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Unit 8 Letter of Congratulation
Transcript

Unit 8

Letter of Congratulation

Contents

• Paragraph Writing

• Letter of Congratulation or Commiseration

• Writing Practice

Contents

Definition of Paragraph

Paragraph Structure

The Qualities of An Effective Paragraph

Ways of Developing a Paragraph4

1

2

3

Paragraph WritingParagraph Writing

5 Basic Paragraph-Building Skills

Part I

Definition of Paragraph

Paragraph Structure

The Qualities of An Effective Paragraph

1

2

3

Paragraph WritingParagraph Writing

1.Definition of Paragraph

• A paragraph is one or more sentences that are logically organized to express one central idea completely.

• It may be a part of an essay or it may stand alone like a mini essay.

• It may be long or short.

2. Paragraph Structure

• topic sentence

• supporting sentences

• Concluding sentence

Topic Sentence

• A topic sentence is a single sentence which states the main idea of a paragraph clearly.

• It names the topic in the paragraph, telling the reader what the paragraph is about.

• It contains a controlling idea that commits the paragraph to a specific aspect of the topic.

• It tells the reader what to expect in the paragraph.

• It usually is the most general and most important statement in the paragraph.

Topic Sentence

For Example:

• Writing an outline is an aid to organizing a composition.

• Going to college requires much more self-reliance than going to high school.

• Riding a bicycle gives pleasure.

Topic Sentence:

• A good top sentence should not be too broad or too specific, or contain the words like “I think”, “in my opinion”.

The Arabic(阿拉伯的 )origin of many English words is not always obvious.

The slang expression “so long” (meaning goodbye) is probably a corruption (变体) of the Arabic “salaam". (This better serves as an example)

(Good)(Good)

(Too specific) (Too specific)

Topic Sentence

• It may appear at the very beginning, at the end, in the middle of a paragraph; or it may be implied.

No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses.

The position of the topic sentence

___________________________________________________________

_________________________

___________________________________________________________

_________________________

Now let’s look at an interesting example with color. If you own a blue car, and you know it is blue even if it is in bright sunlight, in darkness or under a yellow street light. Your eyes tell you that it changed color in these different situations, but your brain knows better. You have learnt that cars don’t change color all the time, and so your brain interprets the information your eyes give you.

The position of the topic sentence

______________________________________________

_________________________________________________

______________________________________________

_________________________________________________

My parents have gone out for the evening. Just as I settle down to read or watch TV my little brother demands that I play with him. If I get a telephone call, he screams in the background or knocks something over. I always have to hang up to find out what’s wrong with him. Baby-sitting with my brother is no fun. He refuses to let me eat a snack in peace. Usually he wants half of whatever I have to eat. Then, when he finally grows tired, it takes about an hour for him to fall asleep.

The position of the topic sentence

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• 无主题句的段落示例无主题句的段落示例

Are they good topic sentences?

5. Television is very important.

6. Television plays an educational role in our daily life.

1.He sent his wife a diamond ring on her thirtieth birthday.

2.He always surprises his wife on her birthdays.

3. They decided to change for a new apartment for several reasons.

4. They sold the old apartment because of the leaking roof屋顶漏水 .

7. To improve reading ability, one needs to acquire some reading skills.

8. To improve English proficiency is very important.

9. The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs .

10. The Americans and the British have many things in common.

Are they good topic sentences?

• The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. The sentences to develop the topic or support the main idea are called supporting sentences/developing sentences .

supporting Sentence

• No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. (扩展句 1 ) Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. (扩展句 2 ) In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our weaknesses.

• There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system 医保制度 . All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at universities. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

A major supporting sentence directly serves as the explanation of the topic sentence. Major supporting sentences are not necessarily related to each other.

A minor supporting sentence is to further develop the opinions presented by the major supporting sentence. It usually support the latter by giving examples, statistics, facts or quotations.

Concluding sentence

• A concluding sentence is the last sentence of the paragraph.

• The concluding sentence usually summarizes the whole idea of the paragraph or it is a restatement of the main idea or the topic sentence.

Please single out 挑出 the sentence that fails to develop the topic sentence:

1. I easily give up doing my homework.

a. I always start to feel hungry and go into the kitchen for a snack.

b. I’ll leave my study to investigate ay noise I hear.

c. While I study, I try to listen to the music.

d. For me, physics is the hardest subject.

e. I often leave my desk to go the mirror to comb my hair.

2. One should know better than to be misled by advertisements.

• Look at the products themselves to see if they really are what the advertisers claim them to be.

• Talk to your friends to find out if they have had success with the products.

• Switch channels if a television program is interrupted by too many commercials.

• Above all, don’t buy a product because an advertisement says that a famous football player or a movie star likes it.

Please read the following paragraph and identify the irrelevant sentences .

① Different people spend their weekends in different ways . ② Some enjoy going to the mountains to hike, ski or just

relax . ③Water skiing is much more difficult than snow skiing . ④ Others prefer going to the beach to enjoy the seashore

activities and to get a suntan . ⑤ Some of these people work very hard during the week ;

others have rather relaxing jobs . ⑥ Still others like to relax by staying home and reading a

good book .Topic Sentence : ________Irrelevant Sentences : ________________

3. The Qualities of An Effective Paragraph

• Unity 统一性• Coherence 连贯性 • Adequate Development 叙述充分

3.1 Unity of a paragraph

• If all the sentences in the paragraph lead to one central theme, the paragraph is unified.

• Example

I had a wonderful summer. First, I started sleeping in every day. I would then go swimming with my friends. I stayed up late watching TV a lot, and I went to camp for a week. I wished my summer would never end!

3.2 Coherence

In a coherent paragraph, • each sentence relates clearly to the topic sentence or

controlling idea; • each sentence flows smoothly into the next without

obvious shifts or jumps, i.e. the sentences be arranged in a clear, logical order, and the transitions should be smooth and natural.

A coherent paragraph also highlights the ties between old information and new information to make the structure of ideas or arguments clear to the reader.

3.2 Coherence

A paragraph’s coherence may also be related to its length. • If you have written a very long paragraph, one that

fills a double-spaced typed page, for example, you should check it carefully to see if it should start a new paragraph where the original paragraph wanders from its controlling idea.

• If a paragraph is very short (only one or two sentences, perhaps), you may need to develop its controlling idea more thoroughly, or combine it with another paragraph.

• Example There is some feeling nowadays that reading is not as

necessary as it once was. Radio and especially television have taken over many of the functions once served by print. Admittedly, television serves some of these functions extremely well; the visual communication of news events, for example, has enormous impact. The ability of radio to give us information while we are engaged in doing other things - for instance, driving a car - is remarkable, and a great saving of time. But it may be seriously questioned whether the advent of modern communications media has much enhanced our understanding of the whole world in which we live.

3.2.1 Ways of coherence:

• 1. coherence by meaning (意连 )

• 2. coherence by linking words (形连 )

•1. coherence by meaning ( 意连 )

• A . chronological arrangement

按时间先后排列• B. spatial arrangement

按位置远近排列• C. logical arrangement

按逻辑关系排列•2. coherence by linking words

( 形连 )

A . chronological arrangement

•   We had a number of close calls ( 险事 ) that day. When we rose, it was obviously late and we had to hurry so as not to miss breakfast; we knew the dining room staff was strict about closing at nine o‘clock. Then, when we had been driving in the desert for nearly two hours ----- it must have been close to noon ---- the heat nearly hid us in; the radiator (散热器) boiled over and we had to use most of our drinking water to cool it down. By the time we reached the mountain, it was our o'clock and we were exhausted. (To be continued)

• Here, judgment ran out of us and we started the tough climbing to the summit, not realizing that darkness came suddenly in the desert. Sure enough, by six we were struggling and Andrew very nearly went down a steep cliff, dragging Mohammed and me along with him. By nine, when the wind howled across the flat ledge of the summit, we knew as we shivered together for warmth that it had not been our lucky day.

•本段从“ rose” (起床)写起,然后是吃早餐(“ not to miss breakfast”, “closing at nine o'clock” ),然后是“ close to noon” ,一直写到这一天结束(“ By nine--” )。

B. spatial arrangement

• From a distance, it looked like a skinny tube, but as we got closer, we could see it flesh out before our eyes. It was tubular, all right, but fatter than we could see from far away. Furthermore, we were also astonished to notice that the building was really in two parts: a pagoda sitting on top of a tubular one-story structure. Standing ten feet away, we could marvel at how much of the pagoda was made up of glass windows. (To be continued)

• Almost everything under the wonderful Chinese roof was made of glass, unlike the tube that it was sitting on, which only had four. Inside, the tube was gloomy, because of the lack of light. Then a steep, narrow staircase took us up inside the pagoda and the light changed dramatically. All those windows let in a flood of sunshine and we could see out for miles across the flat land.

•本段的写法是由远及近,从远处(“ from a distance” )写起,然后“ get closer” ,再到(“ ten feet away” ),最后是“ inside the pagoda”…… 当然,按位置远近来写不等于都是由远及近。根据需要,也可以由近及远,由表及里等等。

C. logical arrangement

• 1) arrangement in order of importance

按重要性顺序排列• 2) general-to-specific arrangement

由一般到特殊排列• 3) specific-to-general arrangement

由特殊到一般排列

1) arrangement in order of importance

• If you work as a soda jerker, you will, of course, not need much skill in expressing yourself to be effective. If you work on a machine, your ability to express yourself will be of little importance. But as soon as you move one step up from the bottom, your effectiveness depends on your ability to reach others through the spoken or the written word. (To be continued)

• And the further away your job is from manual work, the larger the organization of which you are an employee, the more important it will be that you know how to convey your thoughts in writing or speaking. In the very large business organization, whether it is the government, the large corporation, or the Army, this ability to express oneself is perhaps the most important of all the skills a man can possess.

•这一段谈的是表达能力,它的重要性与职业,身份有关,从“ not need much skill” 或“ of little importance” 到“ more important” ,最后是“ most important” 。

2) general-to-specific arrangement

• If a reader is lost, it is generally because the writer has not been careful enough to keep him on the path. This carelessness can take any number of forms. Perhaps a sentence is so excessively cluttered that the reader, hacking his way through the verbiage ( 冗词贅语 ), simply doesn‘t know what it means. Perhaps a sentence has been so shoddily ( 劣质地 ) constructed that the reader could read it in any of several ways. Perhaps the writer has switched tenses, or has switched pronouns in mid-sentence, so the reader loses track of when the action took place or who is talking. (Next page)

• Perhaps sentence B is not logical sequel to sentence A --- the writer, in whose head the connection is clear, has not bothered to provide the missing link. Perhaps the writer has used an important word incorrectly by not taking the trouble to look it up. He may think that “sanguine“( 红润的;乐观的 ) and ”sanguinary” ( 血腥的,残暴的 ) mean the same thing, but the difference is a bloody (very) big one. The reader can only infer what the writer is trying to imply.

•这一段谈的是 a writer's carelessness ,先给出一个general statement 作为主题句,然后通过 5 个 " perhaps "加以例证。

• I do not understand why people confuse my Siamese cat ( 暹罗猫 ), Prissy, with the one I had several years ago, Henry. The two cats are only alike in breed. Prissy, a quiet, feminine feline ( 猫科的 ), loves me dearly but not possessively. She likes to keep her distance from people, exert her independence and is never so rude as to beg, lick, or sniff unceremoniously ( 随便的 ). Her usual posture is sitting upright, eyes closed, perfectly still. Prissy is a very proper cat.

3) specific-to-general arrangement

• Henry, on the other hand, loved me dearly but possessively. He was my shadow from morning till night. He expected me to constantly entertain him. Henry never cared who saw him do anything, whether it was decorous (proper) or not, and he usually offended my friends in some way. The cat made himself quite comfortable, on the top of the television, across stranger's feet or laps, in beds, drawers, sacks, closets, or nooks. The difference between them is imperceptible to strangers.

•本段的主题句是段首句,它仅提出一个问题:为什么两只猫会被搞混。然后对两者进行比较,末句才下结论。

2. coherence by linking words ( 形连 )

• Walter's goal in life was to become a successful surgeon. First, though, he had to get through high school, so he concentrated all his efforts on his studies --- in particular, biology, chemistry, and math. Because he worked constantly on these subjects, Walter became proficient in them; however, Walter forgot that he needed to master other subjects besides those he had chosen. As a result, during his junior year of high school, Walter failed both English and Latin. Consequently, he had to repeat these subjects and he was almost unable to graduate on schedule. Finally, on June 6, Walter achieved the first step toward realizing his goal.

•Two kinds of linking words:• a. transitional words or phrases 转换词语 first, though, so, in particular, and, because,

however, besides, as a result, both…and, consequently, and, finally.

• b. linking devices 连接手段 he, he, his, his, he, these, them, he, those, his, he,

these, his.

本段中共有词汇 105 个,所使用的转换词语及其他连接用语共 26 个词,约占该段总词汇量的四分之一。

PracticeRead and Improve

• Speaking and writing are different in many ways. Speech depends on sounds. Writing uses written symbols. Speech developed about 500 000 years ago. Written language is a recent development. It was invented only about six thousand years ago. Speech is usually informal. The word choice of writing is often relatively formal. Pronunciation and accent often tell where the speaker is from.

• Pronunciation and accent are ignored in writing. A standard diction and spelling system prevails in the written language of most countries. Speech relies on gesture, loudness, and rise and fall of the voice. Writing lacks gesture, loudness and the rise and fall of the voice. Careful speakers and writers are aware of the differences.

Improved version

• Speaking and writing are different in many ways. Speech depends on sounds; writing, on the other hand, uses written symbols. Speech was developed about 500 000 years ago, but written language is a recent development, invented only about six thousand years ago. Speech is usually informal, while the word choice of writing, by contrast, is often relatively formal.

• Although pronunciation and accent often tell where the speaker is from, they are ignored in wiring because a standard diction and spelling system prevails in most countries. Speech relies on gesture, loudness, and the rise and fall of the voice, but writing lacks these features. Careful speakers and writers are aware of the differences .

3.3 Adequate Development

• The topic (which is introduced by the topic sentence) should be discussed fully and adequately. A supporting sentence should support the topic sentence by giving:

• reasons• examples• facts• statistics• quotations• …

• No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. (推展句 1 ) Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. (推展句 2 ) In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our weaknesses.

• There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system 医保制度 . All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at universities. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

Practice : Support the topic sentences with supporting sentences so as to develop them into a short paragraph.

• There are several factors affecting climate.

Example for reference

• ( 主题句 ) There are several factors affecting climate. ( 扩展句 1) One factor is the amount of sunlight received. ( 扩展句 2)Altitude, or the height above sea level, also determines climate. ( 扩展句 3)The oceans have an effect on the climate of adjacent land. ( 扩展句 4) In addition, climate is influenced by the general circulation of the atmosphere.

Letter of Congratulation

• Introduction

• Contents of Congratulation Letter

• Formats and Samples

• Useful Expressions

• Points in Writing Congratulation Letter

Introduction

A congratulation letter is used for praising a person on his success. This letter is a great gesture to maintain personal as well as professional relationships. Through this letter, one can talk about the exemplary qualities that helped a person to achieve his/her goals in life. Such a letter makes the recipient proud of his/her success. The letter should be full of enthusiasm and happiness. The letter has to tell how much happy you are on hearing the news of their success.

Contents of Congratulation Letter

• Congratulate a person on his or her success in the very beginning of the letter.

• Praise an individual on his or her success in the main body of the letter. Mention how these achievements are significant and talk about the exemplary qualities that helped a person to achieve his/her goals in life.

• End the letter with your best wishes for future projects. You can use terms like yours truly to close the letter.

Sample 1: A letter of congratulation on graduation

• Dear Isabella:• On behalf of the entire team of Rosewood Publications, I would

like to heartily congratulate you on your recent graduation from Texas University with Masters in Journalism. That you stood first in the department of Journalism is great news for all of us here.

• I was delighted to read about your successful completion of the course in the newspaper. We felt great that you were part of our team. As an intern, you contributed immensely in the company. You're writing and reporting skills and confidence are really good. The understanding of situation and dealing according to the needs were two important factors in your news report. You are committed and have great work ethics, which will help you to succeed in your professional life. I hope that working with us has helped you and contributed to your success in a small way.

• The entire company is wishing you all the best for your future. Congratulations once again!

• Yours truly,• Hugh Aniston

• Dear Isabella:

• On behalf of the entire team of Rosewood Publications, I would like to heartily congratulate you on your recent graduation from Texas University with Masters in Journalism. That you stood first in the department of Journalism is great news for all of us here.

• I was delighted to read about your successful completion of the course in the newspaper. We felt great that you were part of our team. As an intern, you contributed immensely in the company. You're writing and reporting skills and confidence are really good. The understanding of situation and dealing according to the needs were two important factors in your news report. You are committed and have great work ethics, which will help you to succeed in your professional life. I hope that working with us has helped you and contributed to your success in a small way

• The entire company is wishing you all the best for your future. Congratulations once again!

• Yours truly,

• Hugh Aniston

Sample 2: A Letter to Congratulate a Friend on His First Publication

• Dear Sandra• I am writing this letter to congratulate you for your first article published in

newspaper. I was excited to read your first article published in the esteemed newspaper "The Herald". The headline "Can racism impact young minds" was quite interesting and attractive. The article dealt with survey and analysis of young students from different countries who study in New York. It brought out new facets of racism and its influence on youngsters. The article was really good and worth reading.

• I have read a lot of your articles and reports from our college days. I know well how good a writer you are. But today, it was fabulous to see your article featuring in one of the leading dailies of the country. It is a great achievement. You have worked hard for this day. Your patience and determination has paid and now all of us will be reading your articles in this newspaper on daily basis. Your ethics have helped you to reach this place. My best wishes for your future endeavors.

• Once again, I congratulate you on your first publication. I read the entire article and enjoyed it. I will personally come down to meet you when I will be in the town next month. I will contact you on phone or email you once my travel plans are fixed. I am looking forward to meet you.

• Yours truly,• Paul Young

• Dear Sandra• I am writing this letter to congratulate you for

your first article published in newspaper. I was excited to read your first article published in the esteemed newspaper "The Herald". The headline "Can racism impact young minds" was quite interesting and attractive. The article dealt with survey and analysis of young students from different countries who study in New York. It brought out new facets of racism and its influence on youngsters. The article was really good and worth reading.

• I have read a lot of your articles and reports from our college days. I know well how good a writer you are. But today, it was fabulous to see your article featuring in one of the leading dailies of the country. It is a great achievement. You have worked hard for this day. Your patience and determination has paid and now all of us will be reading your articles in this newspaper on daily basis. Your ethics have helped you to reach this place. My best wishes for your future endeavors.

• Once again, I congratulate you on your first publication. I read the entire article and enjoyed it. I will personally come down to meet you when I will be in the town next month. I will contact you on phone or email you once my travel plans are fixed. I am looking forward to meet you.

• Yours truly,• Paul Young

Sample 3:Letter of Congratulation for Promotion In Job

• Dear Ms. Evans• Congratulations! I got the news of your promotion to the position of Chief

Financial Officer yesterday. It is indeed a great news and really happy for you. You have reached this position in your career through sheer hard work and dealing with new challenges. You have reached the pinnacle of success due to your determination and vision. You are a real idol to young women who want to have illustrious career.

• I have seen your journey for last twenty years. I have silently observed your transition from a young management graduate to a Finance Executive. You are a great team leader and good decision maker.  Achieving such success is not a simple task. I understand you had to make various personal sacrifices.  You have to go long way and the organization will reach new heights under your leadership. I hope to see this happening in near future.  I am eagerly waiting for that day.

• I will personally come down to your corporate office to congratulate you when I will be in the town. I look forward to meet you as soon as possible. I will fix up an appointment with you in the next fortnight. My best wishes for all your future endeavors.

• Yours sincerely• Kimberley Scott

• Dear Ms. Evans• Congratulations! I got the news of your

promotion to the position of Chief Financial Officer yesterday. It is indeed a great news and really happy for you. You have reached this position in your career through sheer hard work and dealing with new challenges. You have reached the pinnacle of success due to your determination and vision. You are a real idol to young women who want to have illustrious career.

• I have seen your journey for last twenty years. I have silently observed your transition from a young management graduate to a Finance Executive. You are a great team leader and good decision maker.  Achieving such success is not a simple task. I understand you had to make various personal sacrifices.  You have to go long way and the organization will reach new heights under your leadership. I hope to see this happening in near future.  I am eagerly waiting for that day.

• I will personally come down to your corporate office to congratulate you when I will be in the town. I look forward to meet you as soon as possible. I will fix up an appointment with you in the next fortnight. My best wishes for all your future endeavors.

• Yours sincerely• Kimberley Scott

Useful Expressions

1. Congratulations to you on your success.2. I would like to convey my warmest congratulations to you

on your success/promotion. 3. I would like to add my congratulations to the many you

will be receiving. 4. We wish you both a lifetime of happiness.5. My best wishes for all your future endeavors.

6. I would like to heartily congratulate you on your …

7. I am writing to congratulate you for your… 8. Congratulation! You gave a very good presentation.

Points in Writing Congratulation Letter

• Be prompt in drafting and sending congratulatory message.

• The tone has to be soft and enthusiastic . The letter should start of on a joyful note. Be honest in expressing your thoughts. Don't be pompous. The letter in no way should show that you are jealous or envy the person who has succeeded in his or her life.

• The letter of congratulation has to be short and concise. You should limit it to one pager.

Writing Practice

• Write a congratulation letter on one of the occasions.

1. You best friend won scholarship.

2. Your former classmate Jim Linton has just got his doctor degree.

3. One of your relatives has been promoted to CEO of his company.

4. Your friend in another city has at last moved to his new house after 10 years of hard work.


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