The Introduction
The first paragraph is the introduction,which begins with an opening remark,or hook.Writers,and speakers,use hooks to generate interest in the audience.A hook can be a common observation from everyday life,a surprising or unusual fact,a personal or fictional anecdote,a rhetorical question,a quote,among many other possibilities.After the hook,the writer may or may not include background information,which is any information that the reader will need to follow the discussion or argument in the rest of passage.Finally,the introduction ends with a thesis statement.The thesis statement is one sentence that states the writer`s main idea,which is the writer`s opinion,message,or subject,and possibly states the author`s supporting points.Look at the following sample introduction for a passage on cellular division,or mitosis.
Read the example of introduction below
An ancient philosopher once argued that all things in nature contained smaller versions of themselves:a tree contained small identical trees;a flower contained small flowers,etc.Now,of course we know that the cell is the fundamental unit of all living organisms.The cell is a microscopically small sack,or bag,whose walls are made up of lipids and cholesterol.The human body is made up of trillions of cells.Some reproduce and many do not,but all cells connect with each other to form the various organs of the body,such as the heart,lungs and skin.Human cells multiply through a process called mitosis,and there are four main stages of cell division.
The first paragraph is the introduction,which begins with an opening remark,or hook.Writers,and speakers,use hooks to generate interest in the audience.A hook can be a common observation from everyday life,a surprising or unusual fact,a personal or fictional anecdote,a rhetorical question,a quote,among many other possibilities.After the hook,the writer may or may not include background information,which is any information that the reader will need to follow the discussion or argument in the rest of passage.Finally,the introduction ends with a thesis statement.The thesis statement is one sentence that states the writer`s main idea,which is the writer`s opinion,message,or subject,and possibly states the author`s supporting points.Look at the following sample introduction for a passage on cellular division,or mitosis.
Read the example of introduction below
An ancient philosopher once argued that all things in nature contained smaller versions of themselves:a tree contained small identical trees;a flower contained small flowers,etc.Now,of course we know that the cell is the fundamental unit of all living organisms.The cell is a microscopically small sack,or bag,whose walls are made up of lipids and cholesterol.The human body is made up of trillions of cells.Some reproduce and many do not,but all cells connect with each other to form the various organs of the body,such as the heart,lungs and skin.Human cells multiply through a process called mitosis,and there are four main stages of cell division.
Notice that the writer`s hook,or opening remark,mention an ancient philosopher`s belief about the composition of living things.However,this historical fact is not the main topic structure of nature,but the hook contrasts with the main topic since the hook is an incorrect idea that has been disproved by modern science.Next,writer provides background,which is a description of a cell and its function within the human body.Finally,the introduction ends with a thesis statement,which mentions the topic(mitosis) and the supporting points writer will discuss each stage of cell division in the passage;the writer does not make an explicit,or direct,statement such as I WILL EXPLAIN THE FOUR MAIN STAGES.
The Body paragraph
The second section of the passage is the body,which is the middle group of paragraphs.The body could contain any number of paragraphs,but usually TOEFL reading passages have either three or four body paragraphs.Each body paragraph begins with topic sentence,which states the unique topic of that paragraph.Each body paragraph discusses a supporting point for the thesis,and the topic sentence states that supporting point.After the topic sentence,each body paragraph include detail,such as examples,description,explanation,definitions.Details are specific ideas that help you understand the supporting points.Look at the following body paragraph for the passage on cell division:
In the first stage,a cell receives a signal to divide when a molecule,such as insulin,connects to the outside of the cell wall.The connection of a particular molecule activates the nucleus,which is self-contained within its own wall inside the cell.The nucleus is the engine and control center of the cell.For example,when a person is cut,the blood cells produce specific molecules that attach to skin cells.These molecules activate the nucleus inside each skin cell,and the skin cells around the injury begin to multiply until the cut is covered by new skin.During the first stage of this multiplication,the cell must multiply its number of molecules and organelles.
All human cells contain molecules and organelles that are necessary for the cells to function.Molecules include carbohydrates,protein,lipids,and nucleic acids,amount others.Some molecules combine to form organelles,which are groups of molecules that perform specific functions in the cell.For example,the nucleus is one large organelles that contains genetic information in DNA to regulate all activity in the cell.Other organelles help extract energy from food.A cell must double the number of molecules and organelles before it divides.
Second,the cell undergoes synthesis,which is the copying of the DNA.Deoxyribonucleic acid,or DNA,contains the instructions for producing everything that a cell needs,including the instructions for all stages of cell division.DNA is made up of two sequences of genes like two chains hanging side by side.Organelles follow the instructions in the specific genetic sequence,or order.For example,when person eats food,the cells in the stomach produce enzymes which break the food down.Organelles manufacture the enzyme using instructions in one sequence of genes in DNA. In the third stage of cell division,wall of the original nucleus disappears,and the cell begins to divide equally all contents of the cell.At the end of this stage,there re two sets of DNA on each side of the cell,and the cell contains enough organelles for two complete cells.
Finally,in the mitosis stage,a new nucleus forms around each set of DNA.Then the cell creates a new wall between the two nuclei.At the end of this stage,the cell split in two,and eventually two cells exits instead of just one.A healthy cell will continue multiplying until it receives a molecular signal to stop.
Notice that each paragraph begins with a sentence stating the topic of that paragraph.For example,the topic sentence of Paragraph 2 mentions synthesis,which is the topic of that paragraph.Also,the detail in each paragraph relates to that unique paragraph topic.For instance,the detail in Paragraph 2 defines DNA and explains its importance to a cell.Each body paragraph is a part of the writer`s main idea,and together all the body paragraph s equal the main idea,which is an explanation of cell division.
The final paragraph is the conclusion,which may not summarize the key supporting points from the body of the passage.A summary is necessary when the passage is extremely long,but since the TOEFL reading passages re not very long,a summary is not required .However,a writer must definitely restate the main idea of the passage.Finally,the conclusion could include some comment or opinion (support,rejection,concern,optimism)about the topic of the passage,and perhaps a recommendation,solution,prediction,or warning related to it.Look at the following conclusion for the passage about cell division:
Read example of conclusion below
To summarize,a cell undergoes four steps to duplicate its contents and then split in two.One major focus for researchers now is the cessation,or stopping,of cell division .Cancer is a disease that involves uncontrolled mitosis.Hopefully,researchers will eventually learn how to turn mitosis off and halt the spread of cancer
Read example of conclusion below
To summarize,a cell undergoes four steps to duplicate its contents and then split in two.One major focus for researchers now is the cessation,or stopping,of cell division .Cancer is a disease that involves uncontrolled mitosis.Hopefully,researchers will eventually learn how to turn mitosis off and halt the spread of cancer
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