Pragraph puzzle

WELCOME TO THE ENGLISH WEBQUEST! LET'S HAVE SOME FUN AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW! THE AIM IS THAT WRITING A PARAGRAPH BECOMES EASIER AND MORE ENJOYABLE. THE PURPOSE IS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING.

Introduction
When you write a paragraph you have to take into account that you are developing ONE idea. This idea constitutes your TOPIC. Your topic is the nucleous of your first sentence, that is your TOPIC SENTENCE. The topic sentence expresses the idea you are to develop and states what you are going to say about it, that is the CONTROLLING IDEA. In the paragraph, you develop your topic and your controlling idea in the SUPPORTING SENTENCES. In the last line of your paragraph you have to restate your topic and summarize it in some way.

Look at this clarifying drawing

Activities
Now, try to organize this paragraph in a logical and coherent order

1.
Not all those who are exposed to the same social influences exhibit the same level of dieting behaviour. Therefore, we need to identify the role that psychological characteristics play in moderating the influence.
2.
Cosmetic dieting occurs within the context of various sources of persuasion to modify body shape or reduce body weight. Social influence is perpetuated to a large extent through the media. More immediate forms of social influence operate via significant others.
3.
In general, the ability to withstand social influences is associated with the sense of functioning autonomously, and with the possession of skills or abilities required to deal with others in situations of conflict of interests, or in which the pressure to conform is perceived.
4.
Social psychological analyses of social influence shed some light on the form and possible role these influences take. Social influence derives from modelling, conformity, and compliance.
5.
Not only is the sense of autonomous functioning believed to affect adolescents’ reactions to social pressure to conform, so too are their current skill-related social competencies.
6.
All these forms of social influence have been shown to have significant and unique effects on adolescent behaviour. The social pressures that encourage young girls and young women to diet coincide with a heightened sensitivity to socio-cultural norms and to the personal opinions of others.


Now try to write a topic sentence for this paragraph

I hate lie. I always try not to tell lies and I want that from my friends, too. I think it is the most important behavior. I can believe everything my friends say. In addition, a good friend must say his ideas to me firstly. I mean, he shouldn't talk about me with other people. Especially about the bad thing, he doesn't have to talk because it might be wrong. Secondly, a good friend must help me. He must do his best. He should ask help from me too. If we solve problems together, our friendship will be better and it will become stronger. Thirdly, the talking time is important. I can talk with my friends for a long time, and during that time I must be happy. That's why we should like the same things. In conclusion, trust is the basics of a friendship.




Resources If you think this practice isn't enough, try these pages!!
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/composition.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/composition.htm
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading/paragraph_unit/lesson7.htm
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/para.html#support
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/cohere.html
Exercises
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/exercises/deathqz.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/exercises/dogqz.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/exercises/fitterqz.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/exercises/hikerqz.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/reading/exercises/pepperqz.htm
http://writingworkshop.edtec.unsw.edu.au/activities/argument_act.html
http://www2.arnes.si/~vzorko/HP_after%20you%20listen%203b.htm


Evaluation

Write a short para graph (100 words). Choose among one of the following topics:

Your last holidays

Your best friend

Your school

Your hobbies

A movie you have recently seen

Up to now you have learnt how to write a well organized paragraph. How would you rate your acuired knowledge?

Si crees que aún te falta aprender algo de inglés, pincha aquí! GATURRO'S BRUTISH ENGLISH
http://www.gaturro.com/gaturro/brutish.html

Pronunciation: The tone group

WELCOME TO THE ENGLISH WEBQUEST! LET'S HAVE SOME FUN WHILE WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW! ENJOY THE TRIP!

Introduction
The tone group is the unit of intonation in English. When you speak, you can play with your voice to convey meaning. You can go up or down, up and down, or down and up. All combinations have different meanings.

Each tone goup is a thought group, that is, you state one idea in each tone group.

Activities
Read this paragraph and find the thought groups in it. This will give you the tone groups. Notice that most punctuation marks have been removed so that you have to provide them!

Once upon a starless midnight there was an owl who sat on the branch of an oak tree two ground moles tried to slip by unnoticed"You!" said the owl "Who?" they quavered in fear and astonishment for they could not believe it was possible for anyone to see them in that thick darkness.

Look at the examples and find where the emphasis lies in each sentence. Underline the word/s that carries/carry the tone of the intonation group.
1. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the time)
2. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the place)
3. John is leaving Paris next week. (Emphasize the action)
4. John is leaving to Paris next week. (Emphasize the truth)
5. John is leaving to Paris next week. (Emphasize the person)

Using pauses in different places can give a sentence different meanings.
(A) The teacher said, "That student is lazy." (The teacher was speaking.)
(B) "The teacher," said that student, "is lazy." (The student was speaking.)

Can you find the different meanings between two sentences?

David said, "That man is very rude!"
"David," said that man, "is very rude!"

Tongue twisters are very useful when trying to learn to keep up the rhythm of English intonation. First, try mastering this one. Then, try to create one yourself and share it with the rest of the class. Let’s see whose tongue twister most twists our tongues!!!

She sells sea shells by the seashore.The shells she sells are surely seashells.So if she sells shells on the seashore,I'm sure she sells seashore shells.

Practice your pronunciation
Try this site to improve your pronunciation
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/oi/oiin.htm Six different intonational versions of the same sentence
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/flashin.htm
http://www.btinternet.com/~eptotd/vm/soundmachines.htm
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/eptotd/cat-inton.htm
Have a look at the movements of your organs of speech when you talk! Click on the Spanish and the American flags.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/

Resources for FUN!!
Have a try on this one! Can you get some American expression! Click on the TEXT key. Then mouseover the text at the bottom and try to read it.
http://www.americanaccent.com/index.html
Listen to the ‘Tonguetwisters’!
http://www.manythings.org/pp/woodchuck.html
http://www.manythings.org/pp/rubber_baby_buggy.html
http://www.manythings.org/pp/she_sells_seashells.html
http://www.manythings.org/pp/lady_from_niger.html

Evaluation
Your tongue twister and how you come to master it will be the evaluation of this unit. Hope you enjoy it!

Conclusion
Now that you are at the end of your trip, write a sentence about what you have learnt. Conclude with a rating to your acquired knowledge.