writing
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LOGO1). Pointing out the phenomenon
Telling your reader directly what you are going to discuss is the most common way to begin a piece of argumentative writing.
Composition based on given diagrams or charts usually begin this way, too.
structure: General statement + details
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LOGO1). Pointing out the phenomenon
Example 1: on keeping pets Now there seems to be a fever of keeping pets. Along the streets
towards evening, people in casual wear can be seen taking a leisurely stroll, not for themselves, but for their dear pets. It is not news that a pure-bred dog fetches as much as 5,000 yuan.
Example 2:Divorce in China In recent years, China has experienced a dramatic increase in the
divorce rate. According to the chart given, during the last decade, the divorce rate in some big cities has increased as much as it had in the entire previous thirty years. In 1960 there were only one divorce for every 100 couples, and thirty years later the rate was 2.9 percent. By 2000 the rate jumped to 5.8 percent.
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LOGO1). Pointing out the phenomenon
useful sentence structure Recently there is an increasing number of people who … According to a recent (official) survey (report / study / poll), … In the past five years there has been a sharp (dramatic /marked) rise
( increase) in … Recently the rise in … has drawn (aroused) widespread attention. Recently the phenomenon (problem) of … has caused (aroused) wide
(general / considerable) concern. Recently the issue (problem) of … has been brought to public
attention. In recent years many cities (China) have experienced ( seen / witnessed
/ undergone )… One of the burning / pressing problems facing / confronting our
society today is ... With the pace of modern life becoming faster and faster, …
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LOGO2) Asking rhetorical questions
The use of rhetorical questions in an introduction is effective in that it arrest the readers’ attention and makes them think along with you
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LOGO2) Asking rhetorical questions
Example 1 (discussing the enthusiasm for a master’s degree) Why do I decide to stay on the assembly-line to study for two or
three years more? Is it that I simply want to make myself more knowledgeable or is it that I have so enormous amount of interest in a particular field of science that I don’t want to give up? No. the purpose of my acquiring another degree, like that of others, is totally practical. (C p18)
The structure is: questions + answer. The answer actually is the thesis statement.
Example 2 (Why Space Exploration) Space competition is becoming increasingly fierce. In recent
decades, more and more space missions have been sent to orbit, and there are already several space stations ---- built by Russia and United States---- rotating in space. Despite a general sense of pride in space technology, one question should be asked: what is the purpose of space exploration? (C p 26)
The structure is general statement of the topic + details + questions.
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LOGO3) Contrasting opposite viewpoints
Before presenting your own viewpoint, you give the opposite viewpoint first.
This method can leave an impression of objectivity and thoroughness on readers.
This way of introduction is usually used on the discussion of some controversial topics.
The structure of this introduction is topic statement + opposite viewpoint + your own viewpoint.
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LOGO3) Contrasting opposite viewpoints
Example 1 (job-hunting) When asked about what kind of career they will pursue upon
graduation, most of college students say that they would choose a job which will bring them a lot of money and a comfortable life. Their decisions are practical, and reasonable in a sense. However, as for me, I think quite differently. I would prefer a career which will help realize my potentials.
Example 2 (euthanasia) When it comes to the desirability of extending the life of the
terminally ill, some people think we should extend life of the dying at any cost. Some others, however, argue that the patient should have the right to die with dignity. There is probably some truth on both sides, but recently the public clamor for the legalization of mercy killing seems gaining ground.
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LOGO3) Contrasting opposite viewpoints
Useful sentence structure: When asked about … (When it comes to … / Faced with…),
many (quite a few / the vast majority of) people say / believe that …, but I view (consider) it quite differently.
Although most people believe that…, I wonder whether the argument bears close examination.
Contrary to the widely-held belief that …, I think that … Different people have different attitudes (opinions/ views)
towards…, some believe that …. While others argue that…. In my opinion (view)… .
There is no consensus of opinions among people concerning (over / as to) ….
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LOGO4) Quoting famous sayings
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LOGO4) Quoting famous sayings
The structure of this introduction is quotation + thesis statement.
Example 1 About one of the humanity’s frailties Thomas Wolfe wrote, “He
talks of the future and he wastes it as it comes.” This observation is related to a principle by which I try to live. I believe in living in the present because it is futile to dwell on the past, to worry about the future, or to miss anything in the only reality I know. (C p2)
Example 2 An old song says that “love makes the world go around.” If you
watch Americans on Valentine’s Day, you can believe it. The whole country breaks out with little red hearts. Love-struck people give cards, flowers and candy to their sweethearts. You might call it an annual celebration of love. (English salon p120)
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LOGO4) Quoting famous sayings
Useful sentence structure: As an old saying goes, It is often quoted that People often say, One of the great men once said/ remarked that
Frequently quoted sayings: Failure is the mother of success. Where there is a will, there is a way. A good medicine tastes bitter. Honesty is the best policy. Actions speak louder than words. Well begin is half done. When in Rome, do as Romans do. Time and tide wait for no man. Haste makes waste. Practice makes perfect. All roads lead to Rome. A life without a friend is a life without a sun.
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LOGO5) Telling a story
A story to the point is a good way to begin your essay
Your story should be relevant, brief and concise
The story should be able to lead the reader directly to the heart of the subject
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LOGO5) Telling a story
The structure is story + linking expressions + topic statement
Example 1(teachers’ job-hopping ) The other day I met Miss Li, my old classmate, who told me that
she has decided to quit her job and to join a company. She said that she couldn’t make ends meet working as a teacher. Miss Li’s case is not unusual; it is typical of thousands of young teachers who are quitting their jobs in search of better-paid jobs.
Example 2 (students’ pressure) A bright student was found dead in front of a school building. He
jumped off its roof, leaving a note, explaining that tension and stress caused by the fierce academic competition “were driving him mad”. The incident is far from rare these days in our media. Across the country there were 300 plus students who committed suicide for this reason last year, according to an official report.
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LOGO5) Telling a story
Useful sentence structure:Last week / month, a friend of mine
…. The case ( story / incident) is not rare (unique / isolated).
The other day,…. The case is not rare (unusual); it is typical of thousands
of ...
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LOGO6) Giving a definition
Define in your own words, tell readers what it is---- done!
Example 1 Project Hope is a financial plan carried out by the CYDF (China
Youth Development Foundation) to prevent school-agers from quitting school. The project is of great necessity in China, where thousands of children dropped out of school in poverty-stricken areas because they cannot afford the tuition fees.
Example 2 The term clone is no longer new to us. It refers to the nonsexual
reproduction of a single plant or animal from any cell, and with exactly the same form as the parent. It goes without saying that the technology is a breakthrough in science.
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LOGO6) Giving a definition
Useful sentence structure: 1. A euphemism is the substitution of a mild or vague expression
for a harsh or blunt one. For example, “pass away” is milder and vaguer expression for “die”.
2. Dishonesty means the act of being deceptive. Deception means to cheat people by a lie or by covering the truth.
3. A fanatic refers to a person who is uncritically enthusiastic about something so that the sense of proportion is lost.
4. The word “robot”, derived from the Slavic root for “worker”, signifies a machine rather than a human worker.
5. Love is not just an emotion or feeling that too soon changes, but rather, the act of choosing to do what is in the best interest of the loved one despite the cost to oneself and without expecting anything in return.
