Hi,
I'm writing an essay on "what makes a city world-class"...I have all of my points and everything set, I'm just stuck on how I should start my essay. I can't think of any good introductory sentence.
Your introductory sentence should be something VERY attention getting... This site will give you some ideas.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/intros.htm
I would mention the Opera House in the first line, as ....It is not only the Opera House which makes the city world-class, but ...
Another way to introduce is to start with a quote from Frost's Chicago...you may find two or three lines from this great poem.
Chicago
Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:
They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I have seen your painted women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen the marks of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft cities;
Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse, and under his ribs the heart of the people,
Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.
One possible introductory sentence for your essay on "what makes a city world-class" could be:
"In the heart of a bustling metropolis, amidst soaring skyscrapers and vibrant streets, lies an architectural gem that captures the spirit and essence of a world-class city - the Opera House."
This sentence grabs the reader's attention by introducing a specific landmark that symbolizes the greatness and grandeur of a city. It sets the stage for your essay's exploration of what truly makes a city world-class beyond its iconic attractions.
Alternatively, you could begin with a quote from Carl Sandburg's poem, "Chicago":
"Hog Butcher for the World, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler; Stormy, husky, brawling, City of the Big Shoulders."
This quote emphasizes the multi-faceted nature of a world-class city, highlighting its role as a hub of industry, commerce, and cultural significance. It sets a tone that showcases the city's grandeur while acknowledging its complexities and challenges.