Masakazu Asai

Exercise 6. After reading the essay «What Surprised Me About The U.S.» answer the following questions.

1.How many paragraphs are there in the essay?

2.What is the thesis statement?

3.What are the topic sentences in paragraphs 2,3 and 4?

4.How is each supporting paragraph developed ? (examples, details..)

5.What is the author's conclusion?

6.What transition words are used between the paragraphs?

KEY CONCEPT: INTRODUCTION The first paragraph of a composition is typically the introduction. The purpose of the introduction is to capture the interest of the readers and make them want to read the composition. In addition, the introduction usually contains the thesis statement, the main idea sentence for the paper

Beginning seems to be the hardest part of аnу activity. Writing compositions is no different from washing dishes, paying the phone bill, or coming to the U.S. to study. It is hard to take the first step. Below are some first steps you might want to use when you begin your composition.

Ways to Begin

1. By recounting a story that leads into the main idea.

The foreign student and her American friend were finished talking. They agreed to meet that night to study together. As Elise was walking away she turned and saw her American friend waving. She was puzzled, but she walked back to her friend. The American looked surprised. "What's wrong?" she asked. "You waved me to come back," Elise replied. "No, I was waving good-bye!" The two girls began laughing when they realized they had just become victims of cultural misunderstanding. We usually think of cultural differences as differences in dress, food, traditions, or spoken language. But body language is perhaps the most surprising example of cultural differences.

2. By giving an appropriate quotation.

"I never made a mistake," said the humorist Will Rogers, "partly because I never made a decision." That sentiment accurately reflects life. If you never make a decision, you never have to say that you have made a mistake. But for students, decision-making is an important part of life. The most important decision a student has to make is what his or her major will be. When making this decision, there are several factors to consider.

3. By making a prediction.

Today we see increased use of technology in entertainment, education, and business. The need for technical knowledge used to be regarded as knowledge for specialists, but our everyday experience contradicts that old attitude. Educators are beginning to realize that technical knowledge must be incorporated into our educational system; without that knowledge, students will be unprepared for the future jobs.

4. By defining a term.

Success is a word defined in different ways by different people. However, one definition that suits everyone is "the achievement of your goals. " But how do people go about setting those goals?

The following steps will help to answer that question.

Exercise 7.Working in pairs or small groups, write an introductory paragraph on one of the topics: «My First Day at the University», «A Friend is a Present You Give Yourself». Share your introductions with the class.

KEY CONCEPT: CONCLUSION The last paragraph of a composition is usually the conclusion. The purpose of the conclusion is to summarize the importance of the composition, to be sure that the readers have gotten the point, and to show the broader implications of the thesis

If we have done our work, written a good thesis statement, and then supported it with an adequate number of details (data, examples, narrations, and so on), the conclusion should almost "write itself." Nevertheless, there are some common ways to vary our endings. The conclusions below were written to go with the corresponding beginnings given to you earlier.

Ways to End

1.By restating the thesis.

Thus, as these anecdotes illustrate, people go to a foreign country anticipating differences in dress and food. Even cultural traditions present few unexpected problems and are greeted with genuine curiousity. Certainly the visitor expects to have to cope with language problems. One example of this is the increasing number of short foreign language courses for travelers of all kinds, from the casual tourist to the businessman. Surprisingly, it is the subtle and unspoken language, body language, that most reminds us of how deep cultural differences can be.

2. By making a prediction.

In September, thousands and thousands of new university students will arrive at campuses all over the country. Of those, virtually 100% will have declared majors. But within three years those who have not considered the factors outlined above will have changed their majors, perhaps more than once.

3. By asking a question.

Few if any, deny the increasing need for technical knowledge in our educational system. But given the bureaucracy of most school systems, the unwillingness of the taxpayer to finance more expenditures for new teachers or equipment, and the lack of a real plan on the part of supporters of technical education, we have to ask not only when but how this incorporation will ever take place.

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