WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

EXAMPLES OF UNWANTED / UNINTERESTING INTRO 1. A ONE-SENTENCE INTRO They tend to be vague when not enough info is given. There is no TS.

Road Accidents in the Klang Valley: I am twenty years old and I have a special hobby: driving a car. This intro beats around the bush without saying anything meaningful. There is no focal point and it is confusing

2. AN EMPTY INTRO

Robberies in the Klang Valley: Yes! There are so many cases of robberies occurring today, Why? Who? They want to be robbers. The robbers are not satisfied with what they have got. Yes! It is our problem today.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

1. SHOW A CONTRAST

A Woman can live without a man but a man cannot survive without a woman. Do you agree? Men and women are poles apart. Single women are thriving and well in control of their lives. They have great capacity to enjoy a rich social life, the confidence to take care of themselves and the sense to take the opportunity to learn and develop themselves. Single men, on the other hand, are lost. They languish in a lonely world of take-aways, alcohol, videos and computer games. The divergent lifestyles, of single man and women, split starkly along gender lines, reveal that men are generally more The summary of differing women of single dependent on women thanlifestyleson men. men and women highlights the idea that men are generally less independent than women indicating the TS. Hence, an automatic definition is also given to each and simultaneously the TOS.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

2. OFFER A DEFINITION

Road rage or road bullying is on the rise. What can we do to protect ourselves and avoid any circumstances that could result in it? You have been harassed. You have had your rights violated. You have confronted a threat which scares you. You have encountered a situation that may endanger your life. You have experienced all these on the road. You have been a victim of road bullying. However, there are many ways to protect yourself and avoid a situation like this: This contains a series of statements that offers a definition of road bullying.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

3. GIVE A DESCRIPTION The police frequently organize road safety campaigns. How can we do our part to help reduce the number of accidents on the road? They it lay, a mangled wreck of twisted metal and shattered glass, its driver crushed between the steering wheel and the seat. Nothing could be done to save the driver, not after the way he had hit the kerb, skidded off the road and nose-dived into the ravine. Day in, day out, we hear or read about them in the newspaper road accidents. And we never fail to wonder at the reason, human or mechanical, for accidents like this. These can be avoided if only we care enough to be vigilant on the road, to ensure that our vehicles are roadworthy and to A topic like accidents, their causes, best. obey the rules and regulations to ourtheir effects and their prevention, can be introduced by a vivid description of a bad accident to evoke horror and fear in the reader. When you follow up with a TS that promises solutions, the reader will be drawn to read further.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

4. GIVE A BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Describe your hometown to a group of foreign exchange students. Pulau Pinang is better known as Penang., the Pearl of the Orient. It bears the mark of foreign influences from India, Portugal, Holland and Britain that were responsible for the setting up of a modern Penang. The history of Penang dates back to 1786 when the Sultane of Kedah ceded the island to Captain Francis Light. Legend has it that upon landing, the captain fired gold coins into the surrounding jungle as a strategy to get his men to clear the area. Because of its histrorical backgroun, to describe amany interesting tourist When you are asked Penang has place or an event, you attractions: could introduce your writing with a brief history of the place or event.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

5. PRESNT FACTS AND FIGURE Drug addiction is a serious problem in our community. Do you think the steps taken to eradicate this problem is effective?. In Malaya, the ongoing war against drug addiction seems doomed to dismal failure. Statistics reveal that in 1999 alone, 19,569 addicts were identified, and of these, more than half or 10,654 were new cases. Another disheartening finding shows that 85% of addicts return to the habit within 2 years of leaving the drug rehabilitation centre. The figures are indeed worrying and make us question the effectiveness of our drug rehabilitation programs. Despite all the effort and money expended, is used torehabilitationreaders attention and make This style the drug capture the programs have made no headway. to know more about the situation. In the example him eager above, the reader will want to know the reasons for the failure of these programs.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

6. THROW A QUESTION OR QUESTIONS AT THE READER It is not true that a trim body is a healthy body. Planning to keep fit and trim, with little body fat? Hoping that it will give the enviable physique of a Greek god or goddess and the stamina of a marathon runner? Thinking that it will ward off heart problems and degenerative diseases? After all, who could be in better shape than a keep-fit enthusiast? Right? Wrong! Nothing can be further from the truth. An athletic body may not necessarily guarantee you immunization from any diseases. This tactics make the reader think and reflect on what you have said or are trying to convey. The questions in this forewarn the reader that all is not what it seems an athletic physique does not ensure good health

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

7. REFUTE THE IDEA Give reasons why Malaysia may face a water shortage in the near future despite the rains. Malaysia is blessed with rich sunshine and heavy rainfalls. It lies in the path of the monsoon winds which bring heavy downpours to the country. Malaysia should never be lacking of water. However, that is not the case. Malaysia can and has experienced acute water shortage. In March 1998, the country was almost paralyzed by the severe water shortage. Factories shut down, and water rationing was the order of the day, and people experienced untold sufferings. The crisis may be over now, but the future is bleak, as experts have The introduction startswater a suggestion that under normal predicted a long-term with shortage in the years to come. circumstances, Malaysia is not likely to suffer from a water The reasons for these are: shortage, not with so much rainfalls. It goes on to refute this idea by mentioning a disastrous water shortage and warns of future problems. The rest of the essay should discuss the

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

8. BEGIN WITH A GOOD AND RELEVANT QUOTATION
With juvenile delinquency on the rise, there is a growing concern that parents are not doing their part in instilling good values in their children. What is your opinion on this?

Every word and deed of a parent is a fibre woven into the character of a child that ultimately determines how that child fits into the fabric of society. -David Wilkerson Yes, what a child turns out to be later in life depends a lot on his experiences during this growing years. Parents, especially working parents, should spend fruitful time with their children by listening, interacting, nurturing, supporting, affirming or simply enjoying their company. This is opposed to lecturing. Scolding and nagging which parents are wont to do. Parents have a vital in molding the shaping The quotation highlights the role of parents role to play in their childs behaviour. character of their children and in reducing the chances of juvenile delinquency. It states categorically that parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children.

WRITING EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS

For each of the following questions, write a suitable introductory paragraph. Do not forget to include your thesis statement.

It is said that much leisure is a dangerous thing for most people. Do you agree? Life in the city, often troubled by crimes, is no longer comfortable or safe. What do you think? Many Malaysians viewers feel that censorship laws are too strict and should be abolished. Discuss. The public examinations have bred a generation of rote-learners, but not thinkers.isWhat are your viewson memorization Rote learning a learning technique which focuses on this?
without the use of meaning as a basis to store information.