Writing technique大学英语写作资料

Writing

The Whole Composition

Aim: The basic aim of a writing course is to develop the ability to write whole compositions (or essays, theses, papers).

Outline

Topic

Thesis (Controlling Idea; Central Idea)------Thesis Statement

Introduction; Body (Main idea1, Main idea 2); Conclusion

I Introduction

II Main Idea -------Topic Sentence (in the beginning: to tell briefly the content of a paragraph;

at the end: to conclude the whole paragraph)

A. Sub-idea

B. Sub-idea

1. Supporting Detail

2. Supporting Detail

a. Fact 1

b. Fact 2

III Main Idea

A.Sub-idea

B.Sub-idea

1.Supporting Detail

2.Supporting Detail

3.Supporting Detail

C.Sub-idea

IV Conclusion------- Restatement or summary of the main points

Topic Outline: All entries consist of nouns and their modifiers, or their equivalents, ie, gerund phrases or infinitive phrases. It is brief and clear.

Sentence Outline: The entries are complete sentences. It provides a more detailed plan of the paper.

Example. Topic: The School Library

Thesis: The library plays a very important part in a student’s life.

Outline:

I A student has to borrow books from the library.

A.H e needs reference books for his elective courses.

B.H e may want to read novels, stories and plays.

II He reads newspapers, and magazines in the library.

A.Many new magazines are on display in the First Reading-Room.

B.There are newspapers from all provinces.

C.Back numbers may be borrowed ate the counter.

III He needs the library all the more in his junior and senior years.

A.The library provides him with books for his research.

B.He would not be able to write his graduation paper without using the library.

Exercise

Lies are usually considered very bad and rather indecent. However, we must admit that all of us have told some lies, either consciously or unconsciously. If we think about this seriously, we may conclude that lies are sometimes necessary and nobody can go without them. Do you agree with this viewpoint? Please write an essay of no less than 150 words.

Sample:

Outline: Lie: A Necessary Part of Life

I Introduction: Everyone tells lies from time to time.

II Body: Telling lies is based on three purposes

A.One is to obtain psychological balance and comfort

1.We do not tell the truth to a very ill patient.

2.One does not want to know the truth of one’s own fatal disease.

B.One is to make a living.

1.Businessmen deceive men about the value and quality of their products.

2.Sales person lie to persuade us to purchase something.

C.One is to ensure social order and peace

ernment lies to stay in power.

2.Religion lies to make people feel safe in following their lies.

3.People want to maintain a certain kind of society.

III Conclusion: Telling lies is an indispensable part of life.

Key: From time to time everybody tells lies----little lies, white lies, necessary lies in order to obtain psychological balance and comfort, to make a living or to ensure social order and peace.

In order to have psychological balance and comfort, you may not want to tell your seriously ill patient or relative or young kid that he or she is terminally ill and will die a painful death. Similarly you yourself do not want to know that your cancer is spreading so fast that you may not have more than 6 months to live in agonizing pain. Or you may lie to a friend , a colleague or your boss in order to save face, to gain some advantage over or to get a closer relationship with him or her.

Telling lies is a kind of profession for certain people. In other words, some people make a living through telling lies. For instance, businessmen lie every day in order to deceive customers about the value and quality of their products. Again, sales people lie so as to persuade us to purchase something we may not need.

Governments lie quite often to stay in power by persuading people that their needs and desires are being attended to and that they are safe. Meanwhile, many people know what lies to transmit so as to maintain the kind of society that both the people in power and many of its citizens want and need. Besides, religion lies in order to make people feel safe in following their lies.

In conclusion, we lie in a word of lies. We can not live without lying and being lied to, for lying disguise our motality, our inadequacies, our fears and anxieties, our loneliness in the midst of the crowd. So telling lies is a n indispensable part of people’s life.