Practice of English Composition

1. Practice of English Composition 영작문 연습 Prof. Shao Guangqing shaoguangqing@gmail.com

2. Contents • Unit 4Opinion essays • Part 3Developing your ideas • Reading: The best medicine • Rhetorical focuses • Part 4 Editing your writing • Language focuses • Editing a student essay

3. Reading: The Best Medicine • Read the essay. • What is the best medicine? • The best medicine is antibiotics.

4. Introduction • Hook (a story) • Background information • Every day doctors prescribe antibiotics to help thousands of patients around the world fight infections. • Thesis statement (telling the writer’s position) • I do not like to think about what might happen if we did not have antibiotics.

5. Body paragraph • Topic sentence (sentence 1) • Reasons • (1) Infections are frequent and life threatening; (2) Antibiotics stop an infection from spreading to others. • Counter-argument • Recently many people have argued that doctors prescribe antibiotics too often and that the bacteria that cause infections are becoming stronger as a result. • Refutation • This may be true; however, this does not mean antibiotics are not important. We must learn to use it wisely.

6. Conclusion • Strategy the author uses for conclusion? • Giving a warning • Making a prediction

7. Rhetorical focus: facts vs. opinions Write F is the statement is a fact and O if it is an opinion. • __1. Small airplanes are used in advertising. • __2. The modern disposable diaper has dramatically improved parents’ lives. • __3. Many nations are working together to build and maintain the International Space Station. F O F

8. Rhetorical focus: facts vs. opinions Write F is the statement is a fact and O if it is an opinion. • __4. Internet dating services offer an excellent way to find a husband or a wife. • __2. Online courses are easier than classroom courses. O O

9. Rhetorical focus: facts vs. opinions • Writers use both facts and opinions to support their position or argument. They state their opinion and then back it up with facts. • Fact: a truth that is scientifically proven or generally accepted. (Antibiotics cure infections.) • Opinion: one point of view among many (Antibiotics are the most important invention of the 20th century.)

10. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: Animals use language to communicate with each other. • Factual examples: Arctic wolves, for example, communicate the presence of caribou through their howls and barks. Other wolves hear the messages and are able to meet their pack to join the hunt. • Interpretation: Clearly, if another animal can understand vocalized messages that tell him or her the location of food, then that animal is using language.

11. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: The government is doing an excellent job of protecting athletes from the pressure to use performance-enhancing drugs. • Fact: Athletes are routinely tested for drug use. • Interpretation: Athletes know they will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs, so they avoid taking them.

12. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: Employers place too much emphasis on personal appearance. • Fact: According to a recent study, people with average appearance earn 3 to 8 percent less money than those who are considered beautiful. • Interpretation: Employers do not always pay a person based on qualifications alone; appearance may affect how much an employee will receive.

13. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: The cell phone industry is a good place to invest money. • Fact: One out every six people owns a cell phone. • Interpretation: Cell phones have become very popular, and the industry will continue to be a good place to invest money.

14. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: People spend too much money on food. • Fact: Americans eat meals outside the home an average of 5 times per week. • Interpretation: Americans could save a great deal of money if they cooked and ate food at home more often.

15. Rhetorical focus: interpreting facts to support an opinion • Opinion: People in the US love pets. • Fact: Americans spend 5.4 million dollars each year on pets. • Interpretation: Pets in the US are treated very well, because pet owners spend a great deal of money on toys, medical attention, and grooming.

16. Rhetorical focus: counter-argument vs. refutation • Counter-argument: Many people think that a child is unhappy without brothers or sisters; however, most only children would disagree with this statement. • Refutation:An only child receives more attention from parents, gets into fewer fights, and has plenty of social contact with friends and classmates.

17. Language focus: Quantity expressions • What is the problem with the following sentence used in an opinion essay? • Cats hate water. • Overgeneralization (지나치게 일반화) • How to avoid overgeneralization? • Use quantity expressions • most/a lot of/some • much/a little • many/several/a few

18. Language focus: Connectors that show support and opposition • Connectors that show support • Most people are willing to spend money to make their lives easier; for example, nearly every new house has an automatic garage door opener. • Children should avoid junk food; in particular, they should stay away from sugary snacks. • The automobile industry is responding to consumer demands for more fuel-efficient cars; in fact, the number of available models has tripled in the past 3 years.

19. Language focus: Connectors that show support and opposition • Connectors that show opposition • I’m late every morning; however, I never get into trouble. • Many people enjoy listening to CDs; in contrast, live concerts are more exciting. • On the one hand I'd like a job that pays more, but on the other hand I enjoy the work I'm doing at the moment.

20. Editing a paragraph • P. 98 Ex. 4 • Read the paragraph and edit as necessary. There are 4 mistakes.

21. THANK YOU