paraphrasing and essay introduction写作练习

Paraphrasing (改写，释义)Effective paraphrasing is vital in academic writing to avoid the risk of plagiarism. Paraphrasing does not aim to shorten the length of a text, merely to restate it.A good paraphrase is significantly different from the wording (用词，措辞) of the original, without changing the meaning at all.练习：1. Read the text below and then decide which is the better paraphrase, (a) or (b) 原文：Ancient Egypt collapsed in about 2180 BC. Studies conducted of the mud from the River Nile showed that at this time the mountainous regions which feed the Nile suffered from a prolonged drought. This would have had a devastating effect on the ability of Egyptian society to feed itself.a) The sudden ending of Egyptian civilization over 4,000 years ago was probably caused by changes in the weather in the region to the south. Without the regular river flooding there would not have been enough food.b) Research into deposits of the Egyptian Nile indicate that a long dry period in the mountains at the river’s source may have led to a lack of water for irrigation around 2180 BC, which was when the collapse of Egyptian society began.2. Paraphrase the paragraphs as fully as possible.Paragraph 1FOUR WHEELS GOODThe growth of the car industry parallels the development of modern capitalism. It began in France and Germany, but took off in the United States. There Henry Ford adapted the moving production line from the Chicago meat industry to motor manufacturing, thus inventing mass production. In the 1920s Alfred Sloan’s management theories helped General Motors to become the world’s dominant car company. After the Second World War the industry developed ‘planned obsolescence’, whereby frequent model changes encouraged customers to buy new cars more often than they needed to. Later, from the 1970s, environmentalists began to criticize the industry for producing inefficient models which used too much fuel, contributing to global warming. At this time, trades unions became increasingly militant in defense of their members’ j obs. Today the industry owns some of the strongest brands in the world. However, many major car companies struggle with stagnant (不景气的) markets and falling profits.Paragraph 2Before the last century no humans had visited Antarctica, and even today the vast continent has a winter population of fewer than 200 people. However, a recent report from a New Zealand government agency outlines the scale of the pollution problem in the ice and snow. Although untouched compared with other regions in the world, thebitter cold of Antarctica means that the normal process of decay is prevented. As a result some research stations are surrounded by the rubbish of nearly 60 years’operations.Despite popular belief, the polar continent is really a desert, with less precipitation than the Sahara. In the past, snowfall slowly covered the waste left behind, like beer cans or dead ponies, but now, possibly due to global warming, the ice is thinning and these are being exposed. Over 10 years ago the countries using Antarctica agreed a treaty on waste disposal, under which everything is to be taken home, and this is slowly improving the situation. However, the scientists do not want everything removed. The remains of very early expeditions at the beginning of the twentieth century have acquired historical value and will be preserved.答案：练习1 (b) is the better paraphrase练习2 (A number of possibilities are acceptable here. These are suggestions.)Paragraph 1 (Sample)The expansion of contemporary capitalism matches the rise of the automobile industry. After starting in Germany and France, it accelerated in the United States. There the moving assembly line was modified by Henry Ford from the Chicago meat industry to manufacturing cars: the invention of mass production. General Motors dominated the world’s car companies in the 1920s, with help from the managerial theories of Alfred Sloan. The development of ‘planned obsolescence’ by the industry began after the Second World War, by which the frequency of model changes encouraged customers to buy new cars more often than necessary. Environmental criticism of the industry from the 1970s focused on the contribution to global warming made by the production of inefficient models which used too much petrol. At this time increasingly militant trades unions defended their members’ jobs. Although some of the world’s strongest brands are today owned by the industry, many major motor companies struggle with declining profits and static markets.Paragraph 2 (Sample paraphrase)Antarctica was unexplored until the twentieth century, and still has a tiny population in relation to its size. Yet it suffers from various pollution problems which have been described in a report by a New Zealand government agency. The low temperatures there impede the usual pattern of decay, though compared with most parts of the world it remains in pristine condition. Some long-established scientific bases have large piles of garbage around them.Few people realize that Antarctica has very little precipitation, so that in the current context of global warming the ice tends to reveal the rubbish that previously was slowly being buried under snow. For more than a decade the nations involved in Antarctic research have respected an agreement to repatriate their garbage, and this should gradually solve the problem. But there are a few items which will not be cleared up, since they belonged to the early period of exploration and have now acquired historic interest.Introduction writing (简单介绍，请大家仔细读)There is no such thing as a standard introduction, and much depends on the nature of the research and the length of the essay. However, the following are worth including, in this order.a) Definitions of any terms in the title that are unclearb) Some background informationc) Reference to other writers who have discussed this topicd) Your purpose in writing and the importance of the subjecte) Any limitations, e.g. geographical or chronological, that you set yourselff) A summary of the main points you intend to cover以Discuss the Impact of Privatization on the British Economy 为例分析上面的各个步骤：a) It may be necessary to clarify some of the words in the title. This may be because they are not in common use or have a specialized meaning.Privatization is the process of transferring certain industries from state control to the private sector, which began in Britain in 1981 with British Telecom . . . b) Background information helps to give a context for your essay.In recent years the privatization of state owned businesses, especially monopoly utilities such as electricity and telecoms, has become widespread in both developed and developing nations.c) It is important to show that you are familiar with current research. This can be demonstrated using phrases such as:A number of researchers have examined this issue, notably . . .Various investigations have explored the subject, especially . . .d) You must show the importance of the topic. This can be either in the academic world, or as a contemporary issue of wider relevance.As privatization is increasingly seen as a remedy for economic ills in many other countries, it is worth examining its impact in Britain, which was a pioneer in this process.e) As you are only writing an essay, not a book, it is obviously not possible to deal with all aspects of your subject. Therefore you need to explain what limits you are setting on the discussion, and possibly give reasons for this.Only privatizations completed between 1981–1995 will be dealt with, as it is too soon to assess the impact of later developments.f) For your own benefit, as well as the reader’s, it is useful to outline how the essay will be organized.An assessment will first be made of the performance of the privatized industries themselves, on an individual basis, and then the performance of the economy as awhole will be examined.作业：（这项作业下周上课交上来。