Writing
Topic
Many
people like to eat in restaurants on a regular basis. Others would rather eat
at home, except on rare occasions. Which approach to dining habits do you
choose and why? Support your essay with details and examples.
☆Hints
for points
Eating at home:
1.
healthy
2.
economical
3.
relaxing
4.
flavor of Mom’s cooking
/ passing down culture and tradition
5.
Eating out only once in
a while will make the event more enjoyable ( “spice of life”, “less is more”)
Counterargument: It takes time
to cook.
Counter-counterargument: A
simple but well-balanced meal takes only 15-40 minutes to prepare. Also,
cooking helps you get refreshed because you use the different part of your brain
and, if you cook with someone else, you can interact with other human beings.
Eating
out on a regular basis:
1.
saves time
2.
tastes better, more variety
3.
social life (people, manners)
4.
“spice up one’s life”
Counterargument:
unhealthy
Counter-counterargument:
health-conscious restaurants, good breakfast at home
☆Essay Structure
♦Sample Essay
Structure in the case that you have two or three reasons to support your
argument
【Introduction = Outline】 主張と理由の概要
【Point 1】理由1の詳細
【Point 2】理由2の詳細
【Point 3 /
Counterargument-treatment】理由3の詳細または反論の処理
【Conclusion = Wrap-up】結論
♦Your Sample
Essay Structure
【Introduction = Outline】
【Point 1】
【Point 2】
【Point 3 / Counterargument-treatment】
【Conclusion = Wrap-up】
Paragraph development
☆A paragraph of the body of an essay often
develops its main idea as follows:
【Main Idea】 (主張)
【Explanation】 (主張の説明)
【Detail / Example in general】 (一般的な例)
【Specific Detail / Example】 (具体的な例)
【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】 (補足または反論の処理)
【Conclusion】 (結論)
Sample
1
【Main Idea】
Eating at home is better for your health than eating out.
【Explanation】
You can use fresh and safe ingredients.
【Detail / Example】
For example, when you prepare food, you buy ingredients at a
store of your own choice right before you cook while restaurants often use
frozen food.
【Specific Detail / Example】
This is especially true in seasoning. At home, you can make
broth from real bones or fish and use fresh spices, but restaurants often use
ready-made soup stock which may contain synthetic additives and preservatives.
【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】Of course,
regulations on food have become tighter these days and eating out is not so
unhealthy as before. However, businesses always prioritize cutting costs to
make profits and at least you know what you are eating when you prepare dishes
for yourself.
【Conclusion】
By cooking for yourself, you can make sure that you stay
healthy.
Sample
2
【Main Idea】&【Explanation】
Eating out regularly livens up life because going out to eat
in town is a fun activity.
【Detail / Example】Having a jolly conversation over lunch or dinner surrounded by other relaxed
diners helps see people and life positively.
【Specific Detail / Example】Going to a
familiar Chinese restaurant with your beloved makes you feel comfortable while
trying a new Italian dish with your friends is exciting, and each of such times
is a precious moment of life.
【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】This habit might
seem to some morally wrong, but eating in restaurants on a regular basis does
not mean going out to eat three times a day. Allowing oneself an hour of good mealtime a couple
of times a week is neither an extravagance nor indulgence. It is a good practice.
【Conclusion】Man does not
live to eat but eat to live.
♦Your Sample
Paragraph Development
Choose one of the points
of your essay structure, and develop it. You can either use or not use the form
below. Starting with【Main Idea】 and 【Specific
Detail / Example】, and then filling in other parts is one way
to develop a point.
【Main Idea】
【Explanation】
【Detail / Example in general】
【Specific Detail / Example】
【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】
【Conclusion】
