After the workshop, students are expected to:

 Understand and identify topics and main ideas of paragraphs in a

short amount of time;
 Be able to recognise patterns/organization of a paragraph;
 Improve the quality and reduce the time to finish complicated
question types such as Matching headings.
 Introduction
 Topic introduction: Introduce settings/ Introduce topic generally
 Thesis statement: Introduce the main ideas of the text

 Body (structure of each paragraph)

 Topic sentence: Introduce the topic/main idea of the entire paragraph
 Supporting ideas: Support/ Reinforce the idea in the Topic sentence/ Examples
 Concluding sentence (optional): Summarise the idea discussed in the paragraph

 Conclusion: Summarise the main ideas of the entire text

 The topic/main idea of the text/paragraph is constantly repeated

In developing countries, poor people have suffered the most from shortages of clean
water. There are several reasons for this. First, in many developing countries, the
majority of houses in poor villages and urban slums are not yet served by a piped
water system. People living in these places often have to walk many miles to find
water and carry it home in jugs and plastic containers. Second, these people usually
have few alternatives to piped water supply. There may be water closer by in rivers or
lakes, but this is often dangerously polluted. In poor areas, street vendors often sell
water by the liter, but they often charge extremely high prices for water that is not
always safe to drink.

Frequently repeated words: water, poor

What is associated with “water” and “poor areas”?  shortages
Topic: shortage of clean water in poor areas
Like many other fast-growing cities around the world, Mexico City is facing severe
water shortages. Many of its 20 million inhabitants receive only one hour of piped
water per week. Others receive none at all for weeks on end. Those who can afford the
expense build their own home water system to catch and keep rainwater to
supplement the city water. The situation, according to international experts, is the
result of a combination of factors. First, the system of pipes is old and poorly
managed, with the result that the pipes lose almost 40 percent of the water that they
distribute around the city. Second, the demand for water, which has grown with the
rapid population growth, far exceeds the supply. Furthermore, the water is consumed
not only by residents for household use, but also by thirsty industries such as beer-
brewers and soft-drink bottlers, and there is little incentive for them to conserve or
recycle water.

Topic: The causes of water shortages in Mexico City

The current water shortages in Mexico City contrast remarkably with the city’s
situation in the past. When the Spanish arrived at the Aztec capital in 1519, they found
stone buildings and gardens set on an island in the middle of a vast series of
interconnected lakes—an “enchanted vision,” according to one Spanish soldier. The
Spanish destroyed the buildings, and began draining the water from the lakes to build
what became Mexico City. For the next four centuries, the city was able to meet its
water needs from springs, shallow wells, and the remaining lake water. In the mid-
nineteenth century, as water needs grew and supplies from the aquifer became
inadequate, city authorities brought water up from two nearby river systems. Twenty-
five years ago, they began piping in water from 80 miles (130 km) away. Because
Mexico City is located on a highland, the water must all be pumped uphill at
considerable expense.

Topic: The history of Mexico City’s water supply

 Paragraphs in English usually contain a topic sentence.
 Topic sentence lets readers know what the paragraph is about.
 Topic sentence is usually near the beginning of the paragraph
 Topic sentence can also be found in the middle or at the end.
Paragraph 1
Solid waste, waste, ocean
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

Solid waste being dumped into the ocean

 Topic: ___________________________________________________

C
 Topic sentence: __________________________________________
Paragraph 2
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

 Topic: ___________________________________________________

 Topic sentence: __________________________________________

Paragraph 2
Hydrological cycle, water
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

Hydrological cycle
 Topic: ___________________________________________________

A
 Topic sentence: __________________________________________
Paragraph 3
Polluted ocean – It
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

Consequences of polluted ocean

 Topic: ___________________________________________________

D
 Topic sentence: __________________________________________
Paragraph 4
Nonpoint pollutants, source
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

Sources of nonpoint pollutants

 Topic: ___________________________________________________

F
 Topic sentence: __________________________________________
Paragraph 5
Water, waste
 Frequently repeated words: _______________________________

Problems with waste from sinks, toilets, washing machines,

and bathtubs
 Topic: ___________________________________________________

E
 Topic sentence: __________________________________________
 Most topic sentences tell the writer’s main idea.
 The main idea is explained by many specific supporting details in
the paragraph.
 Sometimes, topic sentences do not contain main ideas. In this case,
main ideas are expressed in another sentence or in many other
sentences.  Combine ideas.

 Note: The main idea statement should always be stated in a

complete sentence with a subject and verb.
The global demand for water (estimated at about 5 billion cubic feet per year)
has tripled since 1950. One reason for the increased demand for water is the
rapid growth in population. Each person on earth consumes, on average, 10 million
gallons of water in a lifetime! More people means a need for more water for
agricultural and household use. A second reason for the increased consumption
of water is the rapid development of complex technology. Factories and food
production facilities cannot function without water. Power-generating facilities also
use vast amounts of water to make the steam that is needed to run the turbines and
cool the system.

a. More people means a need for more water for agricultural and household use.

b. Factories and food production facilities cannot function without water.

c. The global demand for water has tripled since 1950.

Floodplains are the flat land near a river that is covered with water when the
river rises following a storm. They provide several benefits. They can control
flooding when the waters of a narrow river rise rapidly. As soon as the river’s water
has exceeded its banks and enters a floodplain, the water spreads out over a wide area
and slows down. There, the floodplain holds the water, allowing it to be slowly released
into the river system and into underground bodies of water. Floodplains also help
clean rivers and streams. They keep the water long enough for sediment (small
particles of dust, rock, and organic matter) to settle into the earth under the floodplain.
This keeps the sediment out of the river or stream.

Floodplains
Topic: ____________________________

C
Main idea: _______________________
Paragraph 1
Flooding in the Netherlands
 Topic: ___________________________________________________

C
 Main idea: _______________________________________________
Paragraph 2
The Dutch system of flood barriers
 Topic: ___________________________________________________

B
 Main idea: _______________________________________________
Paragraph 3
Climate change and Dutch water protection strategies
 Topic: _______________________________________________________

B
 Main idea: ___________________________________________________
 Writers usually use patterns to develop their ideas.
 Finding the patterns helps to find the main idea.
 Four common types:
 Listing
 Sequence
 Comparison/contrast
 Cause-Effect

 Signal words help to identify the patterns (signpost).

 The writer’s main idea is stated in the form of a generalization,
followed by a list of supporting details.
 Signal words

a few other(s) another first

several many in addition second

numerous a variety besides third

the main for example one last

E-mail (electronic mail) uses computers for communication. It has several important
advantages over phones and regular mail. The main advantage of e-mail is that it
takes very little time to send and receive messages. From your computer, you can
contact someone far away (or in the next office). Seconds later, they have your
message. If they are at their computer you can get a response instantly, too. Another
reason people like to use e-mail is that for just a few cents you can send a message to
someone in another part of the world. You don’t have to worry about the time
difference or slow mail delivery. Your message is sent immediately, and your friends or
colleagues can send a response at their convenience. Lastly, e-mail allows you to send
a single message to many people at the same time.

Main idea: E-mail has many advantages over the telephone and regular mail service.
Signal words: The main, another, lastly
Communicating by e-mail is becoming increasingly popular for many
reasons. First, it is a popular way to send messages among people who do not
like to use the telephone. Second, it is useful for sending suggestions or
request. The person who receives them has time to think about their response.
Also, e-mail messages always look the same, no matter who sends them. This
means you don’t have to worry about the quality of your letter paper.
Furthermore, e-mail messages are uniform. They give no clues to the sender's
age, gender, race, or physical condition. In addition, they do not give away the
sender’s feelings or emotional condition.

Main idea: E-mail is increasingly popular for several reasons.

Signal words: First, second, also, furthermore, in addition
 The writer’s main idea includes a series – events ordered by time, or
steps that follow one after another (in a process).
 Signal words

first next last after

at last finally later before

while at the same time

Franklin D. Roosevelt, the thirty-second president of the United States, served
his country for most of his life. He was the only president to be elected four
times. He was born in Hyde Part, New York, on January 30, 1882, and he began
his studies at Harvard in 1903. In 1905, he married Eleanor Roosevelt, a distant
cousin, and they had six children. After serving in the New York State Senate,
Roosevelt worked in Washington as Secretary of the Navy until 1921. At that
time, he became very ill with polio and lost the use of his legs. In 1928,
Roosevelt ran for governor of New York. After serving two terms as governor, he
was elected to the presidency in 1933. Roosevelt died in office on April 12,
1945.

Main idea: Franklin D. Roosevelt served his country for most of his life.
Making orange juice concentrate from fresh oranges is done entirely be
machines. First, oranges are dumped onto a moving belt. They travel into a
machine which washes them with detergent. Next they are rolled into juicing
machines, where seven hundred oranges per minute are split and squeezed.
Then the rinds (the skin of the oranges) are thrown out the end of a long tube.
At the same time, the juice goes through small holes in the bottom of the tube.
Next, the juice goes into another machine called the finisher. There, the seeds
and other tiny objects are removed. Last, the juice goes into large tanks, where
most of the water is removed.

Main idea: Making orange juice concentrate from fresh oranges is done
entirely be machines.
 The writer’s main idea explains similarities and/or differences.
 A comparison can include:
 Only similarities
 Similarities and differences

 A contrast includes only the differences.

 on the other
however but unlike
hand
in contrast while although conversely

instead yet rather different from

more than less than

like both similarly in the same way

as same also in common

High school graduates are sometimes nervous about attending college,
because they fear that everything will be different. In fact, there are some
important similarities between college and high school. In both places,
academic success depends on being a responsible student. This means
attending classes regularly, doing your homework, and studying new materials
carefully. Similarly, social success in college is like high school. If you have had
friends in high school, chances are you will have friends in college, too. College
also resembles high school in student activities. Musical groups, sports teams,
special interest clubs, and other activities are found in both institutions.

Main idea: In some ways, college life is very similar to high school life.
Signal words: in both places, similarly, also resembles
The University of Bologna in northern Italy is different from most North
American universities. One important difference is its age. Founded in the tenth
century, it is the oldest university in Europe. Its ancient halls give students a strong
sense of history. This is in sharp contrast to the usual attitude of American students
who study in newer surroundings. The University of Bologna is different, as well,
because of its location. While North American universities are often located outside the
city center, Bologna’s campus is in the heart of the city. Unlike the American university
campus, there are no trees or open spaces near this old Italian institution. Instead,
students meet on the streets, in cafes, and in the courtyards of the historic buildings.

Main idea: The University of Bologna is different from most North American
universities.
Signal words: important difference, different, in sharp contrast to, unlike
 The writer’s main idea explains that one event or action causes
another.
 Sometimes, a single cause can produce many effects, and a single
effect is the result of many causes.
 Identify Cause-Effect relationship in Q1-5, Exercise 14 p.121.
Cause Effect

 Coal-burning factories  Acid rain

 Stricter anti-pollution laws  Higher prices for consumers
 Acid rain  The death of lakes and streams
 Acid rain  Forests have become diseased
 Coal burning  Higher levels of sulfur dioxide pollution
Doctors have noticed an increase in the number of children who are treated
for ear infections. This could mean that more children get infections than in
the past. Such an increase could be caused, in part, by an increased use of day
care. In day-care centers, little children can catch infections from each other.

Main idea: There is an increase in the number of ear infections in children.

Cause: increased use of day care
Effect: more ear infections
A young child’s untreated ear infection can lead to serious consequences. The
infection can spread to the throat and cause general illness. It can also do permanent
damage to a child’s hearing ability. Perhaps the least-known consequence of
untreated ear infection involves language development. Language learning depends
on good hearing. Children with frequent or untreated ear infections cannot hear well.
The result is a delay in their ability to speak and use language effectively.

Main idea: An untreated ear infection can lead to several serious consequences.
Cause: untreated ear infection
Effect: cause general illness
damage to hearing ability
delay proper language development