主题句中提及。

Practice 13 Chronological Topic Sentence

Step 1 Put a check in the space to the left of every topic sentence suggesting that a chronological paragraph will follow.

Step 2 Circle the word or words in the sentences you have checked that indicate chronological order.

Example _______ In the past twenty-five years, developments in the field of electronics

have revolutionized the computer industry.

________ 1. The worst day in my life was the day I left my family and my friends to come to the United States.

_________2. In my opinion, television programs can be divided into three types: excellent, mediocre, and poor.

_________3. The life cycle of the Pacific salmon is one of nature’s most fascinating phenomena.

_________4. Gold is prized for two important characteristics.

_________5. In the event of an earthquake, you should follow certain procedures in order to minimize the danger.

_________6. The tensions that led to the race riots of 1964 had been building for years.

_________7. The election of a U.S. President is a very long and complex process.

_________8. Smoking damages not only your lungs. but also your heart.

_________9. There are three reasons I believe that women should be drafted along with men.

________10. The rise of terrorists groups in the past few years is an indication

of the spread of anarchistic tendencies in the world.

Practice 13: Outlining a Chronological Paragraph Model: Outline for The Evolution of Computers

Transition Signals: In the relatively short span of twenty-five years, there has been an incredible evolution in the size and capabilities of computers.

A. First computers were so large that they required special air-conditioned rooms.

B. Desk-sized computers were developed.

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C. A third generation of computers using integrated circuits appeared.

D. Microprocessors less than one square centimeter in size were developed.

E. Even smaller and more sophisticated computers will be on the market soon.

Outline the paragraph “How to reduce the danger of smoking”. Include only the topic sentence, the six main steps, and the concluding sentence in your outline. Do not write every sentence. Put the transition signals in parentheses to the left of each supporting point, as in the example above.

******* Writing Practice

A. Choose a topic from the suggestions listed below.

Step 1 Write an outline, listing the main steps or main events that you will explain

in your paragraph.

Step 2 Add chronological transition signals at appropriate points in the left margin

of your outline.

Step 3 Write your paragraph from your outline.

Topic Suggestions a. Process Topics

How to study for a test, take a test, or find a book in the library. How to cure the hicoughs, a hangover, “the blues,” “the blanks” How to put on makeup, put in contact lenses

How to make a perfect cup of coffee, cup of tea etc. b. Historical Topics

Use some of all of the following data to write a brief history of manned space flights.

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Manned Space Flights

Crew/Date of Mission

Mission Name Comments

Yuri Gagarin(April 12, 1961)

John Glenn. Jr. (February 20, 1962)

Aleksei Leonov(March 18, 1965)

4 Russian cosmonauts(January, 1969)

3 U.S.astronauts(July 20, 1969)

2 Russian cosmonauts and 3 U.S. astronauts (July, 1975)

John Young and Robert Crippen (April 12-15, 1981)

Vostok 1

Mercury-Atlas 6

Voskhod 2

Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5

Apollo-Saturn 11 Soyuz19 Apollo 18

Space Shuttle Columbia

First manned orbital flight

First American in orbit

First “space walk” (10 minutes)

First transfer of crew members from one spacecraft to another First landing on the moon

U.S.-U.S.S.R. joint flight. Crews linked up in space.

conducted experiments and shared meals.

First flight of a reusable space vehicle

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依重要性而排列需注意两点： 1．最重要的一点放在第一或最后 2．用表明事件重要性的过渡词 Model 2: Order of Importance

The Causes of Inflation

Inflation is an economic condition in which prices for consumer goods increase, and the value of money or purchasing power decreases. There are three important causes of inflation. The first and most important cause maybe excessive government spending. For example, in order to finance a war or carry out social programs, the government may spend more money than it has received through taxes and other revenue, thus creating a deficit. In order to offset this deficit, the Treasury Department can simply expand the money supply by issuing more paper money to meet the debts of government. This increase in the money supply will cause the value of the dollar to automatically decrease. The second cause of inflation occurs when the money supply increases faster than the supply of goods. If people have more money, they will run out to buy popular goods like televisions and computers, for example, and a shortage will result. Industry will then produce more, at higher prices, to satisfy demand. Furthermore, if people think that the prices of popular goods are going up, they will buy and even borrow money at high interest rates to pay for them. Finally, if labor unions demand that workers’ wages be increased to cover the high cost of living, industry will meet this demand and add other costs of production on to consumers. In summary, all of these causes can create inflationary problems that can affect the welfare of a nation. However, of these three causes, excessive government spending may be the most important.

Practice 14: Topic Sentences for Order of Importance

Step 1 Put a check in the space to the left of every topic that suggests order

of importance organization.

Step 2 Circle the word or words in the checked sentences which indicate this.

Example ________ A political leader today must possess four important qualities. ________1. My twenty-first birthday was a day I will never forget.

________2. In terms of salary. power, and status, women are behind men in most occupations.

________3. Some meteorologists believe that another ice age is approaching. ________4. Living in a dormitory offers three advantages to a newly arrived foreign student.

5. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants manufacture their

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