Superb Great Writing 2
第 1 單元，第 1 課

What Is a Paragraph?什麼是段落

這課一眼看
What a paragraph is認識段落
  • paragraph段落: A group of sentences that explain one topic.
  • topic主題: What a paragraph is about, said in a few words.
  • main idea主旨: The central point the writer makes about the topic.
The parts of a paragraph段落的組成
  • topic sentence主題句: The sentence that states the topic and main idea; usually first.
  • supporting sentence支持句: A sentence that explains the main idea with a reason, example, or fact.
  • concluding sentence結論句: The last sentence; it ends the paragraph, often by restating the main idea.
  • detail細節: A specific fact, example, or description that supports the main idea.
1What a paragraph is認識段落

AA group of sentences about one topic一組談同一個主題的句子

  1. A paragraph is a group of sentences that work together to explain one topic. Every sentence in the paragraph connects to the same central point, called the main idea. Paragraphs are the basic building blocks of school writing: a short answer on a test may be a single paragraph, and an essay is several paragraphs placed one after another.段落（paragraph）是一組共同說明一個主題（topic）的句子。段落裡的每一句都連結到同一個核心重點，這個重點叫做主旨（main idea）。段落是學校寫作的基本單位：考卷上的簡答可能就是一段，一篇文章（essay）則是好幾段依序排在一起。
  2. In school writing, a paragraph usually has about five to ten sentences. One sentence by itself is not a paragraph, and a very long block of text often hides two or three main ideas that should be separated. Length matters less than focus, though: a group of sentences becomes a paragraph because all of them stay on one topic.在學校寫作中，一個段落通常大約五到十句。單獨一句話不算段落；一大塊很長的文字則常常藏著兩三個應該分開的主旨。不過，重點不在長度而在集中：一組句子之所以成為段落，是因為每一句都圍繞同一個主題。
Paragraph or not?是不是段落？
Sentences句子Paragraph?是段落嗎？Why原因
My brother loves cooking. He makes fried rice every Sunday. He also bakes banana bread for the whole family.我哥哥很愛做菜。他每個星期天都做炒飯。他也會烤香蕉蛋糕給全家人吃。Yes (a short one)是（短段落）All three sentences are about my brother's cooking.三句都在講哥哥做菜。
My brother loves cooking. Taipei is very hot in July. Our school has a new gym.我哥哥很愛做菜。台北七月很熱。我們學校有一座新體育館。No不是Each sentence is about a different topic.每一句講的主題都不一樣。
Our class uses tablets in science.我們班上自然課時使用平板。No不是It is only one sentence.只有一句話。
自我檢查
Is this a paragraph? Explain. “I walk my dog every evening. Bananas are rich in vitamins. My favorite subject is art.”這是段落嗎？請說明。“I walk my dog every evening. Bananas are rich in vitamins. My favorite subject is art.”
看答案
No. The three sentences are about three different topics (a dog, bananas, and a school subject), so there is no single main idea that connects them.不是。三句分別在講三個不同的主題（狗、香蕉、學科），沒有一個把它們連在一起的主旨。

BFinding the topic找出主題

  1. The topic is what the paragraph is about, usually said in a few words: “the night market near my home”, “online games”, “recycling at home”. To find the topic of a group of sentences, ask: What do all of these sentences talk about? A good answer is wide enough to include every sentence, but not so wide that it could cover a whole book.主題就是段落在談的東西，通常用幾個字就能說出來，例如「我家附近的夜市」「線上遊戲」「在家做資源回收」。要找出一組句子的主題，就問：這些句子全都在談什麼？好的答案要夠寬，能包含每一句；但又不能寬到可以寫成一整本書。
  2. A topic that is too broad, such as “sports”, needs many paragraphs. A topic that is too narrow, such as “the color of my sneakers”, gives you almost nothing to explain. For one paragraph, choose something in the middle, such as “why I joined the school volleyball team”.主題太廣（例如「運動」）需要很多段才寫得完；主題太窄（例如「我球鞋的顏色」）則幾乎沒有東西可以說明。寫一段時，要選介於兩者之間的主題，例如「我為什麼加入學校排球隊」。
Choosing a topic of the right size選擇大小適中的主題
Too broad太廣Just right for one paragraph剛好適合寫一段Too narrow太窄
Food食物How my family makes dumplings for Lunar New Year我家過農曆新年時怎麼包水餃The size of one dumpling一顆水餃的大小
Technology科技How I use my phone to learn new words我怎麼用手機學新單字The color of my phone case我手機殼的顏色
The environment環境Ways our class reduces plastic waste我們班減少塑膠垃圾的方法One plastic straw一根塑膠吸管
注意
The topic is not the same as the main idea. The topic is the subject you write about (school uniforms). The main idea is what you say about it (School uniforms save families time every morning).主題和主旨不一樣。主題是你寫的對象（school uniforms，制服）；主旨是你對它的看法或說法（School uniforms save families time every morning，制服讓每個家庭每天早上省下時間）。
自我檢查
What is the topic of these sentences? “Grandpa wakes up at 5:30 every morning. He waters his plants before breakfast. Then he takes a long walk by the river.”這幾句的主題是什麼？“Grandpa wakes up at 5:30 every morning. He waters his plants before breakfast. Then he takes a long walk by the river.”
看答案
The topic is Grandpa's morning routine. “Grandpa” alone is too broad, because the sentences are only about what he does in the morning.主題是「爺爺早上的固定作息」。只寫「爺爺」太廣，因為這幾句只講他早上做的事。

CWhen to start a new paragraph什麼時候該換段

  1. Longer pieces of writing, such as essays, stories, and long emails, are divided into paragraphs. Start a new paragraph when you move to a new main idea, to a new time or place in a story, or to a new speaker in a conversation. Paragraph breaks show the reader where one idea ends and the next one begins.比較長的文字，例如文章、故事和長篇電子郵件，都會分成好幾段。當你轉到新的主旨、故事進入新的時間或地點，或對話換了說話的人時，就要另起一段。分段讓讀者看出一個想法在哪裡結束、下一個想法從哪裡開始。
  2. Imagine a report about a class trip to a science museum. The first paragraph could describe the bus ride, the second could describe the exhibits, and the third could explain what the class learned. Each paragraph has its own main idea, and together they tell the whole story of the trip.想像一篇關於班級參觀科學博物館的報告。第一段可以描述搭遊覽車的過程，第二段描述展覽，第三段說明全班學到了什麼。每一段都有自己的主旨，合起來就是這趟校外教學的完整經過。
注意
Do not start a new line after every sentence. Inside a paragraph, each sentence follows the one before it on the same line, and a new line begins only when the line is full or when a new paragraph starts.不要每寫完一句就換行。在同一段裡，每一句都緊接在前一句後面、寫在同一行；只有一行寫滿或要開始新的一段時，才換到下一行。
自我檢查
A student writes about her weekend. On Saturday she helped her parents at their noodle shop. On Sunday she played badminton with her friends. How many paragraphs should she write, and why?一位學生寫她的週末：星期六她在爸媽的麵店幫忙，星期天她和朋友打羽球。她應該寫幾段？為什麼？
看答案
Two paragraphs: one about helping at the noodle shop on Saturday and one about playing badminton on Sunday. Each day has a different main idea.兩段：一段寫星期六在麵店幫忙，一段寫星期天打羽球。兩天各有不同的主旨。
2The parts of a paragraph段落的組成

AThree kinds of sentences三種句子

  1. Most paragraphs in school writing contain three kinds of sentences. The topic sentence tells the reader the topic and the main idea; it is usually the first sentence. The supporting sentences come next. They give reasons, examples, facts, or other details that explain the main idea. The concluding sentence is the last sentence. It brings the paragraph to a clear end, often by repeating the main idea in new words.學校寫作中，大多數段落都有三種句子。主題句（topic sentence）告訴讀者主題和主旨，通常是第一句。接著是支持句（supporting sentences），它們提供理由、例子、事實或其他細節（details）來說明主旨。結論句（concluding sentence）是最後一句，讓段落清楚收尾，常用不同的字句再說一次主旨。
The three parts of a paragraph段落的三個部分
Part部分Where位置Its job功能How many幾句
Topic sentence主題句Usually first通常在第一句States the topic and the main idea說出主題和主旨One一句
Supporting sentences支持句In the middle中間Explain the main idea with reasons, examples, and facts用理由、例子和事實說明主旨Several (often three to eight)好幾句（常見三到八句）
Concluding sentence結論句Last最後一句Ends the paragraph, often by restating the main idea替段落收尾，常把主旨換句話再說一次One一句
注意
Think of a sandwich. The topic sentence and the concluding sentence are the two slices of bread, and the supporting sentences are the filling. Without the filling there is nothing to eat; without the bread the filling falls apart.可以把段落想成三明治：主題句和結論句是上下兩片麵包，支持句是中間的餡料。沒有餡料就沒東西可吃；沒有麵包，餡料就會散掉。
自我檢查
Which kind of sentence is this most likely to be? “For all of these reasons, cycling to school is a smart choice for students.”這句話最可能是哪一種句子？“For all of these reasons, cycling to school is a smart choice for students.”
看答案
A concluding sentence. “For all of these reasons” refers back to the details already given, and the sentence restates the main idea to end the paragraph.結論句。“For all of these reasons” 指回前面已經給過的細節，整句把主旨再說一次來替段落收尾。

BA model paragraph with its parts labeled標出各部分的段落範例

  1. Read the paragraph below. Each sentence is numbered so that you can find it in the table that follows.請閱讀下面的段落。每一句都有編號，方便你在後面的表格中找到它。
  2. (1) The garden behind our classroom building is the most peaceful place at school. (2) In the morning, the air there smells of wet soil and fresh basil. (3) Students in the gardening club grow tomatoes, sweet potato leaves, and three kinds of herbs. (4) At lunchtime, many of us sit on the wooden benches and eat quietly under a large banyan tree. (5) Some teachers even hold reading lessons there when the weather is cool. (6) Birds and butterflies often visit the flowers, so the garden feels alive all year. (7) For anyone who needs a short break from busy classrooms, the school garden is the best place to relax.（1）我們教室大樓後面的花園是學校裡最寧靜的地方。（2）早上那裡的空氣有濕泥土和新鮮九層塔的味道。（3）園藝社的同學在那裡種番茄、地瓜葉和三種香草。（4）午餐時間，我們很多人坐在木頭長椅上，在一棵大榕樹下安靜地吃飯。（5）天氣涼爽時，有些老師甚至會在那裡上閱讀課。（6）鳥和蝴蝶常來拜訪花朵，所以花園一年四季都生氣勃勃。（7）對任何需要暫時離開忙碌教室的人來說，學校花園是最適合放鬆的地方。
The parts of the model paragraph範例段落的各部分
Sentence句子Part部分What it does作用
11Topic sentence主題句Names the topic (the school garden) and the main idea (it is the most peaceful place at school)說出主題（學校花園）和主旨（它是學校最寧靜的地方）
22Supporting sentence支持句A detail about smell關於氣味的細節
33Supporting sentence支持句A detail about what grows there關於種了什麼的細節
44Supporting sentence支持句A detail about how students use the garden關於學生怎麼使用花園的細節
55Supporting sentence支持句A detail about how teachers use the garden關於老師怎麼使用花園的細節
66Supporting sentence支持句A detail about animals that visit關於來訪動物的細節
77Concluding sentence結論句Restates the main idea in new words (“the best place to relax”)用新的說法再說一次主旨（“the best place to relax”）
注意
Notice that every supporting sentence gives a different detail, but all of them show why the garden is peaceful. None of them talks about another place or another topic.注意：每一句支持句提供的細節都不一樣，但全都在說明花園為什麼寧靜，沒有一句跑去講別的地方或別的主題。
自我檢查
Write a different concluding sentence for the garden paragraph.請替花園這一段另寫一句結論句。
看答案
Sample answer: In short, the garden gives our busy school a quiet place to breathe. (Any sentence that restates the idea of a peaceful place without adding a new topic is correct.)參考答案：In short, the garden gives our busy school a quiet place to breathe.（總之，花園讓忙碌的學校有一個能喘口氣的安靜角落。）只要把「寧靜的地方」這個主旨換句話說、沒有加入新主題，都算正確。

這課的重點字

  • paragraph段落
  • topic主題
  • main idea主旨
  • topic sentence主題句
  • supporting sentence支持句
  • concluding sentence結論句
  • detail細節
背這課的 7 個字

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