BAB VI
POLA PARAGRAF DALAM TEKS BAHASA INGGRIS
1. Kompetensi
Setelah mempelajari dan mengerjakan latihan-latihan dalam BAB VI ini diharapkan mahasiswa telah memiliki kompetensi sebagai berikut:
a) pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam menentukan topik dari sebuah paragraf;
b) pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam menentukan ide utama (main idea) dalam sebuah paragraf;
c) pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam menentukan kalimat topik (topic sentence) dalam sebuah paragraf; dan
d) pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam menentukan pola-pola pengembangan sebuah paragraf (paragraph development).
2. Pengantar
Pengetahuan tentang pola-pola paragraf yang baik sangat penting bagi seorang pembaca untuk meningkatkan kelancaran dan pemahaman membaca teks berbahasa Inggris. Dengan latar belakang pengetahuan (schema) tentang pola-pola paragraf dalam teks bahasa Inggris seorang pembaca dapat membuat prediksi (expectation) sebelum membaca dan prediksi-prediksi inilah yang akan mempercepat proses dan pemahaman dalam membaca teks berbahasa Inggris.
3. Menentukan Topik dari Sebuah Paragraf
Sebuah paragraf yang baik adalah kumpulan satu atau lebih kalimat; kalimat pertama dalam sebuah paragraf biasanya dimulai lima ketikan dari garis pinggir sebelah kiri. Semua kalimat dalam sebuah paragraf berbicara tentang satu hal, yaitu tentang topik paragraf. Topik paragraf memberikan informasi tentang paragraf tersebut. Perhatikanlah contoh di bawah ini!
Computer chips have changed our life. With computer chips we can make very small computers. Space scientists use these small computers in satellites and space ships. Large companies use these small computers for business. We can make very small calculators with computer chips. Some calculators are as small as a credit card, and these calculators are very expensive. Computer chips are also used for making digital watches. A normal watch has a spring and moving hands, but a digital watch has no moving parts. A digital watch shows the time and the date with numbers, and some digital watches even have an alarm and a stop watch. The computer chip makes all of this possible.
Topik: Uses of computer chips
There are many uses of computer chips.
Topik paragraf dalam contoh di atas adalah ‘uses of computer chips’. Topik paragraf ini berbentuk frase bukan kalimat yang ditentukan berdasarkan pemahaman dan kesimpulan dari isi paragraf terutama dari pemahaman terhadap kalimat-kalimat awal dalam paragraf tersebut.
| Directions: Now read the following paragraphs and answer the questions. After you finish, discuss your answers with other students in your class. PARAGRAPH 1 Do you have trouble remembering new words in English? Many people have this problem. This method may help you to remember new words. (1) Look at the new word. Look at the letters and the shape of the word. Close your ayes. Can you see the word? (2) Listen to the word. Listen to the sounds in the word. Look at the word as you listen. (3) Say the word aloud. Close your book. Do not look at the word. Can you say it? (4) Write the word. Write it three or four times. Say the word as you write it. (5) Use the new word. Use it in class today, and use it at home tonight. Use it tomorrow and next week. Look for the new word in the newspaper or the radio or on television and listen to it. To remember a new word, you must use it. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. A method for remembering new words b. New words in English c. Looking at new words d. The uses of new words in English PARAGRAPH 2 Computer chips have changed our way of life. With computer chips me can make very small computers. Space scientists use these small computers in satellites and space ships. Large companies use these small computers for business. We can make very small calculators with computer chips. Some calculators are as small as a c-edit card, and these calculators are not very expensive. Computer chips are also used for making digital watches. A normal watch has a spring and moving hands, but a digital watch has no moving parts. A digital watch shows the time end the date with numbers, and some digital watches even have an alarm and a stop-watch. The computer chip makes all of this possible. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. Small computers b. Uses of computer chips c. Digital watches d. Uses of computers PARAGRAPH 3 Today most cars use gasoline, but in the future many people may drive electric cars. Electric cars do not pollute the air. Electricity from a battery powers the motor of an electric car. Drivers of electric cars do not fill their cars with gasoline; they connect their cars to an electrical outlet to charge the battery with electricity. The driver of an electric car connects the car to an electrical outlet at night. In the morning, the battery is charged with enough electricity to drive all day. Electric cars are not as fast as gasoline-powered cars and they cannot travel more than 150 miles (270 kilometers). After 150 miles, the driver must charge the battery again. However, electric cars may be one answer to the problems of pollution and high gasoline prices. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. Pollution and expensive gasoline b. The batteries of electric cars c. Gasoline cars d. Electric cars |
4. Menentukan Ide Utama (Main Idea) Dalam
Sebuah Paragraf
Setiap kalimat dalam sebuah paragraf yang baik berbicara tentang topik paragraf tersebut. Ide utama (main idea) dari sebuah paragraf adalah sebuah kalimat yang menginformasikan tentang apa yang diceritakan semua kalimat dalam paragraf tersebut. Ide utama ini seperti kalimat simpulan dari paragraf tersebut. Untuk menemukan kalimat ide utama (main idea sentence) dalam sebuah paragraf, pertama temukan topik paragraf, dan kemudian tentukan apa yang dominan disampaikan oleh semua kalimat dalam paragraf tersebut tentang topik tadi. Perhatikan contoh berikut ini!
There are many ways to improve your vocabulary in English. One way is to read fiction (novels and stories) in English. Novels and stories often contain new words. It is not difficult to understand these new words because you can usually guess their meanings. The other words in the sentences will help you, and the story will also help you. An interesting story will help you understand the new words because the meanings of the new words are part of the meaning of the story.
Topik: One way to improve your vocabulary in
English.
Ide Utama: One way to improve your vocabulary in
English is to read fiction.
Dalam contoh di atas topik kalimat dinyatakan dalam bentuk frase sedangkan kalimat topik dalam bentuk kalimat. Baik topik paragraf maupun kalimat topik berada pada dua kalimat pertama dari paragraf. Dengan kata lain, untuk menemukan topik dan kalimat topik dari sebuah paragraf, seorang pembaca cukup membaca kalimat-kalimat awal dari paragraf tersebut.
| Directions: Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions about the topics and main ideas of the paragraphs. PARAGRAPH I Do you want to know more about your family history? Maybe a genealogist can help you. A genealogist is specially trained to find information about family histories from many different sources. Some of this information comes from old records, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates. Often the genealogist finds information in old newspapers, tax records, or immigration records. It may even be necessary to visit distant towns and villages to collect information from the people who live there. Once the information is complete, the genealogist writes a genealogy which describes the family's history. 1. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. Families b. Genealogists c. Information about family histories d. Writing a genealogy 2. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Genealogy describes a family's history. b. Genealogists look for information in different places. . c. Genealogists can find information about family histories. d. Information about family histories comes from many different sources. PARAGRAPH 2 Most children are excellent language learners. They can learn a second language quickly and easily. Most adults, on the other hand, find learning a second language difficult. They must study hard, and it usually takes them a long time to master the language. Adults usually try to learn a second language the same way they learn mathematics, science, history, or other subjects; but children learn a second language the same way they learned their first language. The child language learner has all the necessary skills to learn another language, but the adult language learner often has to relearn these skills in order to learn a second language. 3. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. Language learning b. Child language learners c. Adult Language learners d. Child and adult language learners 4. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Children are excellent language learners. b. Adults find language learning difficult. c. Children are better language learners than adults. d. Children can learn more quickly and easily than adults. PARAGRAPH 3 PLATO is my favorite teacher. He is very patient with me. He never gets tired or angry when I make too many mistakes. He always explains everything very carefully and makes sure that I answer every question correctly. When I need extra help after class, he is always in his "office" even late at night. Not only does he teach me English, but he is also teaching me to type. But PLATO is not as friendly as my human teachers. He never smiles or laughs, and he doesn't ask about my family or what I plan to do next weekend. In fact, he doesn't talk at all. You see, PLATO is a computer, a special computer that teaches me English. 5. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. PLATO b. My favorite teacher c. English teachers d. Computers 6. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. PLATO is my favorite teacher. b. Computers are better than human teachers. c. PLATO is a special computer that teaches English. d. Human teachers are friendlier than computers. PARAGRAPH 4 The government of India encourages married men and women to be sterilized; they cannot have more children. In China, families can be punished for having more than one child. Both of these countries have very large populations, and if the number of people continues to increase, there will not be food, houses, or jobs for the people. As a result, India, China, and other populous countries are following a family-planning policy-they want to limit the number of children they will have. Teachers, doctors, and workers are explaining to the people why they should have fewer children using birth control methods such as contraception and sterilization. 7. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. India and China b. sterilization c. The governments of India and China d. Family planning 8. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Some populous countries are following a family-planning policy. b. India and China have very large populations. c. The government of India encourages sterilization. d. In China, families can be punished for having more than one child. PARAGRAPH 5 Before the introduction of the computer search, library research was a long and tedious task. Now, instead of spending long hours looking through the card catalog and periodical indexes for books and articles on your subject, you can have a computer do the looking for you. All you need to do is give our subject to the computer. This is not as easy as it sounds; however, because you must know exactly what your subject is and you must express it in words the computer can understand. The computer then searches its memory for books and articles about your subject. It takes less than a second for the computer to complete its search. Finally, it prints a bibliography - a list of the authors and titles of the books and articles it has found for your subject. 9. What is the topic of this paragraph? a. Library research b. Computer searches c. Bibliographies d. Looking for books and articles 10. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Library research is a long and tedious task. b. A bibliography is a list of authors and titles of book and articles. c. A computer can find books and articles for you. d. A computer search can save time in library research. |
5. Menentukan Kalimat Topik (Topic Sentence) Dalam Sebuah Paragraf
Setiap paragraf mempunyai topik dan ide utama dan sebagian besar paragraf mempunyai kalimat topik (topic sentences). Kalimat topik dalam sebuah paragraf (kadang-kadang disebut juga kalimat ide utama); yaitu sebuah kalimat yang mengandung informasi tentang topik dan ide utama dari paragraf tersebut. Perhatikan contoh berikut ini!
When you rent an apartment, it is important to have an apartment lease. A lease is an agreement between the owner of the apartment and you the renter. It tells you the amount of rent for the apartment, and it gives you information about when and where you must pay the rent. It also tells you how long you can live in the apartment. A lease helps the owner of the apartment, but it also helps the renter. If you sign a lease, the owner cannot increase the rent or tell you to leave the apartment without a good reason.
Kalimat topik:
When you rent an apartment, it is important to have an apartment lease.
Dalam contoh paragraf di atas kalimat topik adalah ‘When you rent an apartment, it is important to have an apartment lease’ karena dalam kalimat ini terdapat topik paragraf (an apartment lease) dan ide utama dari paragraf tersebut (why having an apartment lease is important). Kalimat topik juga merupakan kalimat pertama dalam paragraf tersebut; walaupun tidak selalu kalimat topik (topic sentence) merupakan kalimat pertama dalam sebuah paragraf yang baik.
| Directions: Here are some more paragraphs with topic sentences. Underline the topic sentence in each paragraph. When you finish, discuss your answers with other students in your class. 1. In 1819, George Rapp started a utopian community in Harmony, Indiana. In 1824, Rapp sold the community to Robert Owen, who started a new utopian community there. He named the new community "New Harmony." New Harmony lasted only two years. In 1825, Francis Wright started the community of Nashoba near Memphis, Tennessee. The Nashoba community ended in 1830. Brook farm, a utopian farming community, lasted from 1841 co 1847. Modern '15mes, an anarchist community near New York City, was started by Josiah Warren in 1851. It ended in 1857. We can see that these utopian communities that started in the 1800s lasted only a short time. 2. The price of a box of Wonder Soap is $1.95, and the price of a box of super Soap is $2.15. Which box of soap are you going to buy? Many people will buy the box of Wonder Soap because of the low price. However, it is important to know the real price of goods before you buy. There are sixteen uncles (450 grams) of soap in the box of Wonder Soap, but there are twenty ounces (almost 640 grams) of soap in the box of Super Soap. The real price of the Wonder Soap is $ 0-12 per ounce and the real price of the Super Soap is u 10 per ounce, so the price of the Super Soap is really lower than the price f the Wonder Soap. 3. Many apartment-renting services are using computers to help people find apartments. They find out important information about the apartments, such as the number of bedrooms, the location, and the amount of rent. They put this information into the computer. When a person comes to the apartment-renting service, questions are asked about the kind of apartment the person wants. This information is put into the computer, and the computer “Find" the best apartment for the person. 4. It is easy to find out the prices of goods, but what are the costs of goods? Many consumers think that "price" and "cost" are the same, but they are mistaken. The price is the amount of money the consumer must pay to buy the goods, but the cost is the amount of money the producer pay in order to make the goods. If a producer is making shoes, for example, the producer must buy leather, thread, glue, and sewing machines in order to make the shoes. The producer must also pay the workers who make the shoes. The money for leather, thread, glue, sewing machines and workers is the cost of making the shoes. Then the producer decides the price of the shoe. The price is always higher than the cost because some money must go to the producer for making the shoes. 5. When you decide to rent an apartment, you should first look at the apartment very carefully. Look at the walls, the ceiling, and the doors. Look at the furniture (beds, chairs, tables, etc.) and look at the appliances (refrigerator, stove, washing machine, etc.). If you find anything broken, ask the owner to fix it before you move in. Next, you should read the lease very carefully. You do not understand the lease, ask someone to explain it to you. Finally, sign the lease and keep your copy of it in a safe place. If you follow these steps you will be much happier with your new apartment. |
6. Mengenal Pola Pengembangan Sebuah Paragraf
Setiap paragraf yang ditulis dengan baik mempunyai sebuah topik dan sebuah ide utama; sebagian besar paragraf mempunyai kalimat topik. Kalimat topik pada umumnya merupakan kalimat pertama dalam paragraf tersebut, tapi ia juga bisa berada pada akhir paragraf. Kadang kala kalimat topik berada pada dua buah kalimat pada bagian yang berbeda dan sebagian paragraf tidak punya kalimat topik sama sekali.
Paragraf yang dimulai dengan kalimat topik sering digunakan ketika penulis ingin membuat pernyataan umum (general statement) tentang topik paragraf dan kemudian diikuti oleh informasi yang detil, contoh-contoh, atau alasan-alasan untuk memperlihatkan atau membuktikan bahwa pernyataan umum tersebut benar. Perhatikan contoh berikut ini!
Newspapers can provide more news than radio or television. Restricted in the amount of time available for news reporting, radio and television news programs can give only a limited amount of information about each news event. Newspapers, on the other hand, are limited only by the amount of space available for each news article, so each article tends to contain more information than a radio or television news story. This is largely because of the difference in speed between reading silently and reading aloud. Consequently, a person reading a newspaper for thirty minutes can receive more information than a person listening to a radio or television news program for thirty minutes.
Pola paragraf dalam contoh di atas dapat dibuat seperti berikut ini:
| Topic Statement | Newspapers can provide more news than radio or television | ||
| Reasons | Restricted amount of time for radio and television news | Newspaper articles contain more information about each news event | Silent reading faster that reading aloud |
Berbagai pola paragraf lainnya disajikan sebagai berikut:
| Information |
| I n f o r m a t i o n |
| I n f o r m a t i o n |
| Conclusion |
(Pola paragraf untuk memberi kejutan bagi pembaca dengan kalimat topik di akhir)
| Information | ||
| I n f o r m a t i o n | ||
| I n f o r m a t i o n | ||
| T o p i c s e n t e n c e | ||
| More support | More support | More support |
(Paragraf dengan kalimat topik berada di tengah)
| Topic sentence part 1 | ||
| Supprot | Support | Support |
| Topic sentence part 2 | ||
| Support | Support | Supprot |
(Paragraf dengan dua buah kalimat topik)
| Topic sentence part 1 | ||
| Support | Support | Support |
| I n f o r m a t i o n | ||
| I n f o r m a t i o n | ||
| Topic sentence part 2 | ||
(Paragraf dengan dua buah kalimat topik tapi kalimat topik ke dua di akhir kalimat)
| Directions: Make a diagram of the information in the paragraph. When you finish, compare your diagrams with those of other students in your class. 1. After one year, the Emperor offered to release Valentine from prison if he would agree to stop performing marriages. Valentine refused, so the Emperor sentenced him to death. Before he was killed, St. Valentine sent a love letter to the daughter of the prison guard. He signed the letter "from your Valentine." That was the first valentine. 2. On February 14 Americans celebrate another unusual holiday, St. Valentine’s Day, a special day for lovers. Valentines are cards-usually red and shaped like hearts-with message of love written on them. Lovers send these cards to each other, often anonymously, on St. Valentine's Day. 3. Jack grew up in Trinidad, an island in the Caribbean Sea. As a boy, he went to the synagogue, studied Hebrew, and learned to be a good Jew. He hated Nazis and cheered when the British beet the Germans in the war movies he loved to watch. When he was seventeen years old, he went to Israel to work on a kibbutz. Now he owns an appliance store in California. He works long hours and seldom takes a vacation. His political ideas are somewhat liberal and he accepts the feminist movement. 4. While reading a newspaper, most people look first at the headline of each article to find out what the article is about. Every newspaper article begins with a headline. The headline is a short title which identifies the topic and main idea of the article. The "byline" is located just under the headline. The byline gets its name from the preposition "by," which is often used to introduce the name of the author of the article. Some bylines do not include the preposition "by" and the author's name. They contain only the name of the organization the article came from. Whether it contains an author's name or the name of an organization, the byline identifies the source of the article. 5. The most important news of the day is usually on the front page of the newspaper. The rest of the news is usually located in Special sections of the newspaper devoted to local, regional, national, international, business, sports, and other news. Efficient newspaper readers know not only where to look for the important news in a newspaper but also how to decide which articles are most important for them to read. By quickly scanning the headlines, they get a general idea of which articles are more important than others. With this information they can decide which articles to read carefully, which articles to read quickly, and which articles not to read at all. |
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