Practice 5-1-1
1.植物人 2.怯场
Practice 5-1-2
1.A white lieis an untrue statement which is considered harmless to others.
2.A stethoscopeis an instrument which doctors use to hear a patient's heartbeat.
3.Culture shockis a sense of confusion, uncertainty (不安) , and/or anxiety which may affect a person exposed to a different culture without adequate preparation.
4.A case studyis the research in which the researcher makes detailed observation of one single unit-one setting, one single subject or one particular event.
5.“A little emperor ”is a child who is spoilt by his/her parents and/or grandparents in a modern Chinese family.
Practice 5-1-4
1.To learn English well, one must know the rules of the language, understand the culture, and practice constantly.
Or: To learn English well, we should find the best textbooks, hire competent teachers, and practice constantly.
2.It is simple to shop for clothes if you take the following aspects into account.
Or: To shop for clothes, you should consider color, style, and size.
Or: When shopping for clothes, you should keep the following aspects in mind.
Practice 5-1-5
Nearly all job-hunters experience a job interview at one time or another in their life-time.While some go for it with confidence, others face it with anxiety and even fear.In fact, to succeed in a job interview is not very difficult as long as you do research in advance, choose the right clothes, and use appropriate communication strategies.
* * * * * *
In conclusion, getting your desired job is not as complicated as you may have imagined.By following the steps above, you will be ready for your job interview and feel more optimistic than before about the outcome.
Practice 5-1-7
How to write a good five-paragraph essay
Among reading, listening, speaking, and writing, the last skill seems to be the toughest task for second-language learners to accomplish.You may complain of yourself that your mind goes completely blank whenever you are asked to write an essay.Or you may say that you have some good ideas, but that you don't know how to organize them logically.Actually, writing an English essay is not as painful as you may imagine.You can make this task easier if you keep in mind that a good five-paragraph essay consists of three basic components: the introductory paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph.
First of all, start your essay by writing an introductory paragraph that consists of two parts: the general statements and the thesis statement.The whole paragraph should flow smoothly from the general statements that contain the idea (s) already known to the reader, to the thesis statement which declares new information.The thesis statement, located in the last sentence of this paragraph, is the core of the whole essay because it tells the reader the subject of the essay, the three main points to be discussed, and the order in which they will be discussed.The three points in a clearly stated thesis statement should be grammatically parallel.
Upon completing the first paragraph, write the three body paragraphs which are closely related to the three main points listed respectively in the thesis statement.Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence, followed by a number of developing sentences.The topic sentence is the most general sentence from which a reader can ask question (s). The developing sentences are usually examples, facts, statistics, personal experience, causes, effects, contracts, etc..Be sure to use paragraph bridges between the body paragraphs because they can help lead a reader from one paragraph to another smoothly.
Finally, the last paragraph of the essay is the concluding paragraph.This paragraph has two parts: the summary and the memorable statement.There are two ways to write the summary: restate the three main points in the thesis statement using synonyms, or summarize the meaning of the thesis statement in extremely general terms.The memorable statement may take several forms, such as a suggestion, solution, prediction, personal opinion, etc..The form or a combination of forms you use depends on the type of essay you write.Always remember not to introduce any new thoughts in this paragraph.
On the whole, the structure of the five-paragraph essay is a very logical way to organize a writer's ideas.By following the steps described above, you are sure to become a competent essay writer.With more and more practice, you may find that writing an English essay is by no means a painful experience but an enjoyable one.
Practice 5-2-1
1.Two different principles of classification are used at the same time: one principle is the shape of the watches, and the other is the thickness of the watches.
2.There is an overlap between“foreign food”and“fast food”because a hamburger is a type of fast food from abroad.
3.There is a shift in rank in this sentence.Beijing should be changed into China.
4.An obvious category-fence-sitters-is left out and should be a third group.
Practice 5-2-2
Group one: Category 1.furniture Category 2.beverages Category 3.tableware
Group two: Category 1.time Category 2.directions Category 3.names of some places
Practice 5-2-3
1.people: a.sexesb.marital statusc.nationalitiesd.native langua-gese.blood typesf.skin colors, or racesg.religionsh.zodiac (属相) i.charactersj.personalityk.wealth
2.magazines: a.costb.number of pagesc.publishersd.popularity
e.languagesf.frequency of publicationg.types of information it contains h.nationality of the authori.circulation (销售量)
3.money: a.shapesb.face valuesc.materialsd.namese.issue of countries f.forms: cash, checks, traveler's checks, and credit cards
4.methods of transportation: a.technological or personalb.speedc.cost
d.power or power-freee.ancient or modernf.types of transportation: by air, by sea, and on land
5.methods of communication: a.wire or wirelessb.technological or person-alc.power or power-freed.voiced or voicelesse.visual, auditory, or a combination of bothf.ancient or moderng.direct or indirecth.all-weather or subject to weather
Practice 5-2-4
The thesis statement:
People can be divided into three groups according to their different attitudes towards rain: those who like rain, those who don't like rain, and those who have no personal opinions about rain.
Or: People can be divided into three groups according to their different attitudes towards rain: those who appreciate rain, those who complain about rain, and those who make no personal comments about rain.
Practice 5-2-5
1.English learners in China
English learners in China can roughly be classified into three groups based upon their proficiency: elementary, intermediate, and advanced.
Or: English learners in China can roughly be classified into three groups based on their low, average, or high study efficiency.
Or: English learners in China can be put into three groups in terms of their purposes: some study English due to great interest, others study English for practical use, and still others study English just for various exams.
2.medals in the Olympic Games
The medals in the Olympic Games can be divided into three levels according to the top three winners: gold, silver, and bronze.
Or: The medals in the Olympic Games can be divided into three kinds according to what they are made of: gold, silver, and bronze.
3.air crashes
An air crash can be put into one of three categories depending upon the number of survivors: all have survived, some have survived, and nobody has survived.
Or: An air crash may occur at any one of three different periods: shortly after take-off, during the flight, and before landing.
Or: The causes of an air crash often fall into one of three categories: poor weather conditions, mechanical problems, and man-made factors.
4.people's attitudes towards death
People can be generally grouped into three kinds according to their attitudes towards death: those who are willing to give up their lives for others if necessary, those who are calm before they die, and those who go kicking and screaming (不情愿) to their death.
Or: …: those who dare to die, those who hope to die, and those who fear to die.
5.books in any good library
There are three basic kinds of books in any good library: books on all subjects, reference books, and periodicals.
Or: Books in any good library can be categorized into three groups in terms of their languages: mono-lingual, bi-lingual, and multi-lingual.
Or: Readers can borrow a book from any good library from three sources: the author, the name of the book, and the subject.
Practice 5-2-6
The introductory paragraph:
Where there is life, there is death.Therefore, death will unavoidably occur to all of us.However, people at different ages tend to exhibit various attitudes towards death, and they can be roughly divided into three categories: the young who think little about death, the middle-aged who are more likely to fear death, and the elderly who face death calmly.
* * * * * *
The concluding paragraph:
In brief, people's attitudes about death change with age and the accumulation of experience.Since death is only part of our life and befalls everyone alike, we should treasure every minute and enjoy ourselves to the fullest.Death is not to be feared at all；instead, the only fear is fear itself.
Practice 5-2-9
Step 1.Brainstorm: omitted
Step 2.The thesis statement:
The major problems that Chinese students experience when writing in English can be divided into three categories: limited vocabulary, incorrect use of some words in context, and mother tongue interference.
Step 3.The introductory paragraph, the three topic sentences of the body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph:
In today's China, thousands of hundreds of Chinese people are learning English.After a few years' hard work, almost all of them can read some English materials；many of them can also communicate with native speakers of English verbally.However, they always find it difficult to write good English.The major problems that Chinese students experience when writing in English can be divided into three categories: limited vocabulary, incorrect use of some words in context, and mother tongue interference.
First of all, many Chinese students lack the necessary amount of vocabulary to express their precise meaning.
Some Chinese students boast that they can memorize over 10, 000 words, yet this does not guarantee that they know how to use them correctly.
Third, unable to find equivalent English words, some Chinese students tend to first think in Chinese and then translate their ideas word for word from Chinese into English.
To conclude, many English learners in China are obviously rich in thought but poor in expression.It's true that English writing is difficult to master.However, if they can accumulate English vocabulary through reading and listening, pay more attention to how some of the words are correctly used, and establish the good habit of thinking in English, their ability to write well will be within their reach sooner or later.
Practice 5-3-3
The introductory paragraph:
Whenever we turn on the TV, commercials come into our sight.We can also notice that most TV commercials are repeated four or five times in one evening and continue for as long as half a year.Listed below are three major reasons why a TV commercial is shown again and again: to reduce the production cost, to increase the number of viewers, and to fix the commercial deeply on the viewers' memory.
* * * * * *
The concluding paragraph:
In short, the repetition of TV commercials aims to maximize profits while using the least amount of money.However, if a TV commercial is repeated more times than necessary, the annoyed TV viewers may switch the channel, or even purposely avoid the product.It seems that only a moderate amount of repetition can make a TV commercial memorable.
Practice 5-3-5
Step 1.Brainstorm: omitted
Step 2.The thesis statement:
In general, people collect books so as to use them as reference materials, show off their higher-learning, or further their own intelligence.
Step 3.The introductory paragraph, the three topic sentences of the body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph:
Many people who like to read collect the books they have read.Every home you walk into is likely to have anywhere from a single bookshelf to a whole library of different genre books.Some families even have bookshelves reaching up to their ceiling；obviously, they have collected books for many years and for various reasons.In general, people collect books so as to use them as reference materials, show off their higher-learning, or further their own intelligence.
First of all, keeping personal reference books handy is much more convenient than running to the library whenever a fact needs to be checked.
In addition, some save books in an effort to make a good impression.
However, most people keep books due to their personal thirst for knowledge.
In summary, books seem to rank highly on people's list of must-haves.For some people, a reference book at home is worth two in the library；for others, displaying books on the shelves can help create the illusion that they are well-read.But only those who have discovered the magic of books can benefit significantly from collecting books.
Practice 5-4-2
Step 1.The two subjects in each topic sentence are: Jefferson City and the suburbs.
Step 2.
Body paragraph 1: Unfortunately
Body paragraph 2: however
Body paragraph 3: not as...as...
Step 3.
The introductory paragraph:
Like most cities, Jefferson can also be geographically divided into two sections: the urban area and the suburban area.Due to the quick development of Jefferson in the past few years, more and more people are moving into this city from its suburbs.They do so because they find that the city is better than its suburbs in three ways: bus service, living environment, and other life conveniences.
* * * * * *
The concluding paragraph:
To sum up, life in the city is more pleasant than life in the suburbs.However, since the development in the urban area is faster, the municipal government should watch for potential problems, such as urbanization, overpopulation, and pollution.Meanwhile, adequate funds should also be invested in the development of the suburbs, so the residents there can also share the advantages that usually only city dwellers enjoy.
Practice 5-4-4
Step 1.Brainstorming: omitted
Step 2.The thesis statement:
Actually, it is quite easy to distinguish a successful advertisement from an unsuccessful one if you focus your attention on their language use, visuals (视觉效果) , and honesty.
Step 3.The introductory paragraph, the three topic sentences of the body paragraphs, and the concluding paragraph:
In a market-driven economy, advertisements have covered almost every corner of our country.However, consumers are split when it comes to judging the quality of those advertisements.Actually, it is quite easy to distinguish a successful advertisement from an unsuccessful one, once you focus your attention on the use of language, visuals, and conveyed honesty.
From the wording, one can judge the quality of an advertisement.
Visuals may also vary from advertisement to advertisement.
Although an advertisement's linguistic and artistic aspects are inseparable components, the highlight should revolve around its credibility.
In conclusion, the most effective advertisement possesses a perfect combination of the three criteria set above, but a poorly-made one doesn't.As a result, advertisement producers should be aware that only high-quality advertisements can ensure substantial profits in the long run.Meanwhile, consumers should also remember that the best protection from fabricated (虚假的) advertisements is their own prudence.
Practice 5-4-5
the number of points the hospital the physician's office
2.purposenonprofitprofit
3.paceno hurryin a rush
4.lunchno problema problem
5.parkingavailablenot available
6.insurancefully paidno insurance plan
7.extra worknot too mucha lot
Practice 5-4-6
Step 1.Brainstorming:
pay, promotion, advanced study, workload, night shift, working environ-ment, welfare, degree of freedom, have (no) regular office hours (不/坐班) , work overtime, on-the-job training, have (no) business trips, bonus, the relationship with bosses and/or colleagues, the distance between home and workplace, application of one's knowledge in the job, repetitive, creativity, paid holiday
Step 2.The thesis statement:
The differences between a satisfying job and an unpleasant one remain worlds apart in various aspects.
Step 3.The introductory paragraph, the two topic sentences, and the concluding paragraph:
In theory, jobs in China are generally categorized into 360 types, and people are often told not to classify them into satisfying ones and unpleasant ones.But in practice, most job-hunters still maintain the idea that some jobs are superior to others.People think so because the differences between a satisfying job and an unpleasant one remain worlds apart in various aspects.
A satisfying job can bring an employee tremendous benefits and a promising future.
On the contrary, an unpleasant job can make an employee annoyed and frustrated.
Therefore it can be seen that the dividing line between a good job and a disheartening one appears fairly clear-cut.You may now ask, “What are some of the qualifications for a person to find a dream job? ”The key to this question stands out: his or her academic background, opportunity, personality, competence, working experience, and even social connections….
Practice 5-5-1
1.Money is (is not) the only thing that people are interested in today.
Thesis statement 1 (pros) : Although money is not everyone's ultimate goal, it's still important enough for many to pursue, resulting in several social phenomena such as a serious brain drain, increased crime rate, and the exchange of money for“love”.
* * * * * *
Thesis statement 2 (cons) : Although we live in a materialistic society, not everyone is money-oriented because some are willing to donate money to the needy people, to work overtime without compensation, and to volunteer for non-profit purposes.
Practice 5-5-2
The inhabitants should stay in their village:
A.The island's destruction by the earthquake is not too serious, which makes reconstruction possible.
B.The effort to adapt oneself to a new environment can be mentally stressful because“east or west, home is best.”
C.The resettlement will be more costly than the reconstruction.
* * * * * *
The inhabitants should move to another island:
A.It is not worth rebuilding the devastated village on an earthquake-prone island.
B.The ruins on the island may constantly remind villagers of their horrible experiences in the earthquake.
C.Resettlement on another island may bring more economic prosperity.
Practice 5-5-3
1.Lectures are (are not) an effective method of teaching.
Pros:
A.Lectures are an economical way of giving information to a large number of students.
B.The latest information or views can be heard.
C.It is more interesting to hear and see a person than to read a book.
Cons:
A.Lectures are often badly delivered and are boring.
B.Many teachers just read aloud parts of their books.It is easier to read the books.
C.Students are busy taking notes；therefore, they have no time to think.
2.Beauty contests should (should not) be held in China.
Pros:
A.Chinese people need both inner beauty and physical beauty.
B.Only the well-educated and quick-minded contestants can become winners.
C.Well-dressed ladies consciously modify their behavior in daily life.
Cons:
A.All beauty contests are held just for men.Women are not objects to be auctioned.
B.Those fashion models who gain fame overnight in a beauty contest do not understand the implied significance of success.
C.Some contestants may be misled into pursuing only their physical looks as opposed to their moral development.
Practice 5-5-4
The introductory paragraph:
One of the dilemmas that people face in society today is euthanasia, or mercy killing.Some people are in an unconscious state because of either accidents or incurable diseases.They are all kept alive on life-support machines.Although doctors cannot deliberately end a patient's life, mercy killing should be legally used because it would allow such a patient to end his own misery, the source of deep distress on his family, and the very high medical expenses.
* * * * * *
The concluding paragraph:
In conclusion, mercy killing should be considered legal when a patient's condition becomes critical, the patient's family members are in mental torture, and the medical costs are skyrocketing.If a terminally-ill patient cannot live with dignity, he can at least choose to die with dignity.Therefore, doctors should be allowed to carry out euthanasia as required either by the patient himself or by his family members.
Practice 5-5-6
Pros A.
Some people worry that“this industry might increase crime because of the many strangers in town”.In fact, it is poverty that usually triggers a high crime rate in a particular area.Those who steal or mug (行凶抢劫) others are often unemployed and barely subsisting (维持生活). But since the“strangers”in town will have permanent jobs in the new factory, the crime rate won't necessarily rise at all.
Cons A.
Some people take it as a given (把……视为必然) that“a new factory helps boost the town's economy.”However, they neglect the fact that the benefits of having a factory in town never outweigh the sacrifice.For one thing, the town's peacefulness may be completely destroyed.For another thing, the dust and toxic substances generated by the factory may choke the townspeople 24-hours a day.The townspeople should be made aware that a peaceful and unpolluted environment is the most precious natural resource they possess.Once the clean environment is gone, it can never be restored.
Practice 6-1-1
Figure 1:
It can be seen from the bar graph that while farm occupation decreased between 1830 and 1970, non-farm occupation increased.
Figure 2:
According to the figures given in the line graph, between 1980 and 1990, the monthly temperature in Fishport rose steadily from January to August and then gradually dropped for the rest of the year.
Or: The line graph indicates that in the 1980 to 1990 period, there were long winters and comfortable summers in Fishport.
Or: It is evident from the line graph that differences in Fishport's annual temperature can be as great as 50 degrees centigrade.
Figure 3:
According to the figures given in the table, we can see that both the number of overseas visitors and revenue grew during the period of 1999 to 2001.
Practice 6-1-2
Practice 6-1-5
Pie chart 1.
The pie chart makes it clear that there are various reasons for overseas Chinese to return home.Of all the returnees, those who are attracted by the fast development in China account for 41%.Those who flock back to live with family amount to 36%.Other Chinese who have difficulty finding a job or getting promoted abroad make up 16% and 4% respectively.