Eap 2 U4
Eap 2 U4
Eap 2 U4
Writing
Getting Taking Organising Linking Academic
Referencing Revising a final
ideas notes ideas ideas style draft
Session 1
Read the text below and underline the key information to find answers to
Mithila’s questions.
Using paragraphs is essential when you write an essay as this helps you
organise your ideas clearly. A paragraph consists of three major structural
sections: a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.
The topic sentence* is responsible for stating the main idea of the paragraph.
It informs the readers what the paragraph is about. This is usually the first
sentence of the paragraph. All the other sentences in the paragraph are
connected to the topic sentence. The main idea stated in the topic sentence
is developed by the supporting sentences*. By providing facts, figures,
examples, quotes, information and reasons, supporting sentences elaborate
the topic sentence. The concluding sentence* indicates the end of a
paragraph and leaves the reader with key points to remember or leads into
the next paragraph. Remember, each paragraph should contain one main
idea only. There is no hard and fast rule about the length of a paragraph, but
it should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly.
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b) Can you find the topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding
sentence in this paragraph? Mark them on the paragraph.
Figures 1 & 2 Jute plants (left) and extraction of jute from stems (right)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jute
Text source: (Adapted from) Jute Genome decoded, The Daily Star (June 2010)
http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=143047
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He must eat what is food and not poison. He must live in a residence that is
reasonably equipped to afford him protection from the elements. For all
these he must know the nature of the things he absorbs. This he can do only
by having the necessary knowledge of nature of which these are products. In
other words, he must know the laws of nature.
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Activity 2: Paragraph structure – can you find it?
(a) Moreover, groups and individuals have found ways to generate income by
illegally constructing houses and factories along the Buriganga. (b) The river is
seriously afflicted by pollution. (c) As a result, the Buriganga River is dying
biologically and hydrologically. (d) There are mainly three types of discharges
– industrial discharge, boat fuel discharge and household garbage. (e) These
threats stem from discharging industrial wastes and household garbage into
the river. (f) While all the rivers of Bangladesh are threatened by climate
change, the Buriganga in particular is struggling against more direct human
threats.
Text source: (Adapted from) Buriganga River Keeper (2013). The Buriganga River,
http://www.burigangariverkeeper.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6
0&Itemid=69
Order 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sentence b
Study tip
Topic Sentence = Topic + Controlling Idea
E.g. While all the rivers of Bangladesh are threatened by climate change, the
Buriganga in particular is struggling against more direct human threats.
(Topic) (Controlling Idea)
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Activity 3: Cohesive devices
You can use cohesive devices* inside a paragraph to add and connect
information, to stress a fact, to indicate change of topic or to conclude a
matter. Here are some examples:
in contrast
although
in spite of [something]
…………………………………
a) Look back at the paragraph in Activity 2. Which cohesive devices did the
writer use? Add them to the correct column in the table
b) Circle any words in the table which are new to you. Discuss their meaning
and use with a partner.
c) Make a note of the new words you will try to use in your next writing.
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Activity 4: Can you write a well-structured paragraph?
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Work in pairs. Read the text that follows. Fill in each gap with a
suitable cohesive device. Sometimes more than one correct answer is
possible. (You can use the words from the table in Activity 3 to help you).
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Baul Song
Home task
a) Portfolio task
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Unit 4 Linking Ideas; Writing a Conclusion
Writing
Getting Taking Organising Linking Academic
Referencing Revising a final
ideas notes ideas ideas style draft
Session 2
Work in pairs:
a) In which of the following sectors do you think the situation of women has
improved in Bangladesh? Put a tick mark (√) to indicate your preference.
o Education
o Health
o Local work opportunities
o Overseas work opportunities
o Respect in society
o Respect in the family
o National politics
b) Now read the following text carefully. It’s about women’s empowerment
in Bangladesh. There are four paragraphs (A, B, C and D) in this text. The
paragraphs are currently in the wrong order.
1. Put them in the right order. What helps you to come to your decision?
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P1. P2. P3. P4.
A
In contrast to their striking gains in economic opportunities, Bangladeshi women in
general have not done very well with respect to participation in national politics.
Only 17 women contested and won general seats in the last parliamentary election
in 2008 – and this is the highest figure to date.
B
As Bangladesh turns 40, improvements in women’s wellbeing and increased
participation are some of the most significant gains. Various economic and social
development indicators show that in the past 20 years, Bangladesh has made good
progress in increasing women’s access to some important sectors.
C
Like the civic opportunity sector,
Bangladesh does not have much to
celebrate in terms of gender-related
human development compared to many
competitor countries. However, the pace
of change merits attention as Bangladesh
has come to this point from a very low
starting point. There have been rapid
positive changes in Bangladeshi women’s
health and education opportunities.
Figure 1 Women garment workers
Source:
D http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Germents_
worker_Bangladesh.jpg
A key area where the situation for women in
Bangladesh has improved significantly is economic participation. One interesting
recent development has been the sharp increase in women’s employment wage
which has risen 4.3 percent between 2000 and 2005. Another factor that has
promoted women’s economic development has been microcredit. Bangladeshi
women’s collective participation in microfinance programmes has been
unprecedented. Moreover, over two million women are employed in the garments
manufacturing sector.
Text source: (Adapted from) Hossain, N., Nazneen, S. and Sultan, M. (2011) National discourses on
women empowerment in Bangladesh: continuities and change, IDS Working Paper 268,
http://dspace.bracu.ac.bd/bitstream/handle/10361/1532/BDI%20Working%20Paper%20III-
%20Discources%20of%20Women's%20Empowerment.pdf?sequence=1
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3. Discuss in pairs. According to the text, in which sectors has the
situation of women improved in Bangladesh? Do you agree with the
author’s view?
As well as using cohesive devices to link ideas within a paragraph, you can
also use cohesive devices to link paragraphs. Here are some examples of
phrases you can use to indicate that a new paragraph has begun or a new
idea has been introduced:
a) Discuss in a small group. Which of these phrases are you familiar with?
Can you suggest any other useful phrases you can use to link paragraphs?
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b) Look back at the text in Activity 1. Write down the phrases the writer has
used to indicate that a new paragraph has begun or a new idea has been
introduced.
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Activity 3: Making a good ending
The conclusion is the finale of your essay. It should show you have reached
the end of your discussion and that you have fully answered the essay
question. Depending on the purpose of the essay, it may offer some
recommendations or make some predictions.
a) Discuss in pairs:
You discovered in Unit 3 that Study Tip
introductions follow a logical order: A conclusion:
from general to specific information. is not too long
What about conclusions? Does a never contains
conclusion order information in a new ideas
particular way?
Order
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Activity 4: Writing a conclusion
Conclusion:
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Here is Abid’s conclusion, but it is not very well ordered. Order the sentences
to make a more effective conclusion. Use the information from Activity 3 to
help you.
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support developing countries in dealing with its effects by providing financial
and technological support.
(d) As the essay has shown, the damaging effects of global warming on
people’s health, wealth and living environment in Bangladesh are significant
and continuing to grow.
b) Write the conclusion for your essay title that you have been developing in
your Home tasks.
Home task
a) Critical reflection
Think back on what you have learnt in this unit and reflect on the
experience.
1. Do you think that you can now build paragraphs which develop
one idea each and will be thematically connected to the thesis?
Why do you think so?
2. Can you link your paragraphs together effectively using cohesive
devices?
b) Portfolio task
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A student, Abid, has made some notes on the topic. Use his ideas to help you.
Abid’s notes
c) New vocabulary
Words Meaning
census
abandoned
amenities
anarchy
consistent
fuzzy
inherited
personnel
seedling
strain
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