Supporting Ideas

The supporting ideas/evidence is in bold.

Writing a good composition in English is no different from writing a good composition in Chinese. Both require good control of the topic. Before starting to write in either language, however, one should have a strong thesis or main point as well as a careful outline. The thesis keeps one's mind on the topic while an outline guides the writer through each important major point. An introduction which informs the reader of the thesis is important, too. An introduction should not only introduce the topic statement but also catch the reader's attention. Finally, every well-written composition ends with a strong concluding paragraph. This paragraph reviews the major ideas and explains why the topic is important. If a writer follows these few simple steps, a successful composition is sure to result.

Should KTVs be off-limits to junior and senior high school students? Many parents and educators think so. They claim that these businesses are unhealthy and even dangerous. They are unhealthy because they are dark, not well air-conditioned (for fresh air), and serve junk food. They can be dangerous because they sometimes burn down and are sometimes the meeting place for gangsters. However, these cases are few in number. KTVs are actually a good place for students. They are an inexpensive source of entertainment for students. They allow students to socialize in positive group activities like singing and dancing. They are also a good place for teachers to relax with their own students. Since the usual benefits are more important than the occasional disadvantages, I do not think KTVs should be off-limits to students.

Many people are confused by the names of different storms.
Actually, they are easy to learn. The terms typhoon, hurricane, and cyclone all refer to the same large storm which forms over oceans and causes wind and water damage over a large area. The only difference is that the term typhoon is used for these storms which occur in the western Pacific Ocean, the term hurricane for the same storm which occurs in either ocean surrounding North America, and the term cyclone for these storms in the Indian Ocean. The above storms are different from tornadoes, which are much smaller but actually far stronger. These rapidly turning clouds form over land and destroy anything in their way. They are rarely, however, more than one kilometer wide, whereas the other storms are often hundreds of kilometers wide. As all of them can be dangerous, one should take special care when they are near.

Whether senior high school students should be allowed to drive their motorcycles to school has been a hot topic in Taiwan. Most students and some parents and teachers support this idea. They think that senior high school students, who are always busy, can save a lot of time and energy by riding their own motorcycles to school rather than taking public transportation. They think that these students are old enough to drive carefully. Others, however, have a different opinion. They include some parents, teachers, and policemen, and even a few students. They say that most motorcycle accidents happen to teenagers. They are also afraid that more than one teenager will be injured when riders carry their friends with them on their motorcycles. "Better safe than sorry," they say. Which side do you support?

First-time travelers often wonder how to prepare for their long-distance trips. Here are some tips. First, always make your plans early. Never wait until the last minute to prepare for your trip, or you may not be able to reserve your flights and hotels. Next, travel light. Most people buy at least some of the things they need while overseas, so it is not necessary to pack so many things for the trip. Clothes can be worn more than once, and personal bath items are available around the world. Finally, make sure you take all your important travel papers with you to the airport or train station. What could be worse than forgetting your ticket or passport? Those who follow these three pieces of advice or much more likely to enjoy their trip than those who do not.

Moving is never fun, but it does not have to be a nightmare. Most people do not plan their move carefully and end up confused, tired, and angry. A few simple guidelines can make the difference between an effort-free move and a disaster. First, prepare all the materials you will need for the move, such as boxes, rope, newspaper, a marking pen, and tape. Keep a record of how many boxes you have in each room, and label them. Next, think beforehand where the boxes will be moved to in your new apartment. Make sure that the first boxes out of the truck will go to the room furthest from the front door. Unusually large or heavy boxes or pieces of furniture should be moved last, along with breakable or perishable items, like glasses or food from the refrigerator. These few easy ideas will make your move much smoother.

Many students confuse the terms entertainment and recreation. Basically, entertainment is passive, but recreation is active. When we refer to entertainment, we often think of a viewer or an audience. We watch entertainment, whether at home as with TV or in public as at a movie theater or a concert. We don't have to do anything to enjoy entertainment. Recreation, however, involves our active participation. Water sports such as swimming, fishing, and boating are all forms of recreation. Camping and hiking are, too. Outdoor sports like bicycling or jogging and indoor sports like table tennis and badminton are also considered types of recreation. We need both to live healthy lives. Entertainment helps us relax from our busy, stressful lives, while recreation keeps us strong and healthy. Make sure you engage in both at least once a week.

"Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink." This famous line from an old poem was written by a sailor who was dying in his boat because he did not have any water to drink. How strange to be surrounded by ocean water that we cannot drink! In fact we can find fresh water in many forms around the world. Water from lakes and rivers is the water we usually think of when we think of fresh water. This water comes from rainfall on mountains. Snow and ice are also forms of fresh water. Mountains and glaciers or "ice rivers" contain water in frozen form. Finally, there are clouds. Though we cannot drink clouds, we can drink the rain that falls from them. Despite the many kinds of fresh water, more than 98% of all water on Earth is salt water in our oceans. We should appreciate our fresh water and keep it clean and conserve it.