To write a good paragraph in communication, the writer first needs to decide upon his purpose or idea and to try to make it clear to his reader in a topic.

To write a good paragraph in communication, the writer first

needs to decide upon his purpose or idea and to try to make it

clear to his reader in a topic sentence. Then, almost

immediately, he should develop his idea by presenting relevant

supporting details. After that, he needs to give a logical

conclusion to the idea just discussed to satisfy the reader

psychologically. With all this, and with various other means of

paragraph development, he organizes the paragraph and gives

it an overall structure of unity.

Sentence Functions in Paragraph DevelopmentSentence Functions in Paragraph Development

Examine the sample below to see how the topic sentence (TS) establishes the focus, how the developing sentences (DS) present the supporting details, and how the concluding sentence (CS) summarizes the main idea.

Examine the sample below to see how the topic sentence (TS) establishes the focus, how the developing sentences (DS) present the supporting details, and how the concluding sentence (CS) summarizes the main idea.

Recent awareness of the energy shortage in America has brought the bicycle into renewed popularity. (TS) Citizens who own bikes find themselves pedaling to work and school rather than getting the car out of the garage. Owners of bicycle sales-and-repair shops find their business booming. Many cities have set aside “bikeways” for the convenience and safety of cyclists. Police reports show bicycle theft growing, and sellers of padlocks and chains for bike protection are making new profits. (DS) More and more Americans are discovering that pedal-pumping is cheaper than gas-pumping and that bicycles don’t make smog. (CS)

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Ex. 16 Identify the functions of the following sentences and

rearrange them in logical order to form a continuous whole.

The last sentence has been done for you. (Note: This

paragraph, developed from the same topic sentence as in the

sample, has a new focus — the awareness of the energy shortage

instead of the bicycle's new popularity.)

Ex. 16 Identify the functions of the following sentences and

rearrange them in logical order to form a continuous whole.

The last sentence has been done for you. (Note: This

paragraph, developed from the same topic sentence as in the

sample, has a new focus — the awareness of the energy shortage

instead of the bicycle's new popularity.)

____ People of all ages, in fact, are learning how to walk again.

____ Small cars, rather than huge gas-gulpers, are winning sales.

____ More and more Americans are beginning to treasure the limited energy supply in their daily life.

____ More and more people are riding buses and forming car pools to help reduce consumption of fuel, with some of the larger cities putting new push behind efforts to develop rapid-transit systems.

1. TS Recent awareness of the energy shortage in America has brought the bicycle into renewed popularity.

KeyKeyKeyKey

4. DS People of all ages, in fact, are learning how to walk again.

3. DS Small cars, rather than huge gas-gulpers, are winning sales.

5. CS More and more Americans are beginning to treasure the limited energy supply in their daily life.

2. DS More and more people are riding buses and forming car pools to help reduce consumption of fuel, with some of the larger cities putting new push behind efforts to develop rapid-transit systems.

1. TS Recent awareness of the energy shortage in America has brought the bicycle into renewed popularity.

Ex. 17 Supply relevant supporting details to each of the following topic sentences and work out one reasonable conclusion for each of them.

Ex. 17 Supply relevant supporting details to each of the following topic sentences and work out one reasonable conclusion for each of them.

1. Global warming is one of the most pressing environmental issues today.

2. Plastic wastes are becoming a serious environmental problem.

1. Global warming is one of the most pressing environmental issues today.

2. Plastic wastes are becoming a serious environmental problem.

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Global warming is one of the most pressing environmental

issues today. Cars and factories release large amounts of

greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere each year. These

gasses trap heat and make our atmosphere warmer and warmer.

If we do not start to do something about it right now, we will

suffer growing consequences such as floods and droughts, and

vast coastal areas will be under water.

Plastic wastes are becoming a harmful environmental

problem. Plastic products, such as bags, containers, boxes, etc.

have brought us convenience, but they have also brought

disastrous problems to our environment. As it is difficult to

dispose of plastic wastes, they will pile up on the earth for tens,

or even hundreds of years. Besides, plastics are the cause of

many deaths of animals and fish because they mistake them for

food. We must find a solution to plastic pollution before our

earth is covered with plastics.

4. DS People of all ages, in fact, are learning how to walk again.

3. DS Small cars, rather than huge gas-gulpers, are winning sales.

5. CS More and more Americans are beginning to treasure the limited energy supply in their daily life.

2. DS More and more people are riding buses and forming car pools to help reduce consumption of fuel, with some of the larger cities putting new push behind efforts to develop rapid-transit systems.

1. TS Recent awareness of the energy shortage in America has brought the bicycle into renewed popularity.

A formal letter of invitation to a symposium （研讨会） , for

um or conference is different from a personal letter. It is more li

ke the announcement of an event, informing the recipient of the

aim, topics and sponsor(s) of the event, and the place and time

it is to be held. Usually a registration form and a list of topics ar

e attached to it. Dates for papers, social events, and an introduc

tion of local sightseeing tours, etc., are also stated.

Letter of InvitationLetter of Invitation

Dear Colleague,

We invite you to attend an international symposium（研讨会） , to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, in September 1998, on standards for the protection of public health and the environment relative to radioactive（放射性的） waste disposal. The organizers, the Stockholm Environment Institute, the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, are pleased to be co-sponsors of this symposium.

The disposal and storage of radioactive waste is an issue of major concern. Thus, there is an increasing need to discuss, develop and finally work out the fundamental standards for protection of public health and the environment.

(To be continued on next page.)

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We are convinced that these standards will gain even more attention in the future. The aim of this symposium is to contribute significantly to the development and understanding of such standards. We hope that you will find topics of your interest and we are looking forward to seeing you in Stockholm.

Sincerely yours,

Nicholas Sonntag

Executive DirectorStockholmEnvironmentInstitute

Lars-Erik Holm

Director General The Swedish RadiationProtection Institute

Lawrence W. Weinstock

Acting DirectorU.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency

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Ex. 18 Write a letter of invitation to an international symposium

on city garbage disposal, simulating the framework and

structure of the sample letter as much as possible.

Ex. 18 Write a letter of invitation to an international symposium

on city garbage disposal, simulating the framework and

structure of the sample letter as much as possible.

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Dear Colleague / Sir / Madam,

We invite you to attend an international symposium on city garba

ge disposal to be held in Chengdu, China, in May 2003. The Envir

onment Institute of China and the Chengdu Municipal Governme

nt are pleased to be co-sponsors of this symposium.

The disposal of city garbage is an issue of major concern for eve

ry city in the world. Thus, there is an increasing need to discuss,

exchange and develop effective ways for garbage disposal witho

ut doing any harm to the environment.

(To be continued on next page.)

The aim of this symposium is to contribute significantly to the development of healthy environment in cities. We hope that you will find the topics of your interest and we are looking forward to seeing you in Chengdu.

Sincerely yours,

Qian Shenli

DirectorEnvironment Instituteof China

Zhang Xilai

MayorShudu MunicipalGovernment

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