1

G.12 Enrichment Programme

Lesson 2Introduction

2

Introduction

What are the functions of introduction?

1)

2)

3)

4)

3

Types of Introduction

1. Broad to Narrow2. Narrow to Broad3. Quotation4. Anecdote5. Historical6. Contrasting Ideas– Contrast of time– Contrast of person

7. Use vivid details8. Present statistics9. Open with a question10.Define a key word or a concept

4

Broad to Narrow• From generic to specific• Bring out the topic at the end

Example:University life is always regarded as the honeymoon. Students have much more freedom in choosing their favorite subjects and participating in various campus activities. Students do not have to stay in the campus when there is no lecture, which is much different from the general schooling pattern. However, such ‘freedom’ may give you a negative effect. Establishing a new study pattern can help you to make use of the time instead of losing your study direction.

Can you tell what the topic is?

5

Let’s write togetherTopic: The success of Mr.

Music

6

Broad to Narrow• Topic: The success of Mr.

Example:Music is believed to be another worldwide language apart from English. It can be categorized into so many different types. There is pop music; There is jazz music; There is classical music; There is rock and roll music. All these different types of music are widely promoted by singers or bands around the globe. In Hong Kong, it’s not hard to find pop singers or local bands. Whenever we talk about local bands, Dear Jane, Rubberband and C ALL STAR may immediately pop out from our mind. Yet, among all bands, MR. was the one who has outstood themselves so fast that nobody will deny their success.

7

Narrow to Broad• From specific to generic• Bring out the topic at the end

Example:People chat, discuss and exchange ideas and experience in a relaxing environment. Laughing sound of people from different disciplines fills the whole room. Everything is so well-organized, which has give me a clear objective and guideline. This is the first time I can really feel the usefulness and purposes of learning a second language. English study is no longer a nightmare for me but so much fun.

Can you tell what the topic is?

8

Let’s write togetherTopic: Music industry in HK

Music

9

Quotation

• You can quote a newspaper, a book, a movie, a song, a famous person, a scholar, even your friends or your relatives.

• You must learn how to use quotation and give references.

Write down any famous quote that you can think of.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10

QuotationExamples of famous quotes:

① To be, or not to be: that is the question.William Shakespeare

② I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

③ Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.Lord Acton

④ Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein

(SOURCE: http://www.brainyquote.com/ )

11

QuotationExample:“I have pressure, you have pressure”: an utterance extracted from an ordinary man who had an argument with a young man on a bus few months ago. The scene of their conversation was kept and uploaded onto a popular website at where people share videos. However, this phenomenon has produced more and more voyeurs that people like to peep at everything they find interesting. The worst is that, with high technology, people can now use their mobile phones or cameras to make videos which may then be uploaded onto the public websites. We cannot just enjoy watching what happened to the others but should face the risk of losing our privacy and stop voyeurism.

Can you tell what the topic is?

12

Anecdote• A brief story that illustrates a point

Example:Many years ago, I saw a woman sitting on the floor outside a residential building and crying desperately in the rain. I walked to the woman and asked if she needed help. She didn’t answer my question but only shouted “I want to die.”. Many people walked pass but nobody helped. There were some who stopped by but just looked. I cried out “Anybody can help?”, people left. Civil education has been launched for many years and still hasn’t changed the selfishness of Hong Kong people.

Can you tell what the topic is?

13

Anecdote• Think of a story to illustrate the following

topic:

“Teen suicide is a serious problem nowadays.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you tell what the topic is?

14

Historical• Similar to anecdote• Give readers background information– To establish authority– To show people your expertise on the topic– To set the stage

• Example:– Looking after pets is not an easy task and must be learnt.

In these seven years, I have looked after around thirty animals, including ten snakes, two chameleons, two dogs and more than fifteen hamsters. Since my first snake died, I deeply realized that to be responsible pet keepers, we must acquire enough knowledge of the animal and learn their habitat before bringing them home.

– When I was three, I was first chosen to perform dancing in school’s opening ceremony. Since then, no matter which schools I attended, I was the member in dancing teams. For two years, I had a chance to follow a ballet dancer to learn and teach basic ballet. However, an accident made me stop my dancing life until I went to university where I started my passion of dancing again.

Can you tell what the topic is?

15

Contrasting Idea• Contrast of Time– To show how a situation, place or

person has changed over time.

• Contrast of Person– To show that although another

person or group believes or behaves one way, your belief or behavior is just the opposite.

16

Contrast of timeExample:20 years ago, people were excited to get to the record shops to buy their favourite singers’ newly released albums because they knew that the albums might quickly be sold out and they might need to wait for a longer time until the shops and they might need to wait for a longer time until the shops made more orders. Nowadays, you could rarely see people queuing up outside the record stores. Nobody would worry if they cannot get the songs they want. Nobody would care to keep CD records since they can copy or download songs illegally from different ways and resources. In fact, people are destroying the music industry since nobody would like to work in a business which bring you nothing but to starve.

17

Contrasting Person

Example:When my friend met her husband, she always wanted to get married and had children and she did. Now, she spends most of her time on her family. If I have a boyfriend, he will not be my whole world. I still want my own career, my own social life and my own private moment.

18

Other ways to write introduction

• Use vivid details– Use descriptive and narrative skills

• Present statistics– Provide strong and convincing statistics

information to attract readers

• Open with a question– Start the introduction with and interesting

and eye catching question

• Define a key word or concept– Give definition to a word or concept which

is usually the main focus of the essay

19

Writing Practice

20

Write introductions for the following topics

1) Home-alone child (Broad to Narrow)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

21

Write introductions for the following topics

2) Drug Abuse (Contrasting Idea)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

22

Write introductions for the following topics

2) Teen suicide (Any other two ways)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

23

Off you go!See you

in October!