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Description
Use a descriptive paragraph when your purpose is to
render a scene, present a portrait of a person, give a sense of place
or environment, or describe an object. Good descriptive writing requires
that you use concrete words and specific details that invoke one or more
of the five senses. Your intent is to create an accurate, vivid image
in the reader's mind or to establish a particular mood or feeling that
supports the point you are making. The paragraph below—a technical description—is
taken from a document found on the website of the Canadian Space Agency
that describes a component of the famous Canadarm:
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the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints [of the Canadarm] are the upper
and lower arm booms. These booms are constructed of graphite-epoxy.
The upper arm boom is approximately 5 m. long by 33 cm. in diameter
and comprised of 16 plies of graphite-epoxy (each ply is .013 cm.
thick) for a total weight of just under 23 kg. The lower arm boom
is approximately 5.8 m. long by 33 cm. in diameter and comprised of
11 plies of graphite-epoxy for a total weight of just over 22.7 kg.
Each boom is protected with a Kevlar bumper (the same material used
in bulletproof vests) to preclude the possibility of dents or scratches
on the carbon composite. |
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