Topic Sentence-Conclusion

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Topic Sentence and Conclusion

--exercises to help students practice these skills--

Posted here for writing teachers, by Michael Krigline, MA (2009); www.krigline.com.cn

 

(Teachers: I squeeze these onto B5 sheets of paper, with page breaks shown below. You are welcome to copy and adapt this exercise as you wish. The essays and sample answers are based on essays written by my students, while preparing for the TEM-4 exam--i.e., Sophomore writing)

 

(click "Writing Notes" to see my comments concerning the "notes" section of the TEM-4 test; click "Writing Essays" to see my comments concerning the "essay" section of the test) Click here to see sample TEM-4 essays

 

Page one--topic sentence practice

 

姓名(写清楚):_____________ ID#(学号)________________ Class()__________

English Name_____________________________

 

姓名(写清楚):_____________ ID#(学号)________________ Class()__________

English Name_____________________________

Instructions: With your partner, look at the support outline, and then write a topic sentence (TS) for each paragraph. (I suggest that each of you write the TS for one paragraph, and then help each other to make corrections.) Your one-sentence introduction should mention the key ideas and/or hint at the support points, but not give much detail. The topic sentence must be grammatically correct.

 

1.  Topic: First Birthday Celebrations in China

     Key ideas: future/predict, party/celebrate

     Support points:

         a. on 1st birthday, relatives & friends gather

         b. things on a table have symbolic meanings (e.g., a pen relates to “studying”)

         c. a child’s choice predicts the future

         d. red eggs bring good luck

 

TS: _________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

 

2.  Topic: Four parts of a Chinese wedding

     Key ideas: wedding/marriage, joy/laughter, multiple (four) things/steps involved

     Support points:

         a. parents choose a good day

         b. groom (with friends) joyfully goes to the bride’s home

         c. celebrate at a restaurant (good food, lots of toasts)

         d. teasing the newlyweds at the bridal chamber

 

TS: _________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Page two--conclusion practice (given one or two weeks after the "topic sentence" sheet)

 

姓名(写清楚):_____________ ID#(学号)________________ Class()__________

English Name_____________________________

 

姓名(写清楚):_____________ ID#(学号)________________ Class()__________

English Name_____________________________

Instructions: Now look at the actual body of each paragraph and write a one-sentence conclusion. Your conclusion must repeat the topic and summarize most of the main points. If you wish, add an implication or consequence (this is not easy to do!). Things to avoid: vague exclamations, rhetorical questions, and pronouns (unless what they refer to is in the conclusion).

 

1. Possible Topic Sentences:

A Chinese baby’s first birthday party is important because the child’s choices and the parents’ gifts may predict the future.

Many Chinese parents look to the future as they celebrate their child’s first birthday.

Many Chinese people pay close attention to a child’s first birthday celebration because the activities of that day may predict or influence the baby’s future.

      [Topic sentence…             ] A baby’s first birthday brings relatives and friends together to celebrate. During the party, people put many symbolic things on the table. For example, a pen stands for being good at studying. Then they let the child grasp one thing to predict what will happen to him/her in the future. The parents also send out eggs painted red in order to bring good luck. [Conclusion…      ]

 

Conclusion: ___________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. Possible Topic Sentences:

A Chinese marriage starts after a wedding day filled with laughter and loved ones.

In China, four steps help make weddings a joyous occasion.

Choices, a party, and joyful visits help make a wedding day fun in China.

      [Topic sentence…             ]  First, the bride’s parents choose a good day for the wedding based on the Chinese lunar calendar. When the day comes, the groom and his friends joyously go to pick up the bride at her home. At noon, the bride and groom celebrate at a restaurant with their relatives and friends, offering good food in exchange for lots of toasts with “double-happiness” wine. Afterwards, the party continues at the bridal chamber, as young guests go along to tease the newlyweds. [Conclusion…            ]

 

Conclusion: __________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

 

Page three--sample answers (I give this out when I return the homework)

 

1. Possible Topic Sentences:

A Chinese baby’s first birthday party is important because the child’s choices and the parents’ gifts may predict the future.

Many Chinese parents look to the future as they celebrate their child’s first birthday.

Many Chinese people pay close attention to a child’s first birthday celebration because the activities of that day may predict or influence the baby’s future.

During first birthday celebrations in China, parents traditionally predict their children’s future by watching their choices and wishing others good luck.

To celebrate a baby’s first birthday in China, relatives and friends gather to predict his future and bless him in several ways.

Chinese people like to hold a First Birthday Celebration because things with symbolic meanings may predict luck or a bright future. (notice that I’ve made the event a proper noun here)

 

 

1. Possible conclusions:

In China, “good luck” eggs and a child’s predictive choice provide a reason for relatives and friends to gather and celebrate a baby’s first birthday.

Because a child’s choices and the parents’ gifts to neighbors may predict or influence the child’s future, a baby’s first birthday has traditionally been highly valued in China.

Lucky eggs and children’s choices that may influence the future bring many Chinese families and friends together for first birthday celebrations.

In China, many parents uphold the tradition of letting a one-year-old baby “reach out” to reveal the future on his/her birthday, while parents, friends and relatives exchange wishes for the child’s bright and happy future.

The family’s participation, a child grasping symbolic things, and eating lucky eggs will make a Chinese baby’s first birthday party a happy time.

Relatives’ blessings, parents’ hopes, and a traditional ceremony that predicts the future make First Birthday Celebrations in China meaningful.

A symbolic party game, family and friends’ participation, and parents’ hope combine to make a Chinese baby’s first birthday memorable.

In China, many people believe that a child’s future may be influenced by his/her choice and by the parents’ gifts to others at a first birthday celebration.

 

2. Possible Topic Sentences:

A Chinese marriage starts after a wedding day filled with laughter and loved ones.

In China, four steps help make weddings a joyous occasion.

Choices, a party, and joyful visits help make a wedding day fun in China.

In China, the journey of marriage begins with four interesting and joyful steps.

A Chinese wedding often involves four steps that make the celebration full of joy.

A joyful Chinese wedding often involves four steps.

A wedding celebration in China is not just a cheerful party, but a whole family’s work that involves four steps. (body—parents do this, brothers do that, nephews/nieces do that)

In China, a traditional four-step celebration is held to make a wedding full of joy.

A joyful Chinese wedding normally involves four steps that include parents, friends, a party, and fun afterward. (This sentence is a “fixed” version of the next one.)

A joyful Chinese wedding normally involves four steps: choosing the day, going to the bride’s home, celebrating with guests, and teasing the newlyweds. (This sentence may be too detailed for a TS; if you choose this one, you’ll have to be extra creative in writing a conclusion.)

 

2. Possible conclusions:

(very basic) In China, choosing a good day, picking up the bride, celebrating, and teasing the newlyweds make weddings a joyous occasion.

The choice of a propitious day, a joyous morning visit to the bride’s home, a food-filled wedding celebration, and light-hearted teasing from friends are four important parts of a Chinese wedding.

A Chinese wedding is interesting and enjoyable because it includes participation from parents, morning fun at the bride’s home, a festive wedding party with relatives and friends, and even teasing from young guests on the wedding day.

The four steps that work together to make a Chinese wedding memorable are the parents’ choice of an auspicious day, a morning visit to the bride’s home, a lively wedding celebration and teasing from young friends on the wedding night.

In modern China, a couple often has their marriage license before the day chosen by parents arrives; but only after a traditional wedding—complete with an early visit to the bride, a big meal and the teasing of friends—are two people publicly acknowledged as a married couple.

 

 

Page four--how I grade this exercise 

 

Grading for TS:

one point for having all key ideas

+one point for whole topic

+three for no corrections AND a good TS; two for minor corrections, but a good TS; one if the TS is not very good or for trying

I did give half points on occasion, like when it was weak, but had few errors (1.5), or 2.5 if “almost perfect”

=five for each

 

EXPECT LOTS OF ZEROS for the format portion.

 

Grading for Con:

A.

+3 -- one half for each of these: China, 1-year-old/first, BD/celebration, gifts/choices/symbolic things, eggs, friends/neighbors and/or relatives (preferably both)

+2 for a good conclusion, including an implication and “future/predict”

    +1 for a so-so conclusion, perhaps missing one of the paragraph’s key ideas (but can’t be missing the “predict/future” idea)

    +0 otherwise

 

ONLY COUNT THINGS WRITTEN IN THE FIRST SENTENCE and cross out any later sentences. If they use comma splices, mark the content but give at most “1” for the format portion.

 

B.

+3 -- one half for each of these: China, wedding/marriage, parents/choice of day, visit the bride, celebration/party, teasing = three

+2 for a good conclusion, including an implication

    +1 for a so-so conclusion, perhaps missing one of the paragraph’s key ideas

    +0 otherwise

 

 

 

 

This resource was created for teachers under my understanding of "fair use" for educational resources.  

© 2009 Michael Krigline, all rights reserved. As far as I am concerned, people are allowed to print/copy it for personal or classroom use.

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