Page 120 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade8_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 1.17
continued
• Thesis statement: Heroism means taking action when you are needed, showing dedication to your quest, and not giving up even when the odds are against you.
Revised thesis statement:
• Thesis statement: Heroism means putting others before oneself and directly facing challenges, but not always saving or satisfying everyone.
Revised thesis statement:
• Thesis statement: Heroism is being brave and helping other people before yourself, but it does not always guarantee a happy ending.
Revised thesis statement:
Writing a Concluding Paragraph
The concluding paragraph in an essay is the last thing your reader takes from
your essay. Try to make the reader think in a new way, feel emotional, or feel enlightened. Choose the ending carefully. Avoid clichés or something stale, such as “The end,” “That is all I have to say,” or “That’s my definition of heroism.” Make your readers feel that they have arrived somewhere by sharing with them what you have learned, discovered, or realized.
The following are some possible ways to conclude your essay.
• Be genuine. Explain why this topic is important to you and/or important in life.
• If you used a quote as your hook, refer back to it. If you didn’t use a quote, use one to guide your conclusion.
• You may finish by reviewing the paper’s main point, but with new insight.
• Direct the readers into the future. How does an understanding of this topic relate to future thought or action? What will or should happen in the months or years ahead?
my Notes
Unit 1 • The Challenge of Heroism 93
Word CoNNeCTIoNS
Etymology
The word cliché is from
the French and means “something that is overused.” It derives from the French word clicher, meaning “to click.” which resembled a sound made when using printing plates. One method of creating printing plates was called stereotype which could produce the same image repetitively. The word stereotype is now used as a synonym of cliché.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.