The officers of most doctors today are overloaded with people who are convinced that something dreadful is about to happen to them. At the first sign of pain they run to a doctor， failing to realize that pain is rarely an indication or poor health. We are becoming a nation of pillgrabbers and hypochondriacs who regard the slightest ache as a searing ordeal. Instead of attacking the most common causes of pain such as tension， worry， boredom， frustration， insufficient sleep， overeating， poor diets， smoking， or excessive drinking， too many people reach almost instinctively for the painkillers--aspirins， barbiturates， codeine， tranquilizers， sleeping pills， and dozens of other desensitizing drugs.
Californians and New Englanders are both American. They speak the same language and abide by the same federal laws. But they are very different in their ways of life. Mobility--both physical and psychological--has made a great impression on the culture of Californians； lack of mobility is the mark of the customs and morality of New Englanders.
3. 主题句在段落末尾
At the beginning of a writing course， many students earn low grades because they are inexperienced writers. They simply don"t know how to write an effective essay， and in the process of learning to do so， they make mistakes--and low grades. Such grades affect the students" confidence and morale， making writing an unpleasant task associated with anxiety and failure. As a result， students are discouraged； instead of working seriously on their writing， they spend time worrying about the easiest way to earn a better grade on the next paper--usually by writing “safe” papers that are simple and correct but lacking in thought. Therefore， the assigning of traditional grades in a freshman writing course often works against the purpose of the course--to help students learn to write better.
Americans might be embarrassed because their Japanese friends are so formal with them. Japanese might feel insulted because American acquaintances greet them casually. Still， the forms of greeting in both countries only show respect for others. It just happens that Americans and Japanese have a different way of looking at human relationships and thus have a different way showing respect.
4. 段落没有主题句
英文正规的文章，很少没有主题句，没有主题句的情况一般出现在记叙文体中。但是也有作者有意隐而不说的情况。
The bright child is patient. He can tolerate uncertainty and failure， and will keep trying until he gets an answer. When all his experiments fail， he can even admit to himself and others that for the time being he is not going to get an answer. This may annoy him， but he can wait. Very often， he does not want to be told how to do the problem or solve the puzzle he has struggled with， because he does not want to be cheated out of the chance to figure it out for himself in the future. Not so the dull child. He cannot stand uncertainty or failure. To him， an unanswered question is not a challenge or an opportunity， but a threat. If he can"t find the answer quickly， it must be given to him， and quickly； and he must have answers for everything. Such are the children of whom a secondgrade teacher once said， “But my children like to have questions for which there is only one answer.” They did； and by a mysterious coincidence， so did she.
(Implied topic sentence： To a bright child a puzzle or unanswered question is a challenge， whereas to a dull child it is a threat.)
First you must wait for a sunny day. Remember that the rays of the sun are most direct between 11 A.M. and 2 P.M. This is the time when you will tan the quickest. At the right time and on the right day， pick an open spot outdoors and lay out a large towel or beach mat. You may want to bring along several things： suntan oil， a portable radio， a book or magazine， sunglasses， a pillow. It is a good idea not to stay in the sun too long at first. Begin with a half hour， and then gradually increase the time you spend in the sun. Certain parts of your body will burn more quickly than others. These include the backs of your knees， the inside of your elbows， your shoulders， and your nose. Be sure to cover these spots with suntan oil when you first go outside. Cover them again with oil after you have been outside in the sun for a while.
(Possible implied topic sentence： Taking a sunbath calls for careful planning.)
三、罗列写作内容（Coming up with Ideas）
主题句确定后，就是把和主题有关的内容如事实、典型实例或观点看法等罗列出来，写在纸上，不要因担心语法或拼写错误而不敢动笔。我们还以My favorite place 为例，假如段落主题句是Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live. 那我们可以想到如下内容供我们选择。
1. Nice climate
2. tall buildings downtown
3. beaches are close
4. diverse multicultural population
5. easy to find an apartment
7. gangs and crime have to own a car
8. easy access to Mexico and Latin America
9. many colleges and universities to choose from
10. the 1894 Olympics were held there
除罗列内容之外，也可以用提问、画表格等方式搜集写作内容。例如：
1. How about climate there？
Great！
2. What about its appearance？
Many tall buildings and it is close to the sea.
3. Are there many people there？
Yes. It has many people from different culture.
4. Are there many universities and colleges？
Yes. You can have more choice.
5. How about living in that city？
You can easily find an apartment but you have to own a car. In addition， there are crimes and gangs too.
这样你会发现，不是没什么可写，而是有很多供你选择。
四、组织内容(Organizing the Ideas)
认真阅读和筛选供选择的内容，把和主题不相关的内容剔除，以主题句 Los Angeles is a pleasant place to live为例，可选内容。
1. nice climate
2. tall buildings downtown
3. beaches are close
4. diverse multicultural population
5. easy to find an apartment
6. gangs and crime have to own a car
7. easy access to Mexico and Latin America
8. many colleges and universities to choose from
9. the 1894 Olympics were held there
分析和选择结果如下：
1. Los Angeles has a great climate. Good weather certainly influences your opinion about a place (yes)
2. Los Angeles has several tall buildings downtown. Although you may like tall building， it probably wouldn"t really be an important factor as for as making Los Angeles a nice place to live. (no)
3. There are many beaches in the Los Angeles. Usually the place with beaches is nice to live. (yes)
4. Los Angeles has diverse multicultural population. A city with diverse cultural population is pleasant to eyes. ( yes).
