MODEL EXPOSITORY ARTICLE.

     This is an example of an expository article, which has been developed from a (7 x 7) plan.  Article #2 above, “How to have a successful dinner party”, written by Yang Qing Ling, Class 0505, was developed as follows: 
    
     Introductory Paragraph.     [IP]    
     [IP-TS]     Many people want to give successful dinner parties, as they feel such meals are important. 
     [IP-S1]     For them, an evening with friends and good food is an enjoyable experience. 
     [IP-S2]     A formal dinner party is a socially acceptable place to introduce people. 
     [IP-S3]     In the comfort of one’s home, one can socialize with friends, or carefully selected visitors. 
     [IP-S4]     Some people like to share new things with their friends, in the intimacy of an evening dinner party. 
     [IP-S5]     In addition, social norms expect most people to either give dinner parties, or attend them. 
     [IP-CS]     (Thesis Statement.)  In this article, I will therefore discuss how to prepare and execute a successful dinner party. 
 
 
     Body Paragraph One.     [B1]    
     [B1-TS]     Long before the dinner party happens, one must make all the social preparations; these are very important, and can determine the success or failure of the evening. 
     [B1-S1]     Running a dinner party is a lot of work; it is therefore a good idea to find a partner.
     [B1-S2]     Choosing guests takes much time and careful consideration, as one cannot just throw “available strangers” together; one must rather choose people who might enjoy some time with each other, and who have certain interests in common. 
     [B1-S3]     Several days before the dinner party, one should send out invitations, which can be either written or communicated by telephone. 
     [B1-S4]     A few days after sending out the invitations, one should make “follow-up” calls to the guests, to see if they are really coming. 
     [B1-S5]     Although this may seem “old-fashioned”, it is a good idea to write a “guest card” for each guest, and place it where they will be eating. 
     [B1-CS]     If one does these “social preparations” well, the dinner party will be successful! 
 
 
     Body Paragraph Two.     [B2]    
     [B2-TS]     Preparing the house will take a long time, and much work; this effort is necessary, as a beautiful and well-proportioned house is the necessary setting for a successful dinner party.
     [B2-S1]     First, one must sweep the house carefully, from top to bottom. 
     [B2-S2]     Then, the furniture should be carefully arranged for the guests’ use and comfort; if the guests have young children, one should hide away any antique or easily-broken furniture. 
     [B2-S3]     The plates and glasses for the dinner-service should be carefully washed. 
     [B2-S4]     When one is arranging the seating at the dinner table, one should remember that the main purpose of a dinner party is to introduce socially-compatible people to each other, and not to put people together with familiar faces; one should therefore keep partners away from each other, not have two people of the same sex sitting together, and place “interesting” conversation partners on each side of each person. 
     [B2-S5]     Flowers on the table are beautiful, and they focus attention to the middle of the table; one should therefore buy some attractive flowers, and arrange them carefully in a vase.
     [B2-CS]       If one prepares the house and its contents carefully, then it will look beautiful!       
 
 
     Body Paragraph Three.     [B3]    
     [B3-TS]     It also takes a long time to prepare all the food, so that each dish will be delicious and well-presented, as well as on the table at the right time. 
     [B3-S1]     One should choose suitable dishes, depending on who the guests are; this is another reason why it is important to choose one’s dinner guests carefully, as “incompatible” guests might lead to food-related embarrassments. 
     [B3-S2]     When the shopping list has been carefully thought about and written down, one can go down to the market to buy all the ingredients. 
     [B3-S3]     Upon return from the market, one can wash and prepare each of the ingredients, putting them in separate bowls; this is important, as the cooking process is complicated and fast-paced, requiring easy access to the many different types of prepared food. 
     [B3-S4]     Different guests like different types of drink, so one should prepare a wide range of choices for them. 
     [B3-S5]     Cooking dishes under “dinner party conditions” is like a war, with many enemies attacking you one after the other; as soon as one dish is cooked and sent off to the table, one must immediately begin cooking another one for the hungry guests. 
     [B3-CS]     If one imaginatively and carefully cooks a pleasing variety of dishes for the guests, then the food served at the dinner party will be delicious! 
 
 
     Body Paragraph Four.     [B4]    
     [B4-TS]     During the actual dinner party, when all the guests are present, the host will be extremely busy. 
     [B4-S1]     Conversation is the life-blood of any dinner party, and without careful management, the evening will dry up; in addition to seating “socially-compatible” people together, one should keep conversations alive and running, and introduce new topics of conversation. 
     [B4-S2]      People may talk, but they also like food; the host should ensure a steady supply of tasty dishes, with each dish elegantly arranged and presented. 
     [B4-S3]     There will be many toasts throughout the dinner party, and the host must artfully regulate them, as circumstances dictate. 
     [B4-S4]     A dinner party is like a “mine-field”, in that people sometimes make “social mistakes”, so one should be instantly prepared to deal with any social problems that arise.
     [B4-S5]     There are many social rules that order and govern most dinner parties, which I feel should be viewed as “formal” events, and not as “pleasure” events; one should talk equally to both the guests on one’s left and right, one should keep the conversation flowing in an agreeable and orderly fashion, and one should avoid all controversy at the table. 
     [B4-CS]     If one creatively and sensitively attends to the above issues during the dinner party, then the whole event will be meaningful! 
 
     Body Paragraph Five.     [B5]    
     [B5-TS]     After the dinner party is over, there are still many things for the host to do. 
     [B5-S1]     One must send the guests off, at least as far as their car; they should feel happy they came, and willing to visit again. 
     [B5-S2]     Once the last guest has left, one may collapse on the sofa and do nothing for five or ten minutes; giving a dinner party is a lot of work, and one deserves a rest. 
     [B5-S3]     One should first wash the dishes; delaying until the next morning makes the job much more difficult. 
     [B5-S4]     The house will have to be cleaned once again, especially if some of the guests brought their children with them. 
     [B5-S5]     About one hour after the last guest has left, one should telephone each of the guests, to see if they arrived home safely. 
     [B5-CS]     If one does these things after the guests have left, then the dinner party will be whole and complete! 
 
 
     Concluding Paragraph.     [CP]    
     [CP-TS]     From the above paragraphs, one can see that organizing and executing a successful dinner party is time-consuming, and involves a lot of hard work. 
     [CP-S1]     First, one must make careful social preparations, to ensure a “compatible” group of guests. 
     [CP-S2]     Then, one should prepare the house, so that it is fit to receive visitors. 
     [CP-S3]     Next, one needs to prepare enough delicious food, because even friends expect to be fed well. 
     [CP-S4]     After that, it is essential that one constantly monitor and unobtrusively regulate the social dynamics of the dinner party, allowing the people invited a safe environment to enjoy themselves in. 
     [CP-S5]     Finally, one ought to see that those who came return home safely, and that the house is cleaned up for the next day. 
     [CP-CS]     Giving dinner parties is a lot of work, it is expensive, and it takes much of one’s precious evening time; many people are willing to put out the effort, and to do all these things, because being a successful host allows them to fulfill their social dreams!