大学英语应用写作(四川师范大学)Chapter 1 Choice of Words

Chapter 1: Choice of WordsI.Objective of This Chapter1.Teaching Purpose: teach students basic rules for choosingwords in essay writing2.Focus:1)One of the prewriting skill: inquiring2)Basic rules for choosing words: Appropriateness;Exactness and Conciseness3)Grammar and mechanics: Capitalization andPunctuation4)Case analysis: Lacking Conciseness; Error with WrongPart of Speech5)Write about a personII.Teaching Arrangement.1. Total Class Time for This Lesson: 180 minutes2. Teaching Arrangement:1) Prewriting: 30 minutes2) Basic Writing Skill: 50 minutes3) Grammar and Mechanics: 40 minutes4) Case Analysis: 30 minutes5) Writing Process: 30 minutesIII.Teaching Process1.Prewriting: Inquiring1)Introduce prewriting skill: inquiring2)Assign two consolidating exercises for students topractice this skill3)Analyze the following model essay for students aslead-in to the next topic: basic writing skillMy Cousin PatriciaMy Cousin Patricia is a teacher and works for Santa Maria de Fatima High school, in Peru. She has been teaching there for the last six years. She is 32, but looks much younger. Patty is a very nice person to get along with and has some very good qualities.Patricia believes all people are equal. She likes to show people that women as well as men can do anything and be successful. When she talks about current events, she likes to mention the achievements of men and women of all races and nations. She often asks her students to do research on organizations in which people work together to make the world a better place.My cousin is a good leader. If you ever had a chance to join any of her group meetings, you would notice right away how she enjoys leading others while encouraging them to participate in what is going on. When there are decisions to be made, she listens to everyone’ opinions and respects everyone’s suggestions. People who know that aspect of her like her very much. People like to be with her, and she has many friends. The only thing bad I can say about her is th at I don’t see her often enough.In conclusion, my cousin patty is very nice in many ways, is a very good teacher, and is the best company a person could have. I wish she didn’t live so far away, but someday maybe she will come to live near my family. That will be a wonderful day.2.Basic Writing Skill: choice of words1)Appropriateness: definitionA.Introduce the rule of appropriateness for choosingwordsPrinciple for achieving appropriateness:The principle is to use common standard words rather thannon-standard words or slang or jargon.Inappropriate: Could you please alternate your eating habits?Revised: Could you please change your eating habits?Inappropriate: He didn’t ought to have spent the money.Revised: He shouldn’t have spent the money.Compare the following words in group A and in group B, have students conclude principle for achieving appropriatenessGroup A Group Baccomplish finishaffection lovealternate chanceappropriate properassist helpblue-print plancross-section samplefabricate makeinform tellproceed gopunctual on timereside livesufficient enoughterminate endutilize usevisualize imagineB.Assign exercises for students to practice2)Exactness: definitionA.Introduce the rule of exactness for choosing wordsPrinciple for achieving exactness:a. To distinguish synonyms.English is rich in synonyms (group of words that have similar meaning). Almost all synonyms differ in their connotation. Exact writers choose carefully among them, observe their precise shade of meaning and use the most exact one. Wrong use of synonyms not only makes your writing inexact, but also confuses your readers. Compare the followings:Improper:He is a renowned gangster. (“Renowned” has a positive or favorable connotation)Right:He is a notorious gangster. (“Notorious” has a negative connotation)Improper:We are going to commerce our long vacation on the following Monday. (“Commerce” connotes to something very f ormal.)Right:We are going to start our long vacation on the following Monday. (“Start” is a common word.)b. To distinguish homonyms.Homonyms are group of words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and different spellings. For examp le, “idol” and “idle” have same pronunciation but have totally different meanings and different spellings. While you choose words, do not confuse these words.e.g. She is like an angel that everybody likes her.She drew a straight line across the angle.Following is a list of some homonyms. Check how much you understand.adapt，adept，adoptalley，allyangel，anglearraign，arrangebean，beenblock，blocborne，borncannon，canoncarton，cartooncostume，customflea，fleemarital，martialproscribe，proscribereceipt，recipesteal，steelstatue，statutesea，seewaive，wavec. To use fixed idioms or set phrasesAn idiom is a group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words. Since it does not follow the standard pattern of a language, you can’t infer the total meaning simply by adding the meanings of its individual words. For example, “Let the cat out of the bag”, it means to tell a secret by mistake. You can’t write it like this: “Let the dog out of the bag”.The most troublesome set phrases are those that require a suitable preposition after a given verb or an adjective. The following is a list quoted from Leggett’s Prentice-Hall Handbook for Writers. (307)Set Phrases Examplesabsolved by, from: I was absolved by the dean from all blame.accede to He acceded to his father’s demands.accompany by, with I was accompanied by George.The terms were accompanied with a plea for immediate peace.acquitted of He was acquitted of the crime.adapted to, from This machine can be adapted to farm work.The design was adapted from a previous invention. admit to, of He admitted to the error.The plan will admit of no alternatives.agree to, with, in They agreed to the plan but disagreed with us.They agreed only in principle.angry with, at She was angry with me and angry at the treatment shehad received.capable of He is capable if very vice of the ignorant.compare to, with He compared the roundness f the baseball to that of theearth.He compared the economy of the Ford with that ofthePlymouth.concur with, in I concur with you in your desire to use the revisededition.confide in, to He confided in me.He confided to me that he had stolen the car.conform to, with The specifications conformed to (or with) his originalplans.You must act in conformity with our demands.connect by, with The room are connected by a corridor.He is officially connected with this university.differ about, from, with We differ about our tastes in clothes.My clothes differ from yours.We differ with one another.different from Our grading system is different from yours.enter into, on, upon He entered into a new agreement and thereby entered on(or upon) a new career.free from, of` He was freed from his mother’s domination and now heis free of her.identical with Your reasons are identical with his.join in, with, to He joined in the fun with the others.He joined the wire cables to each other.live at, in, on He lives at 14 Neil Avenue in a Colonial house.He lives on Neil Avenue.necessity for, of There was no necessity (need) for you to lose our temper.There was no necessity (need) of your losing yourtemper.object to I object to the statement in the third paragraph.oblivious of When he held her hand he was oblivious of the passingof time.overcome by, with I was overcome by the heart.I was overcome with grief.parallel between, to, with There is a parallel between your attitude and his.This line is parallel to (or with) that one.preferable to A leisure walk is preferable to violent exercise.B.Assign exercises for students to practice3)Conciseness: definitionA.Introduce the rule of exactness for choosingwordsPrinciple for achieving conciseness:a.To eliminate empty expressions (words orphrases that do not add to your meaning).b.To eliminate the unnecessary words and phrases.Wordy:Maria is attractive in appearance, so everybody likes her.Concise:Maria is attractive, so everybody likes her.Wordy:Another aspect of the situation that needs to be examined is the matter of advertising.Concise: We should also examine advertising.c.To reduce clauses to phrases and phrases to simple words.Wordy: Smith College, which was founded in 1871, is the premier all-womens college in the United States.Concise: Founded in 1871, Smith College is the premierall-womens college in the United States.Wordy:The shirt, made of wool, is a gift from my aunt.Concise: The woolen shirt is a gift from my aunt.d.To use one exact word rather than two or more approximate words.Wordy: At this point in time, more and more people realize the importance of protecting environment.Concise: Now more and more people realize the importance of protecting environment.Wordy:All the documents in the office were destroyed by the fire.Concise:The fire burnt all the documents in the office. (Active voice is better than passive voice)e.To avoid redundancy (say the same thing twice).Wordy:In our opinion, we think we need to do the experiment first.Concise: We think we need to do the experiment first.Wordy: Soon after the plain took off from the ground, it disappeared from view in the sky.Concise:Soon after the plain took off, it disappeared in the sky.B. Assign exercises for students to practice3.Grammar and Mechanics: capitalization andpunctuation1)Have students do exercises on the slideshow2)Help students summarize rules for usingcapitalization3) Have students do exercises on the slideshow4) Help students summarize rules for using punctuation3)Assign more exercises for students to practiceon capitalization and punctuation4.Case Analysis: analyze two cases for students1)Case one: Lacking Conciseness2)Case two: Errors with Wrong Part Speech3)Draw conclusion5.Writing Process:1)In class practice: Have students practicewriting by following the steps:Write one or more paragraphs with the title “ThePerson I Admire”.Step 1: Prewriting to get ideas.In part 1: prewriting, you have been required, by using one of the prewriting skills: asking questions and taking notes, to state reasons why you admire someone. Use the notes you hadfor the next step.Step 2: Outline the ideas. (Refer to chapter 3: Outlining a Paragraph)Organize your ideas in a logical order.Make a more detailed outline.Step 3: Write a rough draft.Begin your paragraph with a sentence that namethe person you admire.e.g. Lucy is a nice friend admired by almosteveryone in our class.David is a great magician that people allover the world admire.Based on your notes to write a rough draft. Use specific facts, examples to show reason why youadmire him/her.End your paragraph with a sentence that tellswhy you admire him/her.e.g. In short, Lucy is easygoing, funny and alwaysready to help others, so we all admire her.For these wonderful magic performances, allpeople admire David.Step 4: Revise your rough draft.Exchange your rough raft with your partner, and check each oth er’s draft by using the checklist presented on slideshow. Answer the questions and make comments.Step 5: Edit your essayStep 6: Write your final copy and hand in for your instructor’s final evaluation.2)Assignment after class:A. Write one paragraph composition about a person you dislike.B. Write an essay about one of your relatives whom you like.。