实用英语写作技巧

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单元目录

第一单元 段落简介
第二单元 主题句简介
第三单元 如何写好主题句
第四单元 如何写推展句
第五单元如何写结论句
第六单元 如何写好一个段落（Ⅰ）
第七单元  如何写好一个段落（Ⅱ）
第八单元 推展段落方法之一——事实与数据法
第九单元 推展段落方法之二——叙述法
第十单元 推展段落方法之三——描述法
第十一单元 推展段落方法之四
第十二单元 组织段落方法——时间顺序法和空间顺序法
第十三单元 推展段落方法之五——举例法
第十四单元 推展段落方法之六
第十五单元 推展段落方法之七——下定义法
第十六单元 推展段落方法之八——分类法
第十七单元 推展段落方法之九——因果法（Ⅰ）
第十八单元 推展段落方法之九——因果法（Ⅱ）
第十九单元 组织段落方法——重要性和熟悉度顺序
第二十单元 推展段落方法——混合方法
第二十一单元 从段落到篇章
第二十二单元 篇章的统一性、支撑性、连贯性和一致性
第二十三单元 如何用举例法推展篇章
第二十四单元 如何用比较与对照法推展篇章
第二十五单元 如何用定义与分类法推展篇章
第二十六单元 如何用过程分析法推展篇章
第二十七单元 如何用因果法推展篇章
第二十八单元 情景作文Situational Composition
第二十九单元 主题句作文Topic Sentence Composition
第三十单元 关键词作文Key Words Composition
第三十一单元 给出题目作文Title-Given Composition
第三十二单元 图表作文Writing a Composition According
第三十三单元 英文书信写作English Letter Writing
第三十四单元 转换词语Transitional Words and Phrases
第三十五单元 总复习Revision Exercises



第一单元 段落简介

1．1段落

段落是构成文章的一组句子。段落必须表达完整的意思：或描写事物（describe something），或争论某事（argue about something），或对某事提出疑问（question something），或要求什么（demand something），或给事物下定义（define something），或驳斥某观点（reject something）。

1．2典型段落的构成

一个典型的段落通常由三部分组成：（1）主题句（the topic sentence）；（2）说明或支持主题的推展句（ supporting sentences）；（3）结论句（the concluding sentence）（有些段落没有该部分）。

示范段落1-1

We all know that cigarette smoking is a dangerous habit because it causes health problems． Doctors say it can be a direct cause of cancer of the lungs and throat and can also contribute to cancer of other organs． In addition， it can bring about other health problems such as heart and lung diseases． It is clearly identified as one of the chief causes of death in our society．

1．3示范段落分析

这是一个典型的段落，可概括提纲如下：

主题句： We all know that cigarette smoking is a dangerous habit，because it causes health problems．

推展句： 1． Doctors say it can be a direc cause of cancer of the lungs and throat and can also contribute to cancer of other organs．

2． It can bring about other health problems such as heart and lung diseases．

结论句： It is clearly identified as one of the chief causes of death in our society．

从以上提纲可见，主题句提出了一个问题： What kind of health problems does cigarette smoking cause？随后的两个推展句回答了这个问题，结论句总结了推展句并再一次强调主题句。

Exercise 1-1

Directions： Read the following paragraphs and find out the topic sentence， the supporting details and the concluding sentence， if there is one．



（1）



The need for wildlife protection is greater now than ever before．About a thousand species of animals are in danger of extinction,，and the rate at which they are being destroyed has increased． With mammals， for instance， the rate of extinction is now about one species every year； from A． D． 1 to 1800， the ratewas about one species every fifty years． Everywhere， men are trying o solve the problem of preserving wildlife while caring at the same time for the world’s growing population．

Topic Sentence：____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Details： 1．________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2．_______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Concluding Sentence：________________________________________

______________________________________________________________



（2）



The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs．For example， in both America and England， people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time． Also， most English men will open a door for a woman or offer their seat to a woman， and so will most Americans． Promptness is important both in England and in America． That is， if a dinner invitation is for 7 o’clock， the dinner guest either arrives close to that time or calls up to explain his delay．

Topic Sentence：____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Details： 1．______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________



2．_______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3．________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Concluding Sentence：________________________________________

______________________________________________________________



（3）



Birds use many different materials to build nests．Some birds use bits of grass． The tailor-bird of Africa and India uses grass to sew leaves together． Other birds find twigs and pebbles useful．

Topic Sentence：_____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Details： 1．_____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2．______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

3．______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Concluding Sentence：_______________________________________

______________________________________________________________

gherry511

楼主辛苦!多谢!

旭日艳阳

LZ辛苦了。

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第三十五单元 总复习Revision Exercises

  

As is known to all，‘practice makes perfect’．Good，effective writing can only be achieved through much practice．So in this unit，we intend to give you 20 topics for your writing practice．

Exercise 35-1

Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the title“Computers”．You should base your composition on the following outline．Your composition should be about 120 words．Remember to write clearly．

Computers

1）计算机在现代社会中的作用；

2）计算机在家庭中的作用；

3）你对计算机的看法。

Exercise 35-2

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay by using the cause-effect technique to illustrate how overpopulatlon threatens the development of society．The following outline information will be of help．

Overpopulation Poses a Threat to the Development of Societies

1）scarcity of resources，including land

2）shortage of food

3）lack of health care，educational facilities and work opportunities

Exercise 35-3

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph composition of no less than 120words on the title“The Advantages and Disadvantages of Air Travel”

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Air Travel

Exercise 35-4

Directions：Write a composition on the title“The Project Hope”．Your composition should be based on the outline below

and should be start with the given opening sentence：

Education plays a very important role in the

modernization of our country．

The Project Hope

1）Present situation of education in our country；

2）Necessity of the project；

3）My suggestions．

Exercise 35-5

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph composition in no less than 120words on the title“For a Better Understanding between Parents and Children”．Your composition should bebased on the outline below and should be written clearly on the Composition Sheet．

Outline：

1）Present situation：lack of communication between parents and children

2）Possible reasons：a．different likes and dislikes

b．misunderstanding

c．others

3）Suggestions：a．for parents

b．for children

Exercise 35-6

Directions：Write a composition of about 120 words explaining how the dues of membership are spend．Use the information contained in the pie chart and your composition should be based on the outline given below．

Use of Photo Club Membership Dues Outline：



1）source of dues and areas of expenses

2）the largest and the smallest areas of spending

3）conclusion

Exercise 35-7

Directions：Write a composition on the title“Developing Listening Ability”．You are given the first sentence of each paragraph and are required to develop the given topic sentences into three paragraphs．Your composition should be about 120 words，not including the words given．

On Developing Listening Ability

1）At present，some Chinese students don't pay enough attention to the development of their listening ability．

2）As a matter of fact，listening is one of the most important ways to study a foreign language．

3）Personally，I believe that……

Exercise 35-8

Directions：Write a composition about“The Profession I Like to Follow”in three paragraphs．Your composition must be based on the outline given below and it should be no less than 120 words．

The Profession I Like to Follow

1）My definition of an ideal profession；

2）Reasons for my definition；

3）An example of my ideal profession．

Exercise 35-9

Directions：Write a composition of no less than 120 words on“The Early Model T Ford Cars”．Study the following table carefully；Your composition must be based on the informtion given in the table．Write three paragraphs to：

1）state the changes in the price of the cars；

2）state the changes in the output of the cars；

3）draw your own conclusions（reasons why Henry

Ford's cars have been so popular in the U．S．A．）



Exercise 35-10

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph composition on the title“Things Making Life Happy”．Your composition should be at least 120 words．Remember to support the main idea with details and make your conclusion．Write clearly．

Things Making Life Happy

Exercise 35-11

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph composition on the title“How to Prepare Steamed Crabs”．You should develop your

composition by using the given opening sentence belowand remember to use signal words to show clearly the different steps in the procedure．

How to Prepare Steamed Crabs

Almost everyone who lives in Guangdong likes to eat crabs．But do you know how to prepare them？

Exercise 35-12

Directions：You are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition based on the graph below．The suggested title is“Car Accidents in Beijing”．Your composition should be no less than 120 words and you should quote as few figures as possible．Remember that your composition must be written according to the following outline：

1）Rise and fall of the rate of car accidents as indicated by the graph；

2）Possible reason（s）for the decline of car accidents in the city；

3）Your predictions of what will happen in the following year．





Exercise 35-13

Directions：Write a composition entitled“Reform and Open-door Policy in China”by developing the three given topic sentences into three paragraphs．Your composition should be about 120 words，not including the given sentences．

Reform and Open-door Policy in China

1）China's reform and open-door policy，which started ten years ago，has brought China a lot of benefit sand has changed our lives greatly．

2）But we are facing some new problems in the course of the reform and open-door policy．

3）In spite of the above mentioned problems，we should……

Exercise 35-14

Directions：Suppose your hobby is stamp-collecting，write a composition of no less than 120 words about this hobby using the following key words and expressions．

Key Words and Expressions：

at my leisure，never ending pleasure，album，historic data，distant land，customs，like-minded collector，show off，the latest find，stamp-collecting king

Exercise 35-15

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph composition on the title“Causes of Teenager Smoking”．Your composition should be at least 120 words and you must use the following keywords and expressions in your composition．

Key Words and Expressions：

turn to smoking，personal insecurity，as a way to，hide nervousness，fashionable，boredom，be eager to，behave like adults

Causes of Teenager Smoking

Exercise 35-16

Directions：Write a composition about“Causes for Air Pollution in the Northeastern City of Lanzhou”．Your composition

must be based on the outline given and it should be no

less than 120 words．

Causes for Air Pollution in the Northeastern City of Lanzhou

1）There are a lot of factories and oil refineries．

（Hinted information：few anti-pollution devices）

2）The city is built between and around hills．

（Hinted information：air trapped between the mountains not allowing the winds to disperse the air）

3）People use coal fires in winter and there are too many cars and trucks in the city．

（Hinted information：chemicals dumped in the Yellow River）

Exercise 35-17

Directions：According to the information given in the following chart，write a 3-paragraph report by using the technique of Comparison and Contrast to illustrate the increase and decrease of main causes of traffic accidents in Zhanjiang between 1993 and 1994．





Exercise 35-18

Directions：Write a letter of application in no less than 120 words．Follow the given directions and outline below．

假设你是一个华南师范大学数学系的学生，你从报纸上看到一技术学校要招聘一名数学教师的广告，写信应征并作自我推荐，内容包括：

1）修完一个数学系学生应学的全部课程；

2）学业成绩优秀或接近优秀；

3）通过大学英语四级通考；

4）向该学校介绍个人品德、能力。

Exercise 35-19

Directions：Write a composition about“The Presevation of Wild Life”in three paragraphs．Your composition must be based on the outline given and it should be no less than120 words．

1）Necessity of presevation of wild life

2）Possible measures（What can be done to preservewild life）

3）My suggestions

Exercise 35-20

Directions：write a composition on the title“My Hometown”in no less than 120 words．

My Hometown

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第三十四单元 转换词语Transitional Words and Phrases

  

34．1 Introduction

In the writing of English compositions，we have to use transitional words or phrases in order to make logical connections between individual sentences and paragraphs as well as enhance the overall coherence of an essay．Otnerwise，the paragraph or the essaywill be loosely connected．To see the difference，let's compare the following two versions of a paragraph：

  

（1）

  

Speaking and writing are different in many ways．Speech depends on sounds．Writing uses written symbols．Speech developed about 500，000 years ago．Written language is a comparatively recent development．It was invented only about six thousand years ago．Speech is usually Informal．The word choice in writing is often relatively formal．Pronunciation and accent are ignored in writing．A standard diction and spelling system prevails in the writtenlanguage of most countries．Speech relies on gesture，loudness，and the rise and fall of the voice．Writing lacks gesture，loudness，and the rise and fall of the voice．Careful speakers and writers are aware of the difference．

  

（2）

  

Speaking and writing are different in many ways．Speech depends on sounds；writing，on the other hand，uses written symbols． Speech was developed about 500，000 years ago，but written language is a comparatively recent development，invented only about six thousand years ago．Speech is usually informal，while the word choice of writing，by contrast，is often relatively formal．Although pronunciation and accent are ignored in writing，a standard diction and spelling system prevails in the written language of most countries．Speech relies on gesture，loudness，and the rise and fall of the voice，but writing lacks these features．Careful speakers and writers are aware of the differences．

34．2 Analysis of the above two versions

In paragraph（1），almost all connections are missing．Therefore，it is rather difficult for us to tell in how many ways speaking and writing are different．In paragraph（2），however，by using the six comparsion and contrast transitions，“on the other hand”，“but”，“while”，“by contrast”and“although”，we can easily identify that speaking and writing are different in six aspects．

34．3 常用的转换词语类型（Types of Commonly Used Transitional Words or Phrases）

1）Listing列举

first，second，third

firstly，secondly，thirdly

first，furthermore，finally

in the first place，in the second place，finally

last but not least

first and most important

to begin with，next，then，finally

the former…the latter the first step，the second step，the

next step

2）Illustrating（giving examples）说明（举例）

for example（f．e．）                           including

for instance（i．d．）                            mainly

namely                                                 such as

3）Emphasizing强调

obviously                                    certainly

undoubtedly                                especially

surely                                         above     all

indeed                                        most      important of    all

in                                               fact most       importantly

very                                           likely

4）Paralleling并列

or            that is，that's to say           not only…but（also）

and          in other words                    both…and                     as well as

neither…nor                                      either…or

5）Adding补充

also（too）           gain                      furthermore

further                  moreover              what is more

then                      in addition             besides

as                         well（as）

6）Comparison and Contrast比较与对照

comparatives：the same…as；be similar to；and…．，too；

（比较连接词）and…so…；not…and…not…，either；not

…neither…；both…and…；neither…nor…；

Just as…，so…；resemble；have…in common；

There are similarities between…and…

in the same way；equally important；

similarly

Contrastives：be…adj．/adv．+ er…than；more…than…；

（对照连接词）less…than…；not so…as；Unlike…/

Contrary to…/As opposed to…；Although/

Whereas/While；contrast with/differ from/

be different from；however/on the other

hand/in contrast

7）Time时间

now                 in the past          until

soon                recently              after a while

later                 nowadays           not long after

then                 while                 in the mean time

before              since                  meanwhile

8）Space Order空间

under the table                       in the distance

on the hilltop                         across the river

in front of the room               next to the door

in the back of the room          on the front wall

on the tenth floor                   along the street

nearby                                  far away

inside the house                     outside the school

behind the cupboard               by the window

round the corner                    on the opposite side of the street

at the foot of the mountain      at the bottom of the sea

9）Cause and Effect因果

since                                            so…that…

because                                        thus

because of this/that                        hence

because of the fact that                  therefore

as a result                                     accordingly

as a result of                                 otherwise

be due to                                      be responsible for

consequently                                 cause

be a consequence of                      lead to

as a consequence of                      contribute to

be the reason for                           result in

follow from                                  bring about

result from                                   give rise to

10）Concluding总结

in conclusion                                to conclude

to sum up                                     in brief

at last                                           in short

finally

11）Qualifying转折（限定）

but                   however                  （al）though

yet                   except for                nevertheless

of course          after al                    clearly

still

34．4 Assignment for Unit 34

Directions：There are twenty blanks in the following passage．For each blank there is a transitional word or phrase missing．You should choose the appropriate word or phrase of each blank from the given words or phrases below ．Be sure to use each of the given words or phrases，some of which may appear twice．

similarly，therefore，but，however，first of all，and，even，finally，for example，secondly，on the other hand，further-more，third，when，nevertheless，as aresult，or

Since we Americans are a blend of people from many countries，we have a very short history which can properly be called“American”．____，it is hard to find characteristics which apply to all Americans．We combine many extremes from many different cultures．____，we can make some generalizations．Our main characteristics include individuality，a combination of idealism and practicality，materialism，____a lack of parental influence，all of which permeate our lives．

____，we Americans value individuality．Our country was founded by strong individuals，and we do not like to be forced into conformity．Therefore，we insist on having a great deal of freedom．Interestingly enough，____，most Americans use this freedom to behave very much like most other Americans，and we are suspicious of those who do not conform．Hippies are individualists，____，but most Americans do not like them．By the same token，we consider ourselves very faithful to the laws of our country，____there are few among us who would not break one if it was felt that no harm would be done by doing so—such as by exceeding the speed limit or failing to report informally-received cash income on tax forms．

____，we Americans are both practical and idealistic．We place great value on doing things forourselves，for this is what our pioneer forefathers were forced to do．Many foreign visitors are surprised to find that many couples of comfortable means do their own yard work，their own house-work，their own repairs．____，we are very idealistic：We think we have the best political，social，and economic system yet devised，and we ____expect everything to go smoothly．

____our idealism，we are easily disillusioned．This is why so many marriages end in divorce—young couples' expectations from marriage are unrealistically high．____，it helps explain the dissatisfactions and protests of many young people，and ____older people，who enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world．

A ____characteristics of us Americans is that money is more important than prestige to us．People work extremely hard，so many，unfortunately，either have little leisure time，or do not know how to enjoy it．Why do we work so hard？It is not to achieve greater status or prestige，but simply to have more of the material objects and comfort that money can buy．

____，our parents have less influence on us than parents do in other countries．Many children are left in day-care centers by their working mothers，____with baby sitters when their parents go out at night．____，peer pressure is very great because children's feelings and desires are taken very seriously，and they are given a lot of freedom to form strong personalities．We leave home at a relatively early age，usually after high school，to take jobs and have our own apartments，____to go to college，where we are allowed a great deal of freedom．We choose our own spouses，even if our parents object，And，later in life，____our parents are old and helpless，we often live far away from them；many prefer to put them in nursing homes rather than to have the responsibility of caring for them daily．Many foreigners find this practice heartless．I suppose it is，____like many other qualities we Americans share，it is subject to change over a relatively short period of time．

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第三十三单元 英文书信写作English Letter Writing

  

33．1 Introduction

Letter writing tests the English letter writing skill of the examinees．In this unit，we are going to focus on different types of letter writing，their form and language．We will also give you some advice on how to write an effective English letter．

33．2 Type of letters（信的类型）

English letters are generally divided into two types：

a．personal letters个人书信

b．business letters事务书信

33．3 Form（格式）

An English letter usually consists of six parts：heading（信头），inside address（收信人地址），salutation（称呼），body（信主体），complimentary close（结尾客套语）and signature（署名）．

1）Heading：In the upper right hand corner of the first page，write your full address and the date．

2）Inside Address：On the left side，above the salutation，put the name and full address of the addressee．However，this is often omitted in personal letters．

3）Salutation：The greeting to the addressee，written flush with the left margin，two spaces below the inside address．A comma follows the salutation in a personal letter；in a business letter，it is followed by a colon（：）．Besides，in personal letters，first names are usually used，while in business letters，the surnames are used．

4）Body：The contents of the letter．

5）Complimentary Close：The closing of a letter．

The conventional complimentary closes in business letters are：“Yours truly，”“Yours sincerely，”“Sincerely yours，”“Sincerely，”“Cordially yours，”“Yours cordially，”etc．

The close of a personal letter is of a more free choice．“Yours，”Affectionately，“Fondly，”“Yours with love，”“Love，”“With best wishes，”etc．

6）Signature：Put your name（always handwritten）．

The table below will give you a more visual presentation of the letter form：



33．4 Language（语言）

The style and tone of a personal letter（个人书信的写作风格和笔调）differ from those of a business letter．While the former is casual（随便自然），the latter is formal（正规）．A business letter should be polite in tone（笔调客气），exact and concise in wording（选词精确、恰当）．However，for either of them，the style should be clear and direct（清晰、达意）．Also，paragraphs in business letters tend to be short．The first and last paragraphs are usually single-sentence paragraphs．

33．5 Advice on How to Write English Letters in CET—4Exams

1）Carefully read the directions and the requirements，distinguish the type of the letter：a personal letter or a business letter．

2）Be clear about the purpose of the writing，and what you are to express in the letter．

3）Write according to the appropriate form．Pay attention to the different writing requirements of a personal and business letter．

4）Try to be clear，direct，concise in your writing，avoiding too many complimentary words．

Model of a Business Letter：

Department of Computer Science

Southeast University

Nanjing，Jiangsu Province 210025

People's Republic of China

February 8，1996

Office of Foreign Students

Yale University

New Haven，Connecticut，06520

U．S．A．

Dear Sir/Madame：

I am a senior at the Department of Computer Science，Southeast University，expecting to graduate in July this year．I am writing to inquire about the possibility of being enrolled in your university as a graduate student as of September，1994．

In the past three years，I have majored in Computer Science．Presently，I am doing my graduation project．Enclosed is the transcript of all the subjects which I have so far completed at my university．I received an excellent score in the College English Test Band-Six（CET-6）sponsored by the Educational Commission of China and therefore my knowledge of English is adequate for me to continue my studies in the U．S．A．

Please send me information on admission to your univetsity．As I have no relatives in the U．S．A．，I would also like to know about the procedures for applying for finacial aid．

Thank you very much．I look forward to hearing from you soon．

Yours sincerely，

（Mr．）Zhang Hua

Writing Assignment for Unit 33

指示：你原计划要回家度暑假。写一封信告诉家人你现在决定不回去了，并解释原因。请在30分钟内写完。

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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第三十二单元 图表作文Writing a Composition According

to Tables and Graphs

  

32．1 Introduction

This kind of writing is an information interpretation process．The information may be given in numbers，lines or curves，etc．，usually a few explanations are given．The organization of the writing is essential to a good essay of tables and graphs．Generally，it is as follows：

  

General introduction——Analysis——Conclusion

概要介绍——分析图表——总结概括

  

That is，in the first paragraph，you have to demonstrate the general situation of what has been reflected in the table or graph；Then，in the second paragraph，you have to analyse carefully the numbers，lines or curves，and point out the rate of increase or discrease；In the end，you have to write your own opinion or comment．

Sample Test Item

Directions：Write a composition based on the title and the following chart in no less than 120 words．The causes are given under the horizontal line and the precentage of the totalof 80 fire incidents is given in the vertical column on the left．write clearly．

Leading Causes of Fires in China（1987）



32．2 Basic Writing Process of the Composition

1）Have a correct understanding of the given information，and grasp the main idea；

2）Make a careful analysis of the information，for example，ask yourself the questions like：

a．Who or what caused the fires？

b．What is the relationship between cause and frequency of fires？

3）Write an outline；

4）Use the right technique of writing．（The most common techniques used in this kind of writing is：comparison and contrast．）

32．3 Analysis of the Sample Test Item

The main idea of the graph is：Fire causes．From the graph，we know that there are three main causes of fires：

a．Smokers                                                           （nearly50％）

b．Defective insulation                                                    （38％）

c．Children playing with matches                                     （12％）

Thus，we can，by comparing the above information，make a comment of the main topic，then reach a conclusion．

Model Essay 32-1

From the graph above，we can see that fire，one of the most terrible killers in China，is mainly caused by smokers，defective insulations or children playing with matches．

In 1987，80 fire incidents took place in China．While nearly50％were caused by smokers，38％were caused by defective insulation，and12％were caused by children playing with matches．No matter what the type of the fire，we can almost be sure that they were caused by carelessness．

From the graph，we can conclude that smokers are the leading cause of fires，but we also need to educate our children，warning them of the dangers of playing with matches and instruct workers be more careful with insulation．

Writing Assignment for Unit 32

Directions：Write a composition based on the statistical table about the total amount of China import and export．Yourcomposition should be no less than 100 words．



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第三十一单元 给出题目作文Title-Given Composition

  

31．1 Introduction

A title-given composition requires students to grasp the ideas expressed in the title，and to create a piece of writing that has unity，support and coherence． Because there is no hints or any extra information in addition to the title．This kind of writing is comparatively difficult．But students may have a lot of freedom in writing．

Sample Test Item

Directions：Write a composition on the topic“Should Firecrackers Be Banned？”Your composition should be at least 100words．Remember to support the main idea with details and make your conclusion．Coherence is also important．

Write clearly．

31．2 Advice on How to Write the Composition

1）Examine the title carefully and make sure that you understand the main idea of the title；

2）Organize your ideas and write out an outline；

3）Produce a topic sentence for each paragraph；

4）Draft your essay．

31．3 Analysis of the Sample Test Item

1）Main idea of the title

The controlling idea is“firecrackers”．You seem to have a lot to write about．But your topic has been limited by the sentence“Should…be banned？”It is an interrogative sentence，so it must be a controversial topic．

2）Outline of the sample

Since it is a controversial topic，different opinions must exist．Thus，it is advisable to write out the conflicting opinions of different people．

a．different people have different opinions

b．good—reflects the heritage of Chinese culture

adds much to the warm atmosphere

adds emjoyment of people

bad—brings great economic loss to the country

causes certain disorder in the society

pollutes our environment

c．Your own opinion and conclusion

3）Topic Sentence of each paragraph

① Firecrackers have been used in China for hundreds of years．

② People in China have different opinions about setting off firecrackers．

③ In my opinion，setting off firecrackers should be banned．

Model Essay 31-1

  

Should Firecrackers be Banned？

  

Firecrackers have been used in China for hundreds of years．Firecrackers were always part of New Year's celebrations，weddings and other important occasions．

In recent years，however，people in China have different opinions about the old custom of setting off firecrackers．Some people think setting off firecrackers is a good thing，because it reflects the heritage of Chinese culture．It also adds much to the enjoyment of people and the warm atmosphere during important holidays．But others，on the other hand，believe that setting off firecrackers should be banned．The main reasons in their eyes are that it not only brings great economic loss to the country，but also causes certain disorder in the society．Furthermore，it pollutes our environment．

In my opinion，setting off firecrackers should be banned．However，we should replace this old custom with new enjoyable and safe ways of entertainment．Only then can we spend our holidays in a peaceful and joyful manner．

Exercise for Unit 31

Directions：（略） Is Failure a Bad Thing？

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第三十单元 关键词作文Key Words Composition

  

30．1 Introduction

In this kind of composition，a series of key words are given together with the title．It requires students' imagination and association in connecting the words logically without going astray from the main topic．

Sample Test Item

指示：在30分钟内以“City and Countryside”为题，写一篇120词左右的短文，必需包括下列关键词及表达方式，要求使用正确、恰当。

Key                        Words                      and   Expressions：

similarities               differences                environment

transportation          education                  entertainment

colourful                 boring                       public health servic

reduce                    the                           gap

30．2 Analysis and Advice on How to Achieve Successful Writing

1） Read the directions carefully，and try to understand each word or phrase including the title；

2）Find out the relationship between the key words and the title；

The analysis of the above tells us that we should use the technique of comparison ＆ contrast to write the essay，showing the differences between the city and the country-side．

3）Analyse the key words，then organize your idea logicall；According to the title and the key words，we know that the purpose of the writing is to discuss the similarities and differences of the city and the countryside．You should divide the key words into three paragraphs．In the first paragraph，introduce the main topic— the city and the countryside have both similarities and differences；In the second paragraph，discuss the different fields—environment，education，transportation，entertainment and health service in the city and countryside；In the end，summarize the whole passage．

4）Write an appropriate topic sentence for each paragraph before starting your essay；

a．topic introducer：The city and the countryside are similar in some ways，but there still exist great differences in several areas．

b．topic sentence：Generally speaking，the city and the countryside differ mainly in the fields of environment，transportation，public health service，edtucation and entertainment．

                                       City                             Countryside

environment                   polluted                          fresh，clean

transportation                 convenient，cheap          difficult，costly

public health service        well-equipped                poor-equipped

education                       advanced                        backward

entertainment                  colourful                         boring

c．Conclusion：As we have seen，there are still great differences between the city and the countryside，but further economic development will certainly reduce the gap between the two in the near future．

Model Essay 30-1

The city and the countryside are similar in some ways，but there still exist great differences in several areas．Generally speaking，the city and the countryside differ mainly in the fields of environment，transportation，public health service，education and entertaintment．

First of all，in the city public transport is good and brings people to almost any place in a short time and for little money while travelling in the countryside is difficult and costly．On the other hand，heavy traffic and business activities in the city pollute the environment whereas the air in the countryside is fresh and clean and filled with bird songs．Secondly，people in the city can get advanced education；However students in the countryside can not．What's more，if city dwellers are ill，it is easy for them to get treatment in a well-equipped hospital；On the contrary，the rural population has to travel long distances to see a doctor．Finally，the many stores，cinemas，dancing halls and restaurants make life in the city colorful as opposed to the simple and some people even say boring life in the countryside．

As we have seen，there are still great differences between the city and the countryside，but further economic development will certainly reduce the gap between the two in the near future．

Writing Assignment for Unit 30

指示：（略）Students In Colleges and High Schools

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Key Words and Expressions：

similarities，differences，homework，attend classes，call the parents，under the supervision of，treated as adults，study hard，enjoy sports and games，talk with friends and classmates

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第二十九单元 主题句作文Topic Sentence Composition

  

29．1 Introduction

This is the most common composition practised in CET-4．Usually the title and the topic sentences of each paragraph are given．You are required to write exactly according to the title．You must use the given topic sentences．

Sample Test Item：

Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition about“Television ”in three paragraphs．

You are given the first sentence of each paragraph an dare required to develop the idea in completing the paragraph．Your composition should be about 100words，not including the words given． Remember to write clearly．

  

Television

  

1）Television presents a vivid world in front of us．

2）Television can also play an educational role in our daily life．

3）However，television can also be harmful．

29．2 Analysis and Advice on How to Deal with the Essay

1）Read the directions carefully，and make sure that you understand the requirements；

2）Find out the relationship between the title and the topic sentences．

From the above analysis，we know that we may use the technique of examples to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of television in our daily life．

3）Thoroughly examine the topic sentences，then pick out keywords in each topic sentence；

e．g．The key words of each topic sentence in the above writing are：“vivid world”，“educational role in daily life”，“harmful”．

4）Find out the relationships between the topic sentences；

From the given topic sentences，we can see that the second topic sentence is a further development of the first one．The transitional word“also”shows that the two topic sentences are parellel．So we have to write the advantages of television in the first two paragraphs—in the first paragraph，write“vivid world”，while in the second，“educational role”；In the third topic sentence，the transitional word “However”changes the point of view from positive“vivid”，“educational”to negative“harmful”．Thus，we should write the disadvantages of television in the paragraph．

Model Essay 29-1

  

Television

  

Television presents a vivid world in front of us．On television，we can watch exciting football matches or Olympic marathons．We can“travel”to New York to visit its famous monuments and museums or to London to attend the royal wedding．We can also“go”to a concert with a cup of coffee in one hand． With a TV set，we can take part in many events without leaving the house．

Television can also play an educational role in our daily life．Besides regular courses to TV university students，television also offers various educational programmes for different viewers．Children like“Tan gram”；young people like the“ABC of Computers”；and elderly people like“Life and Health”．Of all the educational programmes，“English on Sunday ”is my favourite．

However，television can also be harmful．It hurts our eyes and can cause nearsightedness．Watching TV too much influences our sleep and work and cuts down children's study time．Furthermore，some TV programmes are ideologically incorrect．In short，we should watch TV selectively and regard it as our servant，not our master．

Writing Assignment for Unit 29

Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition about “Advertisement” in three paragraphs．You are given the first sentence of eachparagraph and are required to develop the idea in completing the paragraph．Your composition should beabout 100 words，not including the words given．Remember to write clearly．

  

Advertisement

  

1）Advertisement appears everywhere in modern society．

2）Advertisement can be a service to people．

3）However，advertisement also has its problems．

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第二十八单元 情景作文Situational Composition

  

According to the syllabus and the practice up till now，CET—4composition usually has the following five types：situational composition（情景作文），key words composition（关键词作文），topic sentence composition（主题句作文），title-given composition（给出题目作文） and writing a composition according to tables and graphs（图表作文）．

The examinees are required to follow the directions and develop the composition into three paragraphs to form an essay of no less than 100 words in 30 minutes．The essay should be clear，coherent and grammatically correct．Therefore，from this unit on，we are going to introduce the above five types of compositions respectively．

28．1 Situational Composition

In recent years，situational composition has been frequently used in CET—4．This kind of writing requires students to write according to the given situation（sometimes in Chinese，sometimes in English）；its characteristic is that the main idea and information are all contained in the given situation．

Sample Test Item

Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a three-paragraph composition on the topic“My Favourite Programme”．You should write no less than 100 word sand yon should base your composition on the outline（Given in Chinese）below．

1）我最喜爱的电视（或无线电）节目是……

2）这类节目的内容和特点；

3）我喜欢它的原因。

28．2 Analysis and Advice on the Writing

1）Read the directions carefully and make sure you understand them clearly，and try to understand everything that you are required to do；

2）Examine the given situation of each paragraph，then pick out the key words；

e．g．The key words of the above sample are：

①最喜爱的节目②内容，特点③原因

3）Find out the relationship between the title and each paragraph；

In the first paragraph，you write what your favourite programme is；and in the second paragraph，you have to describe the contents and characteristic of your chosen programme；In the end，yon write why yon like this particular programme．

4）You must produce the topic sentence of each paragraph．

e．g．

①My most favourite programme is……

②The programme is interesting as well as；instructive．

③The reason why I like it is that……

Model Essay 28-1

Nowadays radio and TV play a more and more important role in our daily lives．There are many programmes shown every day．Some of them are very good．My most favourite programme is“The Animal World”，which is shown on television every Sunday night．

The programme is interesting as well as instructive．It providesus with natural scenes of the lives of all kinds of wild animals together with the vivid explanations of the narrator．Besides，the pictures are very beautiful and some of them are also very valuable．They contain much information not only about animals，but also about plants．

The reason why I like this programme is that，being born and bred in the city，I have not seen any wild animals，and the programme compensates for this．In addition，it provides me with rich knowledge about nature and the animal world．

Believe it or not，it is really a great joy to watch it．

Writing Assignment for Unit 28

Directions：For this part，you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic“Why Do More And More Women Go In For Sports Nowadays？”You should write no less than 100 words and you should base your composition on the outline（Given in Chinese）below．

1）妇女开始参加越来越多的体育运动；

2）过去妇女不能参加体育运动的原因；

3）为什么会有越来越多的妇女参加。

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第二十七单元 如何用因果法推展篇章

  

27.1 Cause and Effect（因果法）

The stating of facts and the giving of reasons to explain why and how the facts came about is the basic procedure in essay development by cause and effect．The technique of cause and effect has great flexibility，for the relationships between causes and effects are not always as clear cut as the two terms seem to suggest．Causes may not all carry the same weight，for example．Several contributing causes may be grounded together to form one important cause．There may be one effect to a cause，or there may be many．Effects may be less important than causes，and so on．So you have to be very careful in dealing with cause and effect．

Model Essay 27-1

As it is known to everyone，languages are constantly changing nowadays．There are many reasons why languages change，but the following three major causes may help illustrate the concept．Initially，various languages that started from the same parent developed their own uniqueness after groups of speakers drifted away from one another to establish isolated，independent communities．

Another major cause of language change is the influence of and interaction with foreign cultures，often as a result of militaryconquest．A continuing cause for change is rapidly expanding technology and new systems of communication that bring all cultures and languages into closer contact，with borrowing between language a common phenomenon in the contemporary world．

New established communities，the influence of and interaction with foreign cultures，the rapid development of technology and new systems of communication contribute to language change．So we may say all languages change as the experiences of their speakers change．

27.2 Analysis of the Model Essay（范文分析）

The three causes of language change mentioned in the above model essay can be outlined as follows：

effect：Languages are changing constantly．

cause：a．newly established communities

b．the influence of and interaction with foreign cultures

c．the rapid development of technology and new systems of communication

本文作者首先点出主题思想：Languages are contantly changing（表明结果），接着列举了导致发生变化的三大原因，并举例加以说明，使读者对文中的因果关系一清二楚（此篇文章着重强调了语言发展变化的原因）。此外，文中所用的一些转换词语使文章有了明显的连贯性。作者通过“initially…another major cause is…a continuing cause for change is…”这一灵活多变的转换句式巧妙地引出了语言变化的三大原因。因此，文章读起来既连贯一致，又具有较强的说服力。

Writing Assignment 1

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay by using the cause-effect technique to illustrate why football is becoming more and more popular in recent years．The title and the given information will be of help．

1）It is played world wide；

2）It is an exciting game—both for players and viewers；

3）There are many football fans throughout the world．

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Writing Assignment 2

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay by using the cause-effect technique to illustrate the causes of global warming．Your composition should be no less than 100 words．Base your ideas on the given outline below．

Recently there has been an increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere，which，in turn，causes global warming．

1）increased power generation using coal or oil；

2）increasing numbers of gasoline engines-cars，trucks，etc．；

3）growth of industrial production；

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第二十六单元 如何用过程分析法推展篇章

  

26．1 Process（过程法）

Process descripton is similar to the procedures followed in conducting a scientific experiment．It describes definite steps in a logical order．

In this unit，you will be asked to write a process essay—one that explains clearly how to do or make something．

In almost all the essays we have discussed，the topic sentence has appeared at or near the beginning of the first paragraph．In a well constructed process description，the topic sentence establishes the context of the process developed in succceeding sentences and paragraphs．Notice that in the following model essay the process of making a complaint is divided into three major steps．

Model Essay 26-1

  

How to Make a Complaint

  

Have you ever experienced the unpleasant situations of being a victimized consumer？I think most of you have．In self-defense，I have developed the following consumer's guide to complaining effectively．

The first step is getting organized．I save all sales slips and original boxes so that whenever I complain， I would know the dateof the purchase，the correct price，and the place where the item was purchased．Then I compose my letter of complaint．The next step is to send the complaint to the person who will get results quickly．Usually，I write directly to the president of a company and I always get prompt action．Finally，if I get no response to a written complaint within ten days，I follow through with a personal telephone call．

Therefore，my advice to you is to keep accurate records，and when you have to complain，go right to the top．It has always worked for me．

26．2 Analysis of the Model Essay（范文分析）

A more visual representation of the model essay process development would be like this：

1）Topic introducer：I have developed the following consumer's guide to complaining effectively．

2）Process steps：a．Keep accurate records

b．When complaining，go right to the top

c．following up with further action

3）Conclusion：Therefore，my advice to you is to……

26．3 Advice on How to Write a Process Essay

1）State your topic in a single clear sentence．

For instance，“Knowing how to prepare for an important exam can lead you to success”or “Growing your own vegetables is easier than you might think”．

2）First make a list of all the steps you are describing．



Take“How to Make a Complaint”for example：

write letter of complaint

follow through with a telephone call if no response

save sales slips and original boxes

send complaint letter directly to president

3）Then number your items in time order or logical order．

①save sales slips and original boxes

② write letter of complaint

③send complaint letter directly to president

④follow through with telephone call if no response

4）Group the item into a minimum of three steps．

For example，you might divide the process into①getting organized；②sending the complaint to president；③following up with further action．

5）Be sure to use transitions，such as，“first，next，also，then，after，now，during，and finally”so that your essay moves smoothly and clearly from one step in the process to the next．

Writing Assignment for Unit 26

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay on the topic “How to Prepare for an Important Exam”in no less than 100 words．

Remember to write clearly．

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第二十五单元 如何用定义与分类法推展篇章

  

25．1 Definition and Classification（定义与分类）

A writer often employs more than one method of development in an essay．In order to make it easier or clearer for the reader，the author may，for instance，decide to classify objects，events or terms by retaining a few classes rather than many specific items．Additionally，he may need to define the lables he uses in classifying the subject，especially if the lables are not widely known or are abstract．

在进行定义或分类写作时需注意：1）在进行诠释（定义）时，一定要具体、确切；2）分类时要周密，标准必须对应划一，不能交错重叠。

Model Essay 25-1

Nowadays，more and more people have books in their homes，but few of them really ‘own’the books．In Professor Adler's opinion，there are three kinds of book owners．The first kind of owners have all the standard sets and best-sellers-books that are sold in very large numbers—unread，untouched．（These owner sown only wood pulp and ink，not books．）

Another kind of book owners have a great many books—a few of them read through，most of them dipped into，that is，most ofthe books are only read or studied for a short time or without much attention；but all of them as clean and shiny as the day they were bought．（These persons would probably like to make books their own，but are restrained by a false respect for their physical appearance．）

The final kind of book owners，however，have a few books or many，every one of them do geared（having the corners of the pages bent down with use，like a dog's ears） and dilapidated（broken and old，falling to pieces），shaken and loosened by continual use，marked and scribbled in from front to back．（These men really own books．）

Do you agree with Pr of．Adler？

25．2 Analysis of the Model Essay（范文分析）

In the above model essay，according to the writer，book owners can be divided into three kinds．They are as follows：

1）Owners with all standard sets and best-sellers—unread，untouched；

2）Owners with a great many books，a few of them read through，most off them dipped into；

3）Owners with a few books or many，every one of them do geared，dilapidated，shaken and loosened…

根据范例所示，我们得知作者将有书的人划为三类，其分类根据是划一的，分出的三类book owners互相排除，没有重叠。作者还通过使用“the first kind…another kind…the final kind…”等这些转换词语，有机地围绕主题“There are three kinds of book owners”，介绍了三种不同类型的“owners”。此外，作者还将一些读者不知或概念不清的词、词组，如“bestsellers”，“dipped into”，“do geared”，“dilapidated”等下了定义，这便达到了使读者完全领会其意的目的。

Writing Assignment for Unit 25

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay according to the given information below about “Kinds of Library Materials Found in Most Good Libraries”by using the techniques taught in this unit．Do remember to define some of the unknown words．

1）books（on all subjects，in different languages，organized in the card catalog，which can be checked out and borrowed for a month）

2）reference works（including encyclopedias，dictionaries，bibliographies，atlases，which can only be used in the library itself）

3）periodcals（including magazines，newspapers，pamphlets，which cannot be removed from the library）

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第二十四单元 如何用比较与对照法推展篇章

  

24．1 Comparison and Contrast（比较与对照）

Often we may want to describe several aspects of two subjects that have both similarities and differences．When we compare two things，we show how they are similar；when we contrast two things，we show how they are different．We may compare or contrast two schools，two cars，two friends，two jobs，two cities，etc．．For this purpose，we may employ the combined techniques of comparison and contrast．In writing the essay，you should always bear two important decisions in mind：①Whether you are to do a comparison，a contrast，or a mixture，or②Whether you are to use an item-to-item（逐事比较）or point-to-point（逐点比较）method of development（both have been explained and illustrated in Unit14）

Model Essay 24-1

Shanghai and New York are two of the biggest cities in the world．They are different in some ways，but they are similar in some other ways．

Shanghai is one of the most densely populated cities in Asia，and New York is one of the most densely populated cities in North America．The population of Shanghai is homogenous，but thepopulation of New York is heterogeneous．The people in Shanghai speak Chinese；the people in New York speak English instead．The cost of living in Shanghai is generally low in comparison with that in New York．While the people in Shanghai take buses or ride bikes to go to work，the people in New York drive cars or take subways to get to work．The people in Shanghai use fans to keep cool，where as the people in New York use air-conditioning．

Both Shanghai and New York are cities of great wealth and poverty．In both cities，there is a great deal of beauty and a great deal of ugliness．Many people in Shanghai are as kind and helpful as those in New York．Conversely，some people in Shanghai are as dangerous as those in New York．In both cities，there are people who work all day and people who work all night．Both cities are never asleep．

To some visitors，both Shanghai and New York are a paradise and a jungle．

24．2 Analysis of the Model Essay（范文分析）

From the above point-to-point essay，we can see that the similarities and differences of Shanghai and New York are as follows：

①Differences：

a．population（homogeneous S

（heterogeneous NY

b．language （Chinese S

（English NY

C．cost of living（low S

（high NY

d．transportation（buses and bikes S

（cars and subways NY

e．cooling appliances（fans S

（air-conditioning NY

②Similarities：

a．both are most densely populated

b．both are cities of great wealth and poverty

c．both are beautiful and ugly

d．both have kind and helpful people and dangerous people

e．both are never asleep

通过以上比较和对照法的结合使用，作者巧妙地将与主题有关的五个异同点联系在一起，交替进行逐点比较、对照，这使得读者从始至终能够把握比较与对照的线索。而且，作者又在比较与对照的结构上灵活地安排了次序，使对比既鲜明突出，又富有变化；作者还通过不同的连接手段，如并列连词“and，both，as…as”，与转折连词“but，instead，while，whereas，in comparision with”等，使得比较与对照自然流畅，前后连贯。

Writing Assignment for Unit 24

Directions：Write a 3-paragraph essay about the similarities and differences between Tom and Jack by using the outline given below．Don't forget to use some of the Comparative and Contrastive words or phrases given in Unit 35．

Tom and Jack are twin brothers．They are similar in some ways；but the ways they spend their own freetime，make decisions and deal with problems are very different．

Similarities：1）appearance

2）eating habits

3）study

Differences：1）ways of spending free time

2）ways of making decisions

3）ways of dealing with problems

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