ClassificationClassification

• Introduction To classify is to sort things into categories( 类别 ) according to their characteristics. Essential to a good classification is parallelism( 相似 ). Since one subject can be classified in many ways, we should decide which principle of classification we will follow when we start to work on a topic. In a good classification the parts must be parallel, and they should add up to the whole subject.

• Example: Right classification:

• the types of sports → track and field events 、 swimming 、 ball games 、 gymnastics 、 etc.

• Wrong classification: • the types of sports→ jumping 、 ball games 、 running 、 floor exercise and

backstroke.

• Analysis of the examples:

• To classify is to sort things into categories according to their characteristics. We classify many things. If we classify apples, for instance, we may classify them according to size into large ones and small ones; according to color into red ones and green ones; according to price into expensive ones and cheap ones; according to locality of growth into imported and domestically produced. Parallelism or category is essential to a good classification. If we classify types of sports, we may speak of track and field events, swimming, ball games, etc. If we classify sports into jumping, ball games, running, floor exercise and backstroke, we would violate parallelism, for ball games should be considered a general category, while jumping and running are subcategories of the track and field events, gymnastics is a general category, and floor exercise a particular form of it. In short, in a good classification the parts must be parallel, and they should add up to the whole subject.

The development of main ideasThe development of main ideas

• 1. using concrete supporting details.

• 2. Orders for organization.( ascending, descending order)

Example: • There are several disadvantages for me to attend Bingston Universit

y. The chief disadvantage is that unlike many other universities, Bingston’s graduate program in agriculture, my chosen field, doesn’t arrange its students to work on local farm to gain practical experience while they are still going to school. This can not prepare me to better use the skills I have learned in classroom. Second, the tuition is too high. And the university doesn’t have a deferred( 延缓、分期 ) payment plan; this represent a great inconvenience to my parents. The last disadvantage is the fact that Bingston provides accommodation only for undergraduates

3. Using proper listing words3. Using proper listing words 表示分类的名词• 种： kind sort type• 类： group classification category• 组成成员： member• 分部，分支： division \branch• 纲： class• 目： order• 科： family• 属： genus • 种： species

表示分类的动词和动词短语• 将…按…分类（排列）： class 、 classif

y 、 divide 、 categorize 、 group 、 place 、 arrange

• 属于某一类： belong to 、 fall into 、 be classed with

• 包括若干类： there be 、 contain 、 consist of 、 comprise 、 include 、 be composed of 、 be comprised pf

• 组成…类： make up 、 constitute 、 compose

Sample 1Sample 1..• Indian was an easy way for Europeans to refer to any

person living in the mysterious new land across the ocean. But these peoples never thought of themselves as Indians. Instead they had hundreds of different names, each identifying a separate tribe and culture. Some Indians were hunters, some were farmers, some fishers, some warriors, some slaves, some priests, and some artists. Many groups of Indians lived in one place through all their lives; others were almost always traveling, searching for food. Each group had its own language, although some used sign language to communicate with other tribes. Some Indians led a simple life of hunting and gathering; a few groups built great cities and majestic temples. Some were almost always at war with other tribes. But many groups of Indians almost never fought. Each tribe was basically independent.

Sample 2Sample 2..• 　• There are three kinds of book owners. The first has all t

he standard sets and best-sellers ─ unread, untouched. (This deluded( 迷惑 , 蛊惑 )individual owns woodpulp( 木纸浆 )and ink, not books.) The second has a great many books ─ a few of them read through, most of them dipped into, but all of them as clean and shiny as the day they were bought. (This person would probably like to make books his own, but is restrained by a false respect for their physical appearance.) The third has a few books or many ─ every one of them dog-eared( 卷角的书等） and dilapidated( 毁坏的 , 要塌似的 , 荒废的 ), shaken and loosened by continual use, marked and scribbled in from front to back. (This man owns books.)

Transitional words for Transitional words for classificationclassification

main kinds of unimportant

major kinds of insignificant

basic kinds similar

fundamental dissimilar

significant contradictory

important opposing

primary, secondary opposite

minor contrasting

clearly distinguishable

easily distinguished

incontestable 无可置疑的 differences

incontestable similarities

classify

divide

kinds types attributes

methods sources characteristics

divisions origins origins

parts regions factors

categories bases times

classes qualities aspects

classifications

Points to emphasizePoints to emphasize • Write a clear topic sentence• Give equal attention to each item when the paragraph is writt

en in equal order• In ascending\descending order, the most important point can

be discussed at longer length than other points• Using proper listing words• The pattern of classification something’s type• ↓ ↙ ↘

• General category General category General category

• • Made by group 2