The concluding paragraph is the last paragraph of the whole essay.Since this is your last opportunity to make your point, you should leave a forceful message that will be remembered.The concluding paragraph, too, has two parts: a summary, and a memorable statement.Let's learn how to write them respectively.
1.The Summary
The summary is usually the first part of the concluding paragraph, and it summarizes the central ideas discussed in the essay.There are two ways to write the summary.
1) Restate the three main points in the thesis statement using synonyms.For example:
Topic: Unsinkable or Unthinkable?
The thesis statement:
Subsequent investigation by national and international agencies showed that three reasons may have accounted for the sinking of the Titanic : an insufficiently trained crew, limited lifesaving facilities, and poor telecommunication services.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
Therefore it can be seen that the great Titanicsank as a result of its unqualified crew, its inadequate number of lifeboats, and an imperfect international radio system.
Note: The meaning of the three main points in the thesis statement remains the same in the summary, but they are repeated in different words.
Practice 4-4-1
Read the following thesis statements.Restate the three main points in each of the thesis statements using synonyms.An answer is provided only for the first topic as a suggestion.
Topic one: Smoking Should Be Banned in Restaurants
The thesis statement:
Smoking in restaurants should be banned because it clouds the air, smells bad, and ruins customers' appetites.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
In summary, ________________________
Topic two: English Learners in China
The thesis statement:
Many Chinese learn English in order to find a high-paying job, to study/work abroad, and to communicate with foreigners.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
To sum up, ________________________
2) Summarize the meaning of the thesis statement in extremely general terms, especially when it is difficult to restate the three main points in the thesis statement using synonyms.For example:
Topic: Typewriting—A Skill That Pays
The introductory paragraph:
In the past, typewriting was strictly left to the job of the secretary.However, in today's society, more and more positions, both executive and non-executive, need a certain amount of typing ability.In an effort to obtain a typewriting skill that will enable a person to meet a job requirement, he should follow the three basic steps: develop accuracy at the keyboard, develop speed and coordination in the use of the fingers, and combine both the accuracy and the speed in a smooth fashion.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
In short, typewriting is quite a challenging skill to master.
Note: The sentence“In short, typewriting is quite a challenging skill to master”summarizes the main points of the thesis statement in extremely general terms.You may find that it is more appropriate to summarize the three main points in the thesis statement in extremely general terms when it is hard to find synonyms.
Practice 4-4-2
Read each of the following introductory paragraphs, and then summarize the meaning of each thesis statement in extremely general terms.An answer is provided only for the first topic as a suggestion.
Topic one: Educating Children with Toys
The introductory paragraph:
In the past, toys were mainly used to keep children entertained.In recent years, however, more emphasis is being placed upon the use of educational toys.In our society, where children are learning more rapidly than children of the past learned, it is extremely important that one select toys that can be helpful to children's educational process.Consequently, toy manufacturers are designing toys that can aid children in learning to initiate action, to take care of themselves, and to discover and repair breakdowns in the toys.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
Therefore it can be concluded that_________________________
Topic two: The TOEFL Examination: Why?
The introductory paragraph:
One obstacle that most international students run into when they come to the United States to study at the university level is the TOEFL examination.Before permitting those students to enroll, universities always demand that they have a high score on the TOEFL exam.Although the TOEFL exam has been devised to measure the students' English skills, it has some disadvantages, such as the nervousness of the students taking the test, the length of the test, and the luck involved in passing or failing the test.
Body paragraph 1.……………………………………
Body paragraph 2.……………………………………
Body paragraph 3.……………………………………
The summary:
In brief, ________________________________
2.The Memorable Statement
The second part of the concluding paragraph is called the memorable statement because it can determine what will stay with your reader.Therefore, you should make points in this part that the reader will remember, think about, and even discuss with others after reading your essay.Your memorable statement may take several forms:
1) suggestion 2) solution 3) prediction 4) personal opinion
5) judgment 6) thought-provoking question 7) thought-provoking quotation
Read each of the following concluding paragraphs that are composed of two parts: the summary (the first sentence) and the memorable statement.
Conclusion 1: The memorable statement provides a suggestion.
It is obvious from what has been said that most students who study in a foreign country face some of these same difficulties: language, culture shock, and loneliness.Therefore, before going to study abroad, each student should have adequate exposure to not only the new language but also some of the cultural differences between his own country and the new country.Most importantly, each student should be assigned a host family to help make the transition to the new lifestyle less difficult.
Conclusion 2: The memorable statement offers a solution.
To conclude, we can see that none of the problems is easy to solve.Because of the money shortage, we scientists can't do proper research, so we cannot expand our work.The lack of data from research results in our inability to demonstrate our work to get enough money from the government.The best solution is to first choose a particular area and work on the problems that exist there.After we gather the data and solve the problems, we can present these data to the government to make them see how important our research is.Only in this way can we get financial support from our government, and continue to do our research.
Conclusion 3: The memorable statement makes a prediction.
As we have seen, American automobile manufacturers are running a technological race against foreign car makers, especially those from Japan.United States automobile makers have been somewhat slow about offering the small, fuel-efficient cars the public seems to want, but recent trends show many new American models of such cars being offered to the public.It is reasonable to expect that soon American manufacturers will be competing successfully with foreign car makers.
Conclusion 4: The memorable statement shows a personal opinion.
In brief, changes in marriage patterns and family structure have significantly changed living arrangements in San Francisco.These changes may have come about more quickly in San Francisco than in other cities, but the same trends are found in many major American cities.They are trends that, to some, indicate a healthy diversity or freedom of choice and, to some others, a dangerous weakening of the family.
Note: The form of the memorable statement you use depends upon the type of essay.While an essay about the advantages of the Internet may end with a prediction, another essay about the perfect location for a new factory will probably end with a personal opinion or a suggestion.Of course, an essay can also end with a combination of any of the forms.For example:
Conclusion 5: The memorable statement has a prediction (the second sentence and the third sentence) and a suggestion (the last sentence).
In short, acid rain is a dangerous pollutant in the United States.If acid rain is not reduced considerably, the Americans may witness more serious damage to their environment.This damage has already threatened some of our valuable natural resources and may someday disrupt our environment seriously enough to affect our food supply.Only when the government takes action now can the damage to the environment be slowed down.
* * * * * *
When writing the concluding paragraph, keep in mind:
1) Do not jump from the summary to the memorable statement.Begin your concluding paragraph with the summary and then broaden toward the final sentence smoothly and naturally.The structure of the concluding paragraph is the opposite from the introductory paragraph: narrow at the top, gradually broad in the middle, and very wide at the bottom.
2) Do not introduce any new idea in the concluding paragraph because this is the end of your essay.If you have planned your essay carefully, this should not happen.
3) Do not change your attitude.Sometimes a writer who has been critical of something throughout his essay tends to soften his stance (姿态) or even offers apologies in his last paragraph.For example, someone complaining of the poor quality of a college course may abruptly conclude with a statement that declares the class was not so bad, or he should have studied harder, etc..The change may seem polite, but it actually confuses the reader who has taken the writer's criticism seriously.
Practice 4-4-3
The following essay does not have a concluding paragraph.Read the essay and the two possible concluding paragraphs that follow.Choose the one that you think is better, and be prepared to explain your choice.Answers are provided only as suggestions.
International Aid
In today's world, countries have become more and more economically interdependent because a country cannot move forward without help from other countries.Since developing countries are providing developed countries with raw materials, labor, and markets, developed countries can also help developing countries by providing financial support, introducing new technology, and training their people.
Financial support is usually the most direct assistance appreciated by developing countries.On a short-term basis, rich countries can lift some economically backward countries out of poverty by launching poverty alleviation projects.Poor countries will then no longer suffer from lack of food, housing, or medicine.On a long-term basis, however, developed countries can stimulate economic growth in developing countries by making investments.With low-interest or interest-free loans from abroad, developing countries can start to improve their infrastructure such as highways and telecommunications, and finally speed up the process of their own industrialization.
Money alone cannot buy prosperity；to bring state-of-the-art facilities into developing countries is another effective method to help developing countries.Due to a low level of technology, many factories in developing countries either consume excessive energy or cause heavy pollution.In order to help those countries make full use of their natural resources and raise their work efficiency, developed countries should introduce high-tech industries to developing countries in such areas as machinery, electronics, fine chemistry, and auto parts.Only after their level of technology has reached the highest standards can developing countries begin to compete with more advanced countries in the international market.
A Chinese saying goes, “It's better to teach a person how to fish rather than just to give him a fish.”This indicates that, in the long run, personnel training is also an urgent task for developing countries.In modern times, nothing is more valuable than human resources because up-to-date expertise needs well-educated people.To be more exact, without qualified managers, foreign loans may not be spent wisely；without skilled technicians, imported equipment could become just a pile of dumped garbage.To train people from developing nations, developed countries can either invite trainees to study abroad or send experts to teach overseas.By offering educational programs, developed countries will eventually help developing countries help themselves.
Concluding paragraph one:
So, there are three methods for developed countries to help developing countries.Of course, developed countries can also provide aid by establishing solely-foreign owned companies in developing countries.However, developing countries should mainly stand on their own feet；that is, developing countries cannot boost their economy without the efforts made by themselves.
Concluding paragraph two:
Therefore, it can be concluded that rich countries can definitely help poor countries become more prosperous financially, technically, and intellectually.In the near future, we hope to see the gap between developed countries and developing countries narrowed, or even bridged.
Practice 4-4-4
The following essay is about Woody Allen, a famous and funny American who, as you will see, has had many different jobs in the entertainment industry.This essay does not have a concluding paragraph.Read the essay and the three possible concluding paragraphs that follow.Choose the one that you think is the best, and be prepared to explain your choice.No answers are provided.
The Many Hats of Woody Allen
America would never be the same without Woody Allen and certainly American humor would never be.Allen has become famous as the New Yorker who always finds the worst-and the funniest-side of life.He has been tickling (胳肢) the American funny-bone for over 25 years under many different job titles, such as a writer, a performer, and a film director.
Early in his career, Allen was a“behind the scenes”man.He spent all his time writing jokes and ideas for other people to perform.He worked for NBC radio and television performers.Some of the early TV shows in the 1950's, such as Sid Caesarand Garry Moore , had Woody Allen jokes in them.Even though he was not a performer, he was gaining valuable experience.
In the early 1960's, while maintaining his writing, Allen became a performer.At first, he was a stand-up (站在观众面前表演的) comedian.He played to small and large audiences and was even on The Tonight Show.Later on, he began writing plays and then became an actor in them.One of his most famous plays was Play It Again, Sam.He also began acting in films.In most of these, he was a writer as well as an actor.
In the 1970's, Woody Allen found that he fell in love with another job-directing people in movies.Of course, while he worked as a film director, he never stopped writing or performing.He just added one more job to the overall project of making a movie.One of the most famous movies in which he wrote the screenplay, acted in the lead role and directed was Annie Hall.This movie won an Oscar as the best movie of 1977.
Conclusion 1: In conclusion, Woody Allen has been successful and funny at many jobs.He has been a writer for himself and others.He has been a stand-up comedian and an accomplished actor both on stage and in films.One can only wonder about what job Woody Allen will make us laugh with next.
Conclusion 2: In short, Woody Allen is a man of many talents.He can even play the clarinet (单簧管). He does this every Monday night in a small jazz club in New York.He can also make us laugh by being an extremely qualified writer, performer, and director.Americans are lucky to have Woody Allen.
Conclusion 3: To sum up, Americans are lucky to have Woody Allen.For more than a quarter of a century, he has been making us laugh by doing what he does best in each of the many jobs he has had.Long live Woody Allen and his sense of humor!
Practice 4-4-5
The following essay does not have a concluding paragraph.Read the introductory paragraph and the three body paragraphs carefully, and then write an appropriate concluding paragraph for this essay.Answers will vary.
The Problems of Working and Attending College
An old saying goes, “A person must go to school to get a better job, and a person must work to go to school.”Sometimes this is not as easy as it sounds.If a person tries to carry a standard college load of fifteen hours and at the same time to have a part-time job working from twenty to thirty hours a week, problems for that person will arise.Three most common problems include: not having enough time to study, not having enough time to get the proper rest and diet, and not having enough time to relax and socialize.
First of all, there never seems to be enough time to study and do homework.Carrying a college load of fifteen hours amounts to four or five courses.This means that a student has to study a great deal in order to pass periodic quizzes and final exams.Also, there is much homework to keep up with.Usually, the student's work precludes (阻碍) studying for exams, so the night before a quiz finds one cramming and praying.The results are never half as good as they could have been if the student had more time.Too, homework is usually of poor content and quality because it is not completed until ten minutes before the class begins.The final grade is a C or D, which could have been an A or B if a little more time had been devoted to the subject.
Second, there is never enough time for the working college student to get the proper rest and diet.Running around from class to class during the day and then going to work in the evening can be very exhausting, yet being tired does not guarantee a sound sleep.The concentration in the classroom is poor；there is no desire to take notes nor to contribute to class discussions.Also, the average daily diet of the“on the go”person is not a very healthy one.The diet usually consists of a cup of coffee or a glass of milk for breakfast；a coke, sandwich, and a bag of chips for lunch；and either nothing or a repeat of the lunch menu for supper.This poor diet contributes to the fatigue and rundown condition of the student.
The last problem of the student-worker is not having enough time to relax and socialize.There is never time for favorite relaxations, such as watching television, reading a good book, and taking a long bath.There is seldom time for hobbies, such as travel or painting；nor is there time for sports, such as tennis or swimming.There is seldom time for dating and attending parties.Attending college and working does not leave one with very much time for an active family and social life, either.
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Practice 4-4-6
There are three essay topics below.
Topic one: Discuss three major reasons that lead to a student's failure to pass an exam.
Topic two: Discuss three major pressures that college students are facing in modern-day China.
Topic three: Discuss three major pressures that employees are bearing in modern-day China.
Choose one of the essay topics, and complete the following tasks.
Step 1.Write an appropriate concluding paragraph for your chosen essay topic.
Step 2.Check your concluding paragraph against the Concluding Paragraph Checklist below.
Answers are provided only for the first topic as suggestions.
Concluding Paragraph Checklist
1.Does the concluding paragraph have a summary? If so, it should take one of these two forms:
A) restate the three main points in the thesis statement using synonyms
B) summarize the meaning of the thesis statement in extremely general terms
2.Does the concluding paragraph have a memorable statement? If so, it should take one of these forms or a combination of any of the forms:
A) suggestion B) solutionC) predictionD) personal opinion
E) judgmentF) thought-provoking question G) thought-provoking quotation
3.Are the summary and the memorable statement smoothly connected?
4.Is any new idea introduced? If so, identify it and eliminate it.
5.Is there a change of attitude? If so, identify it and correct it.