开头段的表达方法
① 主题句法（use of topic sentence）
Now people become increasingly aware of the importance of acquiring a mastery of a foreign language. To them, the knowledge of a foreign language, say, English, often means a good opportunity for one’s career, even a passport to a prosperous future. Many of them equate success in life with the ability of speaking a foreign language.
② 使用引语（use a quotation）
“Great minds must be ready not only to take the opportunity, but to make them.” Colton, a great writer once remarked. But it still has a profound significance now. To a person, in whose lifetime opportunities are not many, to make opportunities is more essential to his success.
③ 使用具体详实的数字或数据（use figures or statistics）
In the past 5 years there has been a marked decline in the number of young married couples who want to have children, coupled with a growing trend toward delayed childbearing. According to official statistics, in 2003, about 28 percent of married couples with wives under 35 gave no birth to children, compared with the 1993 level of 8 percent.
④ 提出问题（ask a question）
What do you want from your work? Money? Promotions? Interesting challenges? Continual learning? Work-based friendships? The opportunity to develop your own idea and potentials? Though we are all individuals and so our answers will differ, all agree that work provides more than material things.
⑤ 给出背景（offer relevant background）
Once in a newspaper I read a crowd of people who remained appallingly indifferent to the plea of a mother. As she failed to offer the required amount of cash as a price to save her drowning son, the woman at last watched her son sink to death. The story is not rare in newspapers and on TV, and the casualness and detachment our people now have developed has aroused nationwide concern.
It was reported in the newspaper that a student killed four of his classmates just because of a trivial matter. It can be easily seen that pressure has become a serious issue we cannot neglect.
⑥ 定义法（give definition）
Flexibility is defined as being adaptable to change. In the course of your lifetime, it is essential that you learn to bend and flex around every new circumstance, as rigidity deprives you of the opportunity to see new possibilities. Paradigms change over time, and so must you. Your company may restructure, and you will have to survive. Your spouse may choose to leave the marriage, and you will have to cope. Technology will continue to advance and change, and you must constantly learn and adapt or risk becoming a dinosaur. Flexibility allows you to be ready for whatever curve lies ahead in life instead of getting blindsided by it.
(2) 开头段的常用核心句型
l The arguer may be right about …, but he seems to neglect (fail) to mention (take into account) the fact that ….
l As opposed to (Contrary to) widely (commonly / generally) held (accepted) belief (ideas / views), I believe (argue) that …
l Although many people believe that …, I doubt (wonder)whether the argument bears much analysis (close examination).
l The advantages of B outweigh any benefit we gained from (carry more weight than those of / are much greater than) A.
l Although it is commonly (widely / generally) held (felt / accepted / agreed) that …, it is unlikely to be true that ….
l There is an element of truth in this argument (statement), but it ignores a deeper and more basic (important / essential) fact (reason) that ….
l It is true that (True, / To be sure, / Admittedly,) …, but this is not to say (it is unlikely / it doesn’t follow / it doesn’t mean / it won’t be the case) that ….
l The main (obvious / great) problem (flaw / drawback) with (in) this argument (view / remark) is that it is ignorant of (blind to) the basic (bare) fact that ….
l It would be possible (natural / reasonable) to think (believe / take the view) that …, but it would be absurd (wrong) to claim (argue) that ….
l In all the discussion and debate over …, one important (basic) fact is generally overlooked (neglected).
l There is absolutely (in fact) no (every) reason for us to believe (accept / resist / reject) that ….
l Logical (Valid / Sound) as this argument seems and I wholeheartedly agree with it, it appears insignificant (absurd) when … is taken into consideration(account).
l To assume (suggest) that … is far from being proved (to miss the point).
l A close (careful) inspection (examination / scrutiny) of this argument would reveal how flimsy (groundless /fallacious) it is.
l On the surface (At first thought), it (this) may seem a sound (an attractive) suggestion (solution / idea), but by careful weighing on the mind (on closer analysis / on second thought), we find that …
l Too much emphasis placed on (attention paid to / importance attached to) … may obscure (overlook / neglect) other facts ….
l The danger (problem / fact / truth / point) is that….
l What the arguer fails to understand (consider / mention) is that ….
l We don’t have to look very far to see (find out) the truth (validity) of this argument (proposition).
l However just (logical / sound / valid) this argument may be, it only skims the surface of the problem.
l Among the most convincing (important) reasons given (cited / offered / identified) by people for …, one should be stressed (emphasized / mentioned).
l As far as I am concerned, however, I believe that ….
l I believe that the title statement is valid because (of) ….
l I agree with the above statement because I believe that ….
l Although I appreciate that …, I cannot agree with the title statement.
l There is a public controversy nowadays over the issue of …. Those who object to … argue that …. But people who favor …, on the other hand, argue that….
l Currently (In recent years / In the past few years / For many years now), there is (has been) a general (widespread / growing / widely held) feeling towards (concern over / attitude towards / trend towards / awareness of / realization of / illusion of / belief in)….
l Now it is commonly (widely / generally / increasingly) believed (thought / held / accepted/ felt / recognized / acknowledged) that …. But I wonder (doubt) whether ….
l These days we are often told that (often hear about) …, but is this really the case? | 
