Short paragraphs about 150 words on various topics, shows how the paragraph is developed from a basic idea and elaborated further, keeping one idea in the paragraph.
Henry Graham Greene was born in 1904 in St. John’s House, a boarding house of Berkhamsted School on Chesham Road in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, where his father was housemaster.[8] He was the fourth of six children; his younger brother, Hugh, became Director-General of the BBC, and his elder brother, Raymond, an eminent physician and mountaineer. His parents, Charles Henry Greene and Marion Raymond Greene, were second cousins; both members of a large, influential family that included the owners of Greene King brewery, bankers and businessmen. Charles Greene was Second Master at Berkhamsted School, where the headmaster was Dr Thomas Fry, who was married to Charles' cousin. Another cousin was the right-wing pacifist Ben Greene, whose politics led to his internment during World War II.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Greene)
Narration
Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten (237)
(Why Do People Lie?)
One reason people lie is to achieve personal power. Achieving personal power is helpful for someone who pretends to be more confident than he really is. For example, one of my friends threw a party at his house last month. He asked me to come to his party and bring a date. However, I didn’t have a girlfriend. One of my other friends, who had a date to go to the party with, asked me about my date. I didn’t want to be embarrassed, so I claimed that I had a lot of work to do. I said I could easily find a date even better than his if I wanted to. I also told him that his date was ugly. I achieved power to help me feel confident; however, I embarrassed my friend and his date. Although this lie helped me at the time, since then it has made me look down on myself.
Mo Fung (Jackie) Chan
Narration
Developing Composition Skills Mary Ruetten(88)
(Describe a Stressful Time in Your Life)
Money causes teenagers to feel stress. It makes them feel bad about themselves and envy other people. My friend, for instance, lives with her family and has to share a room with her sister, who is very cute and intelligent. This girl wishes she could have her own room and have a lot of stuff, but she can’t have these things because her family doesn’t have much money. Her family’s income is pretty low because her father is old and doesn’t go to work. Her sister is the only one who works. Because her family can’t buy her the things she wants, she feels a lot of stress and gets angry sometimes. Once, she wanted a beautiful dress to wear to a sweetheart dance. She asked her sister for some money to buy the dress. She was disappointed because her sister didn’t have money to give her. She sat in silence for a little while and then started yelling out loud. She said her friends got anything they wanted but she didn’t. Then she felt sorry for herself and asked why she was born into a poor family. Not having money has caused this girl to think negatively about herself and her family. It has caused a lot of stress in her life.
Ai Thianh Tran
Classification Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten (153-4)
Types of Newspapers in India
Newspapers in India are classified into two categories according to the amount and completeness of information in them. Newspapers in the first category have more information and truth. Those in the second category do not have much information and sometimes they hide the truth. Newspapers in the first category have news collected from different parts of the country and also from different countries. They also have a lot of sports and business news and classified ads. The information they give is clear and complete and it is supported by showing pictures. The best know example of this category is the Indian Express. Important news goes on the first page with big headlines, photographs from different angles, and complete information. For example, in 1989-90, the Indian prime minister, Rajive Ghandi, was killed by a terrorist using a bomb. This newspaper investigated the situation and gave information that helped the CBI to get more support. They also showed diagrams of the area where the prime minister was killed and the positions of the bodies after the attack. This helped the reader understand what happened. Unlike newspaper in the first category, newspapers in the second category do not give as much information. They do not have international news, sports, or business news and they do not have classified ads. Also, the news they give is not complete. For example, the newspaper Hindi gave news on the death of the prime minister, but the news was not complete. The newspaper didn’t investigate the terrorist group or try to find out why this happened. Also, it did not show any pictures from the attack or give any news the next day. It just gave the news when it happened, but it didn’t follow up. Therefore, newspapers in the first group are more popular than those in the second group.
Purnachander Thangada
Description Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten (129)
(Describe College Life)
Most students like the freedom they have in college. Usually college students live on their own, in the dormitory or in an apartment. This means they are free to come and go as they like. Their parents can’t tell them when to get up, when to go to school, and when to come home. It also means that they are free to wear what they want. There are no parents to comment about their hair styles or their dirty jeans. Finally, they are free to listen to their favorite music without interference from parents.
Description
Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (11)
The Best Place to Visit
(topic sentence) California is the most wonderful place to visit because of its variety of weather and its beautiful nature. (subject development) Visitors to California can find any weather they like. They can find cool temperatures in the summer; also they can find warm weather in the winter. They can find places that are difficult for humans to live in the summer because they are so hot. Or they can find places closed in the winter because of the snow. On the other hand, visitors can find the nature they like. They can find high mountains and low valleys. Visitors can find a huge forest, a dead desert, and a beautiful coast.(summary sentence) So California is the most wonderful place to visit because of its weather and nature.
Description
Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten(64)
(Describe Your Favorite Room)
The first thing we did as soon as we came to the U.S.A. about two years ago was to search for an apartment in order not to live with one of our relatives. After looking for one month to find a suitable apartment, I finally found the apartment where we have been living. It includes a living room three bedrooms, and a kitchen. Probably the living room is my favorite room of all because we often gather together there after we come home from work or school. It is a comfortable room for our family. Entering the living room from the front door, we can we a new piano in the corner, with a vase of colorful flowers on it. In the opposite corner stands a Sony television, which I bought for my children to watch cartoons and for us to see films and get the daily news. Besides, there is a sofa next to the piano, a loveseat beside the TV, and also a low table between them. This is a comfortable place to sit while we watch TV or talk. On one of the light blue walls is a tranquil picture of the sea. The floor is covered with a dark red carpet, which my children like to play on. They also like to sit on it when they watch TV. The large window is shaded by a light colored curtain, giving the room a soft, bright feeling. A ceiling fan with small lights is hanging from the ceiling, whenever the fan and lights are on, we can see dangling images, which are reflected from the furniture in the room. Generally, our living room is a place where we receive our guest, gather together to discuss any topic and enjoy our leisure time.
Bachvan Doan
Explanation Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (10)
Important Swiss Customs for Foreigners
(topic sentence) Three important Swiss customs for tourists to know deal with religion, greeting, and punctuality. (subject development) The Swiss people are very religious, and Sunday is their holy day. On Sunday, people rarely work in the garden, in the house, or even on the car. Foreign tourists should know that the most drugstores, supermarkets, and banks are closed on Sunday. The Swiss are also a formal people. For example, they seldom call acquaintances by their first names; the German “Herr” and French “Monsieur” are much more frequently used in Switzerland than the English “Mister” is used in the United States. A tourist should therefore say either “Herr” or “Monsieur” when greeting an acquaintance, and only use the person’s first name if he is a close friend. In addition, Switzerland is the land of watches and exactness. It is important to be on time to parties, business, meetings, and churches because Swiss hosts, factory bosses, and ministers all love punctuality. It is especially important for tourists to be on time for trains: Swiss train conductors never wait for late arrivers. (summary sentence) In summary, Swiss customs are very easy to follow and very important to remember!
Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (24-25)
Group A (150 words)
(topic sentence) The battles of Marathon and Tours are examples of how war has often determined the development of Western civilization. (subject development) The basis of Western civilization was probably decided at the Battle of Marathon about 2,500 years ago. In this battle, a small number of Greek soldiers led by a famous Greek general defeated 100,000 invading Persians under the Persian king. Because the Greeks won, Greek ideas about many subjects matured and became the foundation of Western society. Whereas Marathon laid the basis of Western civilization, its structure remained the same as a result of the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732. Before this battle, Muslim armies had taken control of a large number of countries, but they were stopped by a group of soldiers led by Charles Martel in France. If the Muslims had won at Tours, Islam might have become the major religion of Western society.
Group B (154 words)
(topic sentence) The battles of Marathon and Tours are examples of how war has often determined the development of Western civilization. (subject development) The basis of Western civilization was probably decided in Greece at the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. In this battle, 10,000 Greek soldiers led by Miltiades defeated 100,000 invading Persians under Darius I. Because the Greeks won, Greek ideas about philosophy, science, literature, and politics (such as democracy) matured and became the foundation of Western society. Whereas Marathon laid the basis of Western civilization, its structure remained the same as a result of the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732. Before this battle, Muslim armies had taken control of countries from India to the Atlantic Ocean, but they were stopped by a European army under Charles Martel at this battle in southwest France. If the Muslims had won at Tours, Islam might have become the major religion of Western society.
Sample Paragraphs
A lethal game of hide-and-seek
A lethal game of hide-and-seek (177 Words): Barack Obama's stepped-up drone campaign, with its dubious definitions of targets and threats, cannot be reconciled with the rule of law
On the one hand, the United States is rightly exercised about the
gruesome killings, almost certainly by government-supported thugs, of
Syrians. On the other hand, the Obama administration has so greatly
expanded the Bush policy of drone strikes as to leave neutral observers
queasy about the legal regime governing the new tools of warfare. As in
so many other aspects of human life, the march of technology has greatly
outpaced the laws and institutions to regulate the behaviour they make
possible. The country that is most closely associated with targeted assassinations
of its enemies in recent decades is, of course, Israel. Because of the
existential threats it faces, the make-up of its geographical
neighbourhood, the virulent rhetoric often directed at it, the
unexpiated historical guilt over the Holocaust, and the terrorist
attacks that it has been subjected to, Westerners unconvinced of the
lawfulness or wisdom of the policy have nonetheless managed to live with
it. But with the greater U.S. technological sophistication and the
global reach of its military, the hard questions can no longer be
avoided.
Ramesh Thakur
Graham Greene (an English author, playwright and literary critic)
124 words
Henry Graham Greene was born in 1904 in St. John’s House, a boarding house of Berkhamsted School on Chesham Road in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, where his father was housemaster.[8] He was the fourth of six children; his younger brother, Hugh, became Director-General of the BBC, and his elder brother, Raymond, an eminent physician and mountaineer. His parents, Charles Henry Greene and Marion Raymond Greene, were second cousins; both members of a large, influential family that included the owners of Greene King brewery, bankers and businessmen. Charles Greene was Second Master at Berkhamsted School, where the headmaster was Dr Thomas Fry, who was married to Charles' cousin. Another cousin was the right-wing pacifist Ben Greene, whose politics led to his internment during World War II.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Greene)
One reason people lie is to achieve personal power. Achieving personal power is helpful for someone who pretends to be more confident than he really is. For example, one of my friends threw a party at his house last month. He asked me to come to his party and bring a date. However, I didn’t have a girlfriend. One of my other friends, who had a date to go to the party with, asked me about my date. I didn’t want to be embarrassed, so I claimed that I had a lot of work to do. I said I could easily find a date even better than his if I wanted to. I also told him that his date was ugly. I achieved power to help me feel confident; however, I embarrassed my friend and his date. Although this lie helped me at the time, since then it has made me look down on myself.
Mo Fung (Jackie) Chan
Narration
Developing Composition Skills Mary Ruetten(88)
(Describe a Stressful Time in Your Life)
Money causes teenagers to feel stress. It makes them feel bad about themselves and envy other people. My friend, for instance, lives with her family and has to share a room with her sister, who is very cute and intelligent. This girl wishes she could have her own room and have a lot of stuff, but she can’t have these things because her family doesn’t have much money. Her family’s income is pretty low because her father is old and doesn’t go to work. Her sister is the only one who works. Because her family can’t buy her the things she wants, she feels a lot of stress and gets angry sometimes. Once, she wanted a beautiful dress to wear to a sweetheart dance. She asked her sister for some money to buy the dress. She was disappointed because her sister didn’t have money to give her. She sat in silence for a little while and then started yelling out loud. She said her friends got anything they wanted but she didn’t. Then she felt sorry for herself and asked why she was born into a poor family. Not having money has caused this girl to think negatively about herself and her family. It has caused a lot of stress in her life.
Ai Thianh Tran
Classification Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten (153-4)
Types of Newspapers in India
Newspapers in India are classified into two categories according to the amount and completeness of information in them. Newspapers in the first category have more information and truth. Those in the second category do not have much information and sometimes they hide the truth. Newspapers in the first category have news collected from different parts of the country and also from different countries. They also have a lot of sports and business news and classified ads. The information they give is clear and complete and it is supported by showing pictures. The best know example of this category is the Indian Express. Important news goes on the first page with big headlines, photographs from different angles, and complete information. For example, in 1989-90, the Indian prime minister, Rajive Ghandi, was killed by a terrorist using a bomb. This newspaper investigated the situation and gave information that helped the CBI to get more support. They also showed diagrams of the area where the prime minister was killed and the positions of the bodies after the attack. This helped the reader understand what happened. Unlike newspaper in the first category, newspapers in the second category do not give as much information. They do not have international news, sports, or business news and they do not have classified ads. Also, the news they give is not complete. For example, the newspaper Hindi gave news on the death of the prime minister, but the news was not complete. The newspaper didn’t investigate the terrorist group or try to find out why this happened. Also, it did not show any pictures from the attack or give any news the next day. It just gave the news when it happened, but it didn’t follow up. Therefore, newspapers in the first group are more popular than those in the second group.
Purnachander Thangada
Description Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten (129)
(Describe College Life)
Most students like the freedom they have in college. Usually college students live on their own, in the dormitory or in an apartment. This means they are free to come and go as they like. Their parents can’t tell them when to get up, when to go to school, and when to come home. It also means that they are free to wear what they want. There are no parents to comment about their hair styles or their dirty jeans. Finally, they are free to listen to their favorite music without interference from parents.
Description
Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (11)
The Best Place to Visit
(topic sentence) California is the most wonderful place to visit because of its variety of weather and its beautiful nature. (subject development) Visitors to California can find any weather they like. They can find cool temperatures in the summer; also they can find warm weather in the winter. They can find places that are difficult for humans to live in the summer because they are so hot. Or they can find places closed in the winter because of the snow. On the other hand, visitors can find the nature they like. They can find high mountains and low valleys. Visitors can find a huge forest, a dead desert, and a beautiful coast.(summary sentence) So California is the most wonderful place to visit because of its weather and nature.
Description
Developing Composition Skills –Mary Ruetten(64)
(Describe Your Favorite Room)
The first thing we did as soon as we came to the U.S.A. about two years ago was to search for an apartment in order not to live with one of our relatives. After looking for one month to find a suitable apartment, I finally found the apartment where we have been living. It includes a living room three bedrooms, and a kitchen. Probably the living room is my favorite room of all because we often gather together there after we come home from work or school. It is a comfortable room for our family. Entering the living room from the front door, we can we a new piano in the corner, with a vase of colorful flowers on it. In the opposite corner stands a Sony television, which I bought for my children to watch cartoons and for us to see films and get the daily news. Besides, there is a sofa next to the piano, a loveseat beside the TV, and also a low table between them. This is a comfortable place to sit while we watch TV or talk. On one of the light blue walls is a tranquil picture of the sea. The floor is covered with a dark red carpet, which my children like to play on. They also like to sit on it when they watch TV. The large window is shaded by a light colored curtain, giving the room a soft, bright feeling. A ceiling fan with small lights is hanging from the ceiling, whenever the fan and lights are on, we can see dangling images, which are reflected from the furniture in the room. Generally, our living room is a place where we receive our guest, gather together to discuss any topic and enjoy our leisure time.
Bachvan Doan
Explanation Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (10)
Important Swiss Customs for Foreigners
(topic sentence) Three important Swiss customs for tourists to know deal with religion, greeting, and punctuality. (subject development) The Swiss people are very religious, and Sunday is their holy day. On Sunday, people rarely work in the garden, in the house, or even on the car. Foreign tourists should know that the most drugstores, supermarkets, and banks are closed on Sunday. The Swiss are also a formal people. For example, they seldom call acquaintances by their first names; the German “Herr” and French “Monsieur” are much more frequently used in Switzerland than the English “Mister” is used in the United States. A tourist should therefore say either “Herr” or “Monsieur” when greeting an acquaintance, and only use the person’s first name if he is a close friend. In addition, Switzerland is the land of watches and exactness. It is important to be on time to parties, business, meetings, and churches because Swiss hosts, factory bosses, and ministers all love punctuality. It is especially important for tourists to be on time for trains: Swiss train conductors never wait for late arrivers. (summary sentence) In summary, Swiss customs are very easy to follow and very important to remember!
Paragraph Power George M. Rooks (24-25)
Group A (150 words)
(topic sentence) The battles of Marathon and Tours are examples of how war has often determined the development of Western civilization. (subject development) The basis of Western civilization was probably decided at the Battle of Marathon about 2,500 years ago. In this battle, a small number of Greek soldiers led by a famous Greek general defeated 100,000 invading Persians under the Persian king. Because the Greeks won, Greek ideas about many subjects matured and became the foundation of Western society. Whereas Marathon laid the basis of Western civilization, its structure remained the same as a result of the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732. Before this battle, Muslim armies had taken control of a large number of countries, but they were stopped by a group of soldiers led by Charles Martel in France. If the Muslims had won at Tours, Islam might have become the major religion of Western society.
Group B (154 words)
(topic sentence) The battles of Marathon and Tours are examples of how war has often determined the development of Western civilization. (subject development) The basis of Western civilization was probably decided in Greece at the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. In this battle, 10,000 Greek soldiers led by Miltiades defeated 100,000 invading Persians under Darius I. Because the Greeks won, Greek ideas about philosophy, science, literature, and politics (such as democracy) matured and became the foundation of Western society. Whereas Marathon laid the basis of Western civilization, its structure remained the same as a result of the Battle of Tours in A.D. 732. Before this battle, Muslim armies had taken control of countries from India to the Atlantic Ocean, but they were stopped by a European army under Charles Martel at this battle in southwest France. If the Muslims had won at Tours, Islam might have become the major religion of Western society.
