Notes for English Rhetoric 2

1
Notes for English Rhetoric (2) Nov. 1, 2006

• In the previous sessions, we devoted a lot of
  time to discussing basic topics such as
• Finding Your Voice Why write and speak?
• Using Journals to enhance English proficiency
• Formulating a main idea and generating
  supporting ideas
• Writing a Paragraph Topic sentences, mapping
  and outlining
• Starting from Chapters 5 and Chapters 24 25, we
  are going to brainstorm by further in-class
  writing, and drafting for speech delivery based
  on the previous discussions and the newly
  provided references. When you begin to write an
  essay or draft a speech, pay attention to the
  topics of Word Choice (Chapter 23),
  Identifying Subjects and Verbs (Chapter 24, and
  Subject-Verb Agreement (Chapter 25), as well as
  other reminders that I have provided to you both
  in class and online. In addition, please read
  Jean Aitchisons (1994) Words in the Mind, in
  which she analyzes how humans manage to store so
  many words, and how they find the ones they
  want?in the proper context?.

2
Writing Lab Santa Fe Community College Gainesville
, Florida
Beth Kamiski, 28 with 2 children. Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Major NURSING (P. 8) Alicia Martinez,
19. Los Angeles, California. Major BUSINESS (PP.
9 - 10) Tony Anderson, 25. Atlanta, Georgia.
Major PSYCHOLOGY (P. 11) Dan Tribble, 35 with
wife and 2 kids. New York, New York. Major
COMPUTRS Science. (PP. 12 13)
3
Using Outline Form (PP. 72 - 76)
I. Introduction
Thesis (My car has a lot
of disadvantages.) (Learning to
write English composition has been
a formidable challenge to me.)
The outline form Is broken down into main
headings (I, II, III,IV)
II. Main topic (1)
A. Support topic
1. Detail (1) 2. Detail (2)
B. Support topic C. Support topic
Support headings
III. Main topic (2)

• 1. Detail (1)
• 2. Detail (2)
• Support topic
• Support topic
• C. Support topic

Further details
V. Conclusion
4
Essay
Paragraph
Topic Sentence
Introduction with
Thesis Statement
Support
Main Topic
Support
Main Topic
Support
Conclusion
Conclusion
Development Communication Skills PP. 181, 184
Writers Resources P. 73
5
rusty roof
unreliable expensive unattractive
My dinosaur of a car (85)
a dent in the passenger door
fender wheel well
bumper
Ready for the Junk Heap/pile (Chap 5 PP. 85
86)
Because of the way most people live today, cars
are no longer luxuries but necessities.
Needless to say, without a car, Id be lost.
Unfortunately, my car is no longer as reliable as
it once was, and the older it gets, the more of a
cause of anxiety and concern it becomes (to me).
My car has lots of disadvantages because it is
unreliable, expensive, and unattractive.
6
Ready for the Junk Heap (PP. 85 86)
A Junk Heap/Pile of cars in Detroit, Michigan
Junk airplanes in Tucson, Arizona
7
Paragraph
From Formulating a Main Idea (P.
43) To Generating supporting ideas (P. 45
Writers Resources)
Topic Sentence

Support 1
Support 2

• Focus on your topics in different ways. (45)
• college life Taiwan politics Jobs iPod,

Support 3

• Jot down your topics on the notebooks or
  writing pad as they pop into your head.

Brainstorming (P. 45)
Brainstorming is like priming a pump once the
ideas start coming, they come faster and faster.
Conclusion
Development Communication Skills PP. 181, 184
Writers Resources P. 73
8
Writing a Paragraph (P. 53 69)
The process of writing a paragraph

• Formulating a Main Idea ( 43)
• 2. Generating supporting ideas (31, 45 )
• 3. Organizing (31, 53)
• 4. Drafting (31, 58)
• 5. Revising (31, 59)
• 6. Editing a paragraph (31, 62)
• 7. Conclusion (31, 63)

Examples (Topics)

• On the fifth anniversary of the September (2001)
  attacks.

• The aftermath of the devastating Hurricane
  Katrina

• On driving safety Using of a cell phone while
  driving is dangerous.

9
Writing a Paragraph (57 - 58)
Title My Car / My Motorcycle
Topic Sentence My car / motorcycle has a lot
of disadvantages for me.
1. Reliability
1.1 Breakdowns, noises 1.2 Safety
2. Cost
2.1 Expenses Tires, brakes, gas 2.2 Hard on
budget
3. Appearance
3.1 Dented door, rusted fender 3.2 I am
embarrassed.
4. Conclusion
10
Writing a Paragraph (57 - 58)
Title Recalling My Freshman Life at SHU
Topic Sentence The freshman year at Shih Hsin
University was never easy for me.
1. Adjustment
1.1 A totally different lifestyle 1.2 Anxiety
(with new friends)
the anxiety of learning English
2. Course work
2.1 Different ways of learning in college 2.2
Independent studies
3. The challenge of English
coping with the formidable challenges of the 21st
century
3.1 My learning of English at high school was
. 3.2 The forging of the four language arts
Listening, speaking, writing.
4. Conclusion (What to do in this changing world?
How to cope with the challenges of
21st century? How to brace for the
globalization of the 21st century?)
11
Choosing the Positive and Courteous Words in your
speeches and writings. Avoid words of negative
connotation. (P. 312)
(1)a Ms. Nancy Brown has a slender figure.
(Yes.)
(1)b Ms. Nancy Brown is very skinny. (No.)
(2)a Mrs. Kim Spolsky is plump, indeed (Yes.).
(2)b Mrs. Kim Spolsky is fat, indeed. (No.)
(3)a My English is not good enough. (Yes.)
(3)b My English is very bad. (No.)
(4) My daughter was sociable at the dance.
(Yes.)

• My daughter was a little chatterbox at the
  dance. (No.)

12
Word Choice (Chapter 23, PP. 303 320)
Using the appropriate words and expressions in
the proper context is essential to efficient
interpersonal communication. (Li 2006)

• From GENERAL to SPECIFIC Words (PP. 304 305,
  WR)
• Clichés (P. 317, WR, and Dictionary of Cliché by
  James Rogers)

Cold as ice icy cold Dumb as an ox very dumb
(Ch. Dumb as a goose) Hang loose. Relax. Hard
as nails. tough physically/mentally Hot as
hell hot and humid Mad as a hornet very
angry Open-and-shut case straightforward Out on a
limb in an exposed or dangerous situation Rain
or shine, come. Come what may. A red-letter
day. a memorable day or date. It rained cats and
dogs. It poured. It rained heavily. Throw your
hat in the ring. Im a candidate. Rest on his
laurels. Self-satisfying complacent (Cf. NYT)
13
China, the Worlds Capital From Kaifeng to New
York Kaifeng on the Hudson Nicholas D. Kristof
(??? ) The New York Times May 22, 2005
As this millennium dawns, New York City is
the most important city in the world, the
unofficial capital of planet Earth. But before we
New Yorkers become too full of ourselves, it
might be worthwhile to glance at dilapidated
Kaifeng in central China. Kaifeng, an
ancient city along the mud-clogged Yellow River,
was by far the most important place in the world
in 1000. And if you've never heard of it, that's
a useful warning for Americans - as the Chinese
headline above puts it, in a language of the
future that many more Americans should start
learning, "glory is as ephemeral as smoke and
clouds."
14
Thinking of Kaifeng should stimulate us to
struggle to improve our high-tech edge,
educational strengths and pro-growth policies.
For if we rest on our laurels, even a city as
great as New York may end up as
Kaifeng-on-the-Hudson. Nicholas D. Kristof (???)
The New York Times May 22, 2005
15
(Sample 1)
obeyed
the
16
(Sample 2)
17
Writing a Paragraph (57 - 58)
Title Recalling My Freshman Life at SHU
Topic Sentence The freshman year at Shih Hsin
University was never easy for me.
1. Adjustment
1.1 A totally different lifestyle 1.2 Anxiety
(with new friends)
the anxiety of learning English
2. Course work
2.1 Different ways of learning in college 2.2
Independent studies
3. The challenge of English
coping with the formidable challenges of the 21st
century
3.1 My learning of English at high school was
. 3.2 The forging of the four language arts
Listening, speaking, writing.
4. Conclusion (What to do in this changing world?
How to cope with the challenges of
21st century? How to brace for the
globalization of the 21st century?)