Explain how and/or why you chose the article.

In spite of embracing globalization practices, China has become one of the most backward countries in history. This is a generally accepted fact. One of the most intriguing sentences in the essay is the first paragraph. The term "caught much of China off guard" creates anticipation in the reader, making him or her want to know more about this unexpected change. It's fascinating to learn how the government plans to build Xiong'an New Area. The purpose of this article is to review what has happened since the Communist Party’s Central Committee announced plans to develop Xiong’an New Area. The author lays the Committee’s plan for Xiong’an New Area. The overview of the development that is intended helps the reader to have a clear picture of the intention of the planners. The author’s purpose is to discuss this major event.

Who (do you think) is the audience for the article?

The audience that the author intends to reach is the Chinese people, the development oriented, property developers, and most importantly, the investors, especially in the internet sector.

Identify the thesis (or thesis statement) of the article.

The thesis statement for the paper is in the last two sentences of the first paragraph – the author indicated that Xiong’an was not just going to be one of the areas that resemble similar projects that have been carried out before. He emphasizes that the area is not going to adopt the path previously followed by Shanghai and Shenzhen. In this statement, the author states that the new zone is intended to follow the paths that were followed by cities such as Shenzhen and Shanghai.

Explain how the writer introduces the article in the introductory paragraph and do you think it was a good introduction, or could it have been better.

Although the author attempts to introduce what he intends to discuss in the paper, there are certain weaknesses that would require some improvements. For example, there are many things that the author discusses in the body of the paper that the reader may not know they have been discussed just by reading the introductory paragraph alone. The role of the first paragraph in any paper should give the reader a general overview of every detail that the author provides in the paper. Therefore, the introduction is not strong enough. The author should have made it better than that. Also, the author’s thesis is not strong enough – it requires some improvements too. First, the first sentence of the thesis is not well structured thus lacking clarity. Generally, the introductory paragraph needs some improvements.

Identify the topic sentence of each paragraph of the article (if no topic sentence, then say so).

The second paragraph does not seem to have a topic sentence. If it has a topic sentence, the reader cannot tell because it is not clear. Again, the sentences are long and poorly structured. However, it is clear that the author has dedicated this paragraph to discussing the historical development of Shenzhen city. He considers Shenzhen as a good example that a megacity can be developed from a poor or abandoned region. Despite not having a clear sentence, the author makes it clear that he wants to use the paragraph to talk about breaking away from the ‘traditional.’

Contrary to the second paragraph, the third paragraph has a clear topic sentence which the author places as the opening sentence. This sentence talks about the embracement of the “invisible hand of the free market” by the Chinese society. This sentence lays the direction of what the author intends to discuss in the paragraph. The topic sentence of the third paragraph is just intended to connect the second and the third paragraphs. The fourth and fifth paragraphs do not have topic sentences since they are a continuation of the second and the third paragraphs.

What is the conclusion of the article in your own words (summary)?

The author provides a short conclusion restating that the intention of the developers of Xiong’an is to deviate from other cities in the country and follow a completely different approach. However, what the occupants and investors are seeking from the government is another megacity similar to the other megacities – characterized by skyrocketing property values. The fact that the two parties want two entirely different things, Xiong’an becomes a ground for conflicting ideas. The author concludes by saying that the events that will unfold will be “thrilling to watch.”

Briefly summarize the entire article.

The author offers a discussion about the plan and development of Xiong’an. However, the article is not well structured and requires some improvements. For example, the author does not give the reader a clear picture in the first paragraph on the direction he intends to take. He just gives the reader an idea of what he wants to discuss without offering a clear direction.

References

Tianjie, M. China’s New Megacity: The Anti-Beijing, 2017. Retrieved from http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/19/chinas-new-megacity-the-anti-beijing-megacity-disease-weibo-internet-reaction-urban-planning/