I seem to second guess myself all the time...can you help guide me.
The question is to locate the thesis statement of the article "A Nation Apart"
below is the first two paragraphs of the article.
The news from China in recent weeks has been dire. Violent strikes and protests are reported almost daily. Millions of workers are out of jobs. Economic indicators presage more gloom, with electricity production for industry falling 4% in October, the first time it has declined in a decade. So is China — the "fragile superpower," as historian Susan Shirk memorably termed it — about to experience the one thing its leaders have feared for years: a so-called hard landing of its economy that could spark widespread social unrest?
The gloom-and-doom camp makes a persuasive case. Nouriel Roubini, a professor at New York University, had been warning for years of the dangers of an international financial implosion — and the current economic crisis proved him depressingly right. In a recent article Roubini has laid out a bleak scenario for China. "The risk of a hard landing in China is sharply rising," he writes. "A deceleration in the Chinese growth rate ... is highly likely, and an even worse outcome cannot be ruled out." But a clique of China specialists inside the country predicts a different outcome. They believe that a range of factors unique to China will not only preserve it from the worst of the global meltdown but also keep its economy chugging along at about 8% GDP growth in 2009.
My Answer: So is China — the "fragile superpower," as historian Susan Shirk memorably termed it — about to experience the one thing its leaders have feared for years: a so-called hard landing of its economy that could spark widespread social unrest?
The thesis statement defines what the article will be about. Also, it can often be found as the last sentence of the introduction. Judging by the content of the second paragraph, your answer is correct.
One of the rules for a thesis in essay writing is that it cannot be a question, therefore this answer is incorrect. The correct answer would be first four sentences of the first paragraph.
So is China — the "fragile superpower," as historian Susan Shirk memorably termed it — about to experience the one thing its leaders have feared for years: a so-called hard landing of its economy that could spark widespread social unrest?
Per my professor, this is the thesis statement.
To locate the thesis statement of the article "A Nation Apart," you need to identify the main argument or central claim that the author is making.
One way to find the thesis statement is to look for a sentence that expresses the main idea or purpose of the article. In this case, the thesis statement can be found in the first paragraph of the article:
"So is China — the 'fragile superpower,' as historian Susan Shirk memorably termed it — about to experience the one thing its leaders have feared for years: a so-called hard landing of its economy that could spark widespread social unrest?"
This sentence presents the central question and concern that the article will explore, which is whether China is on the verge of an economic crisis that could lead to social unrest. The phrase "fragile superpower" and the mention of the leaders' fear indicate that this question is the main focus of the article.
Therefore, the thesis statement of the article "A Nation Apart" is that the author will analyze whether China is facing the risk of an economic crisis and potential social unrest.