Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Our next essay!!!

 As you know, our next essay (rough draft due Wednesday, November 2 at 3PM, final draft due Wednesday, November 9 at 3PM) is the cause-effect essay.

Today, we will look at the structure of a cause-effect essay, and tomorrow you will write a cause-effect paragraph as a way of getting comfortable with the concept.







Example A


Courage At A Cost
Many people believe that the act of courage lies within each individual, and these acts of courage can be brought out by three possible causes. The first cause, and the most obvious, is provocation. Often times this is seen in movies where the villain kidnaps and threatens to kill the hero's family. More often that not, the hero finds it within himself to put aside his fears and overcome near impossible odds to save the day. The majority of the time it is direct threats such as this one that provoke human nature to acts of courage. The second cause is a purpose. In 2001, the Twin Towers fell to terrorist attacks. Military enlistments reached all time highs as many men and women joined the armed forces. For many of these people, the prospect of serving their country, and gaining revenge for the cowardice acts of the terrorists were the only reasons necessary for their courage. The third cause is a belief in a higher power. The presence of God gives many people the courage to do things they would not be able to do otherwise. His words play clearly in their minds," Be strong and of good courage", because: "the lord thy god is with thee whithersoever thou goest"(bible reference). According to God and his followers, his presence is enough cause for courage. For these people, their courage knows no boundaries. Whatever your inspiration for courage may be, you can just about bet it was brought on by one of these three underlying circumstances.
~© Kyle Shearin 2005~

Example B

In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the Earth's population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First, the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs, with their promise of a better material life, attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there were many schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers. The promise of a better education persuaded many families to leave farming communities and move to the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people established places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadiums, theaters, and museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural communities. 

Example C

             Many situations can cause a friendship to end. One of those situations occurs when a friend moves away and makes new friends; as a result, his or her old friends are often forgotten. In addition, sometimes friendships end because of a lack of communication. If one friend never calls or  e-mails, the friendship ultimately fades and dies. Furthermore, busy schedules can cause friendships to end. It is hard to spend time with a friend if one is busy with school, work, and other responsibilities. Eventually, in these situations, the friends drift apart. Another reason is the two friends no longer have anything in common or do not like the choices one of them has made. Perhaps one friend is taking drugs or is spending too much time with a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Unfortunately, some friendships end as a result of death. Perhaps the main cause is a fight. If two friends fight and do not make up or cannot forgive each other, there is no reason to be friends anymore. Friends may come and go in everyone’s lives, but no matter how long they are in them, friends leave a lasting impression.

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