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1、Advanced Writing VIThesis statement: dos and donts1. From Paragraph to EssayAn essay is similar to a paragraph in that they both serve to express ideas, opinions. However, though similarly structured, an essay is proportionally larger than a paragraph as we can see from the following comparison of t
2、hem.ParagraphTopic SentenceSubtopic ISupporting detailsClosing sentence ISupporting detailsClosing sentence IIConclusionEssayParagraph I: Introduction, Thesis statementParagraph II: BodyTopic SentenceSupporting detailsClosing SentenceParagraph III: Conclusion1 complete2 central idea2 . Topic sentenc
3、e: a review3 clear and concentrated.4 predictive5 opinioned3. The Proposal Sentence or the Thesis StatementThe proposal sentence (or thesis statement) tells what you propose or intend to discuss in the remaining paragraph. It controls and limits the whole composition. In formulating a proposal, we s
4、hould :confine our discussion to a manageable topic. If you are given some general subject, try to break it into a single, limited and manageable topic. Here is one example.Hunan UniversitySportsDorm lifeProfessorsStudentRegistrationWhere When How Whatproceduresfrustratingconfusingpleasanttiringinef
5、ficientmake it a complete sentence. allow at least two aspects to be discussed. Exercise 2 on P.58 Read the 3 paragraphs and underline the thesis statements. Are there at least two aspects to be discussed for the topic? What are they? present an argumentative attitude (opinion, evaluation, or judgme
6、nt) toward the subject. DO NOT take an announcement of intent or fact as a thesis statement. DO NOT state the two sides of an argument equally. Examples: Orwells “A Hanging“This paper will discuss George Orwells attitude toward the death penalty in his essay “ A Hanging“. In his essay George Orwell
7、describes a hanging that he witnessed in Burma.In “A Hanging“, George Orwell shows that capital punishment is not only unpleasant but also immoral.Exercise 4 on p.59 Which are strong, weak, and non- thesis statement? Why? How to make improvement?It should be predictive.A successful thesis statement
8、offers its readers a “blueprint“ What will be discussed in this essay? What will come in the following paragraph? How will the ideas be presented? Examples:The Unleashed presence of on-the-loose dogs on streets and sidewalks is a dangerous nuisance.The Spring Festival I spent in my hometown was a pe
9、riod of freedom and fun.Although most Americans live in big cities, many people are realizing the advantages of living on a farm.I now realize the many problems that teachers face.I feel religion serves two essential functions in our society.It usually appears at the end of the first paragraphs for:
10、a. You can easily locate it when you need to make sure that you are staying on the topic.b. Make the transition in the body paragraph easy to compose.Example 1Unleashed DangerIf you are a dog lover dont read this. Tend to your dogs instead: Train them, restrain them, kennel them. But dont let them r
11、un loose near my house Unless you want a bruised and battered dog, with fear in his heart and a permanent whimper in his voice. Not that I dislike dogs. Not at all. I have been known to affectionately pet puppies of all kinds. I love all well-disciplined dogs but I hate the havoc that unleashed dogs
12、 cause wet-marking their trails and “ surprising” your bare feet on a lawn. Far worse, however, dogs on the loose terrorize cyclists and pedestrians, create traffic hazards, and damage gardens. Clearly, their unleashed presence on streets and sidewalks is a dangerous nuisance. Although barking dogs
13、may not bite, they can scare cyclists and pedestrians half to death. Example 2The Gloom RoomMarch often looks and feels dreary because school is by then in full swing. Today, a rainy Thursday, is no different. What makes it worse is that I am forced to sit in my writing class in the old teaching bui
14、lding dozing off most of my time. It is no wonder that a shadow of gloom hangs over the things and the people around me in this room.As I look around, I see that the surroundings are old and depressing Second MarriageMarried people live “ happily ever after” in fairy tales, but they do so less and l
15、ess often in real life. I, like many of my friends, got married, divorced, and remarried. I suppose, to some people, Im a failure. After all, I broke my first solemn promise to “ love and cherish until death us do part.” But I feel that Im finally a success. I learned from the mistakes I made in my
16、first marriage. This time around, the ways my husband and I share our free time, make decisions, and deal with problems are very different.Example 3I learned, fist of all, not to be a clinging vine. In my first marriage, I felt that every moment we spent apart was wasted. If Ray wanted to go out to a bar with his friends to watch a football game, I felt rejected and talked him into staying home. I wouldnt accept an offer to go to a movie or join an exercise class
