北师大第一学期研究生英语写作讲义.doc

09级 第 一 学 期 写 作 课 讲 义选自研究生英语写作教程李争鸣编著 北京师范大学出版社1+2x6 以下主题句 Latin influences on American culture are reflected in the following three aspects. 以下一级扩展句 First of all, the Spanish influence on the English language in the U.S. began with the early explorers and continues even today. 以下二级扩展句 For example, Spanish place names from the Rio Grande (in Texas) to San Francisco (in California) are all part of the heritage of the early Spanish settlers. 以下一级扩展句 Latin Americans have also added to the variety of the American diet. 以下二级扩展句 From the gourmet-style churrasco (marinated tenderloin of beef) to the everyday taco, Latin food has become an integral part of American dining habits. 以下一级扩展句 Finally, American music, too, has become more diverse as a result of the Latino sound. 以下二级扩展句 The Salsa beat has had a startling effect on popular music, just as the rhythms of the tango and the cha-cha-cha have become a part of the repertoire of dance bands throughout the country. Instruments, such as the congas and the timbale, also have their origins in Latin countries. 以下结论句 In summary, the language, the food, and the music are what Latin Americans have given to the United States. 1. 引言段 以下概述句 We are all aware that American culture is, in fact, a combination of the contributions of all of those who have settled within its borders. From the founding of the country to the present day, immigrants have brought with them the traditions of their native lands, many of which have been interwoven into the cultural patterns of their new homeland. Immigrants from Latin America, who currently comprise approximately 8 percent of the total population, are no exception to this rule. 以下篇题句 Latin influences on American culture are reflected in the words we speak, the foods we consume, and the music we enjoy.2. 正文段 以下主题句 The Spanish influence on the English language in the U.S. began with the early explorers and continues even today. Spanish place names, from the Rio Grande (in Texas) to San Francisco (in California), characterize the southwestern part of the country. Los Angeles, Santa Fe, the Colorado River, and the Mojave desert are all part of the heritage of the early Spanish settlers. Other Spanish words such as adios, amigo, rodeo, and adobe, have actually become part of the English language. More recently, a blend of English and Spanish known as Spanglish, producing expressions like ir al movies (to go to the movies), has developed, particularly in Texas, California, and south Florida, which have a high concentration of Latino residents.3. 正文段 以下主题句 Latin Americans have also added to the variety of the American diet. From the gourmet-style churrasco (marinated tenderloin of beef) to the everyday taco, Latin food has become an integral part of American dining habits. Foods ranging from black beans and rice in a Cuban restaurant to frozen burritos, tropical papayas, and jalapeno peppers on supermarket shelves are evidence of the Latin influences on the American diet. It is not surprising, therefore, that over $1 billion per year is spent on Mexican food in the United States.4. 正文段 以下主题句 American music, too, has become more diverse as a result of the Latino sound. The Salsa beat has had a startling effect on popular music, just as the rhythms of the tango and the cha-cha-cha have become a part of the repertoire of dance bands throughout the country. Instruments, such as the congas and the timbale, also have their origins in Latin countries. Mariachi bands, Brazilian jazz, and the new Miami Sound are further examples of the strong influences of Hispanic musical traditions on American culture.5. 结论段 以下总结 In summary, the language, the food, and the music, although a small part, are what Latin Americans have given to the United States. 以下最后陈述 In the final analysis, the essence of their contributions to American culture is a sensibilidad (a unique sense of style), which promoted Time magazine to report, “This sensibilidad is changing the way America looks, the way it eats, dresses, drinks, dances, the way it lives.” ParagraphPart One: The Topic SentenceA topic sentence is the sentence that states the subject that the paragraph will develop. A good topic sentence has the following features:1) It is a complete sentence; that is, it should contain a subject and a verb.2)It is usually a statement, not a question.3) It is the most general statement in the paragraph. It does not give any specific details.4) It has two parts: the topic and the controlling idea. The topic refers to the subject of the paragraph, and the controlling idea is a word or phrase that the reader can ask questions about: How? Why? In what ways? What does that mean? etc. A. Disneyland has (several unique attractions).The question a reader can ask is ?B. Listed below are (a number of tips) on how to get along with people.The question a reader can ask is ? C. Boys and girls have (different) dreams.The question a reader can ask is ?Exercise 3-2-2. Read each sentence below. Underline the topic and enclose the controlling idea in parentheses. 1.A homestay helps foreign students know more about American customs.2.First impressions can be misleading.3.Being a twin has both advantages and disadvantages.4.Its difficult for a Chinese student to study abroad.5.There are two factors which determine an individuals wisdom.Exercise 3-2-8. Rewrite the topic sentence:A phone call offers more advantages over a business letter. The first advantage of a phone call is speed, of course, because you can ordinarily be speaking with the other person within minutes of placing the calling. Another advantage is the fact that you can exchange information, clear up questions, and often reach an understanding on the basis of a single ten-minute phone call. In contrast, a letter gives you an opportunity to set forth (阐明) your views in a much more careful, detailed way. Furthermore, the other party has an opportunity to reread and think carefully about what you have said. The other person can also seek the advice of associates (有关人员) and, if necessary, check other documents thoroughly. Finally, a written message can always be taken from the files and consulted (查阅) if any question arises about exactly what was said.Exercise 3-2-9. Read the following paragraphs, and then write an appropriate topic sentence for each one. Paragraph one._. Some students stay up the night before, trying to cram into their brains what they avoided all semester. Others pace themselves, spending a little time each night going over the notes they took in class that day. Still others cross their fingers (祈盼、祷告) and hope they absorbed enough from lectures. Some dishonest students always pray that their classmates will give them the answers during the exams.Paragraph two. _. In college, for example, we use writing to communicate with our instructors and other students in a variety of classes, no matter what our majors are. Exams in many courses also require essays. On the job, we need to write to communicate with our employers, fellow workers, and customers. In fact, a major requirement for getting any good job is the ability to write effective letters, memos, reports, and summaries. A glance through the want ads shows that “good communication skills” are essential to high-paying jobs.Paragraph three._. First, some books on job hunting and business communication can tell him what to include on a resume and how to present the information on the page. Moreover, word processing programs frequently offer patterns for resumes that are easy to read and understand. Finally, copy centers offer professional-looking printing at low costincluding special paper that will make a resume stand out in the pile of applications an employer receives.Paragraph four._. In a host family, the student is able to learn about a different way of life by experiencing it with people who are from the culture and who can help explain it. Additionally, the student has the advantage of being surrounded by a group of people who can provide emotional support when he is feeling homesick and lonely. This is especially true when the family has children who are the same age as the international student. Finally, although not all homestay experiences are pleasant ones, the international student who lives with a host family will be able to practice the target language far more than one who lives with friends from the same country. Paragraph five._. Instead of cooking a simple, nourishing meal, we pop a frozen dinner into the oven. Worse still, instead of studying a daily newspaper, we are content with the capsule (概述) summaries on the network news. Worst of all, instead of walking even a few blocks to the local convenience store, we jump into our car.Exercise 3-2-10. Write a topic sentence based on the general topic Our Universitya) to describe the courses : _b) to compare it with another university: _c) to suggest improvements: _Part Two: Supporting SentencesThere are many ways for students to spend their summer vacations. First, they can find a part-time job in the holiday. Teaching a child and working for a company are both good choices for college students. Working in the holiday, they can not only earn some money, but also get more experience that they cant get on campus. Second, they can travel during the summer holiday. Some classmates can travel together to a city which is different from their hometown. Also, they can have a good time by swimming in the sea with their parents or by climbing the mountains. Third, the summer holiday is the best time for them to learn. A holiday is the good time for students to improve their spoken English. Besides, they can learn some other skills that they have no time to learn in the university. For example, they can learn how to play the guitar or play basketball. There are several methods to develop a topic sentence. (见课件)Exercise 3-2-1.Listed below are the reasons why the gap between the rich and the poor is obviously widening in China today.A _B _C _Exercise 3-2-2.Our library provides three services for its readers. A. The library has a huge collection of books from natural science to social science.B. Digital information is also available in the library.C.Journals are accessible to readers.The resulting paragraph:Our library provides three services for its readers. First, the library has a huge collection of books from natural science to social science. Since a variety of books are available, such as literature, law, education, economy, and psychology, readers can borrow whatever interests them. Reader are allowed to borrow ten books at a time and keep them for as long as seventy days. Second, digital information is also available in the library. This kind of service has made it easier for readers to get information. By searching and downloading what they need, readers can acquire great amount of knowledge. Last, but not least, journals are accessible to readers. Although journals can not be taken out of the library, readers can read them in the reading room. If a reader finds some essays useful, he can photocopy them. 1. Money cant serve every purpose in our daily life.2. Life is full of choices.3. Opportunities are only for the prepared minds.4. Im proud of some of the progress I have made so far.5. To effectively manage our time, we can use the following techniques. 6. Competition is a common phenomenon in our daily life.7. An individual deals with anxiety in a variety of ways.8. Chatting on the Internet has both advantages and disadvantages.9. There is more joy in simple pleasures than in lifes great events.10. Applying for a job can be a negative experience.Part Three: The Concluding Sentencea) Restate the topic sentence in different words. Do not just copy the topic sentence.Penguins and human beings have three aspects in common. First, like human beings, most penguins keep the same mate in their life. And both parents care for the young. Second, penguins also amuse themselves. For example, they often ride on floes (大浮冰) for no other reason than pleasure. Swimming is another activity they all enjoy. Finally, some of the penguins, like human beings, are thieves. They steal from each other the pebbles used for nest-building. When one catches another in the act, a great disturbance resembling a human quarrel ensures. So people can make a safe conclusion that penguins are similar to human beings in several respects.b)Summarize the main points in the paragraph. At present, there are two means of earthquake prediction. First, seismographs, which are instruments to record and measure earthquakes, can show when the earthquakes will probably happen. These instruments record the different kinds of waves, called S-waves and P-waves, that are sent out when the earth vibrates, or moves. Scientists have learned that P-waves slow down for a while and then speed up just before an earthquake. Thus, seismographs can predict earthquakes. The second way to predict earthquakes is to watch animal behaviors carefully. Scientists have noticed that dogs, chickens, horses, and other animals often behave in unusual ways before an earthquake. They run around excitedly and act afraid. Scientists think that animals can sense earth vibrations long before humans can. To sum up, scientists are trying to foretell the coming earthquakes by using scientific instruments and observing animal behaviors.c)Conclude the paragraph with comments such as a suggestion, a solution, a prediction, or a personal opinion.Football has more mystery than baseball. In football there is always doubt about where the ball is and where the play is going. In baseball, however, there is no sense of mystery; the ball is always out in the open. Football also has a faster pace than baseball. In football, one dramatic play follows another, while baseball drags on slowly with its strikes and ball. For these reasons I find football a more exciting sport to watch than baseball.Exercise 3-2-13. Write a concluding sentence for each of the following paragraphs.Paragraph one.A university professor has many duties. In the classroom, he lectures to the students and answers questions. If the professor is a science instructor, he also conducts laboratory experiments. During office hours, students are free to visit the professor to get help on difficult materials or problems. In addition, a professor may often work for many hours in a laboratory doing a research project. Another professor might spend his time writing a scholarly paper for a professional journal. Still another one might spend time writing a book. _.Paragraph two.People keep pets for three major purposes. First, pets are great companions. They prevent us from being lonely, but always waiting for us to come home. And pets give us relief from a stressful life by providing unconditional love. Second, pets make us healthy. Petting or talking to an animal can lower blood pressure, whereas talking to a human can raise blood pressure. Additionally pets can increase rate of survival after a heart attack. The rate of survival is one-third greater for those who have pets. Finally, pets provide mental and emotional benefits. Contact with animals stimulates both children and adults to talk more. Emotionally, pets make people feel better. _.Paragraph three.Valentines Day makes people feel sad if they are alone. Last Valentines Day, I was alone because I had broken up with my boyfriend the week before. On that Valentines Day, I was expecting roses and chocolates from him when he took me out to a romantic dinner, but instead I stayed in and ate a frozen pizza and a candy bar in front of the TV while I looked at my artificial flowers. I was so upset. Then, I found the present that I was going to give him on Valentines Day. It was a cute teddy bear holding a big heart that said, “I love you!” As I held it, I realized that the only Valentine card I had received was from my grandmother. I started to cry and wondered how many other people felt as sad as I did. _.Paragraph four.Going to college can be expensive. Everyone knows that tuition and room and board can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 per semester, but there are other expenses that make going to college even more expensive. For instance, books typically cost between $150 and $400 each term. Supplies, too, are not cheap, for as any student knows, paper, notebooks, writing utensils, and the many other supplies needed usually cost more at the college bookstore than at a local discount department store. For instance, a package of notepaper costing $1 at a discount store might cost $2 at a college bookstore. In addition, there are all kinds of special fees tacked onto the bill at registration time. A student might have to pay a $30 insurance fee, a $15 activity fee, a $10 fee to the student government association, and anywhere from $20 to $1