the problems in these countries are broadcast to a wider audience than
they would be through just a late-night infomercial or news segment.
Thus it is evident that Jolie’s fame has had a positive impact on society.
She has used the constant attention from the media to bring awareness
to an important social issue that might otherwise have gone ignored by
much of Western society. And though the problems that she addresses
have certainly not been eradicated, her focus on them has put society in
a better position to address some of the world’s inequalities.Step 4: Write Your Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs (6 Minutes)
The goal of your introductory paragraph is twofold:- Give context for the issue you are discussing.
- Clearly state your thesis—the stance that you will be trying to support in the
essay.
To give context, you should first explain the larger relevance of the issue. To do
so, it is oftentimes helpful to address the counterargument, a rhetorical strategy in
which you provide the opposite side of the argument and then segue into your own
opinion. Once you have addressed the counterargument and transitioned into your
opinion, you should write a concluding sentence that clearly illustrates what you
will be arguing in your essay.
Here is a sample introductory paragraph:With society’s increasing emphasis and glorification of celebrity culture,
it has become commonplace to regard this attention with suspicion
and sometimes even downright derision. The constant barrage of
reality TV shows has made everyone skeptical of the actual value that
celebrity culture provides to society and has caused many critics to
lament what they believe is the deterioration of American cultural life.
Nonetheless, despite some apparent drawbacks of the attention that
we give celebrities, this behavior has numerous benefits to our society.
Specifically, the attention we give celebrities increases our awareness of
societal problems, gives a large audience to important issues, and helps
us learn from the publicized mistakes of celebrities.CHAPTER 3 ■ THE ANALYTICAL WRITING MEASURE 8301-GRE-Test-2018_001-106.indd 83 12/05/17 11:38 am