Exam 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: For each pair of sentences below, select the letter of the option that provides the best sentence variety. Which answer choice provides the best sentence variety?

Instructions: Each question below is a plan for a process paragraph. The steps for the plan(s) are not in the correct chronological order. Select the letter of the answer that numbers the steps in the proper time sequence. Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts are made in an amazing assembly line process. ____ After spending 15 minutes in the proof box, the puffed-up dough is taken by conveyor belts to the fryer, where it s cooked in oil. ____ The doughnuts come out of the oil, cool on a conveyor belt, and pass through a waterfall of sugary liquid to get their glaze coating. ____ The rings of uncooked dough are delivered via conveyor belt to the proof box, a tall glass case where the doughnuts are surrounded with low heat and humidity to activate the yeast. ____ After one side of the doughnuts is cooked to a perfect golden brown, a machine flips them over to cook their other side. ____ Bakers mix the ingredients to form batter and then pour that batter into a machine called a hopper. ____ The dough goes from the hopper to a machine that shapes it into small rings.

Instructions: Each group below contains one correct sentence. In each group, select the letter of the sentence that is correct. Which sentence is correct?

Instructions: Select the letter of the answer that correctly identifies the subject and complete verb in each sentence. The Industrial Revolution changed the lives of millions of people.

Instructions: In each sentence below, a blank space appears where the verb should be. Choose the correct helping verb and past participle form. Select the letter of the correct answer. Professors Smithson and Knoll ____ on math anxiety at three different colleges this year.

Instructions: Each topic sentence below is followed by supporting details. Select the letter of the answer that arranges each group of details according to space order. Describe the parts of a coconut. ____ milk in center ____ white, fleshy layer called meat enclosed in the shell ____ outer husk of tough fibers ____ hard brown shell

Instructions: Below is a source followed by passage(s) from student papers. If the student has summarized, directly quoted, or indirectly quoted the source correctly, select Correct. If you believe the source is incorrectly summarized or plagiarized, select Incorrect. Insomnia is defined as difficulty getting to sleep, maintaining sleep, or having nonrestorative sleep for at least one month, which causes clinically significant distress in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. Excessive daytime sleepiness is a very common result of insomnia and may impair cognitive functioning and alertness, performance at work, and enjoyment of family and recreational activities. David Sue et al. Understanding Abnormal Behavior . 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006: 549. Print. Student version: Insomnia causes a number of serious problems. According to David Sue, insomnia is responsible for clinically significant distress in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. It also results in excessive daytime sleepiness, which may impair cognitive functioning and alertness and performance at work (549).

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct answer for each of the questions below. Which of the following is not something a correct source citation should do?

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) When it comes to cleanliness, homeowners seem to fall into one of three categories. (2) The first group includes the spotless perfectionists. (3) These people would be horrified if anyone walked into their home and found even one speck of dirt, so they are constantly cleaning. (4) Everything they own is always in its place and dust-free. (5) The second group of homeowners is the complete opposite. (6) They are the slobs. (7) Visit their houses, and you will see dirty clothes and empty cans and pizza boxes strewn about. (8) Every available surface will be covered with stuff that looks like it belongs somewhere else, and the floor will be in need of some serious mopping. (9) The third group falls somewhere in the middle between these two extremes. (10) They tend to keep clutter at bay, and they probably clean house about once a week. (11) You might see a fine layer of dust or a dirty dish or two, but otherwise, the house is relatively tidy. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: Select the letter of the correctly punctuated sentence. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Instructions: For each pair of sentences below, select the letter of the option that provides the best sentence variety. Which answer choice provides the best sentence variety?

Instructions: Select True if the statement is true or False if the statement is false. Writers who make many mistakes should concentrate on finding just the worst errors.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Ancient people believed that stars were motionless, that they did not move .

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct preposition to insert in each of the following sentences. Channel 30 specialized ____ shows for campers and hunters.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The United States is dealing with many invasive species, which are non-native plants, animals, and insects that are harmful to the area they invade. (2) For example, the fast-growing kudzu vine is known as the vine that ate the South because it covers trees and other vegetation, blocking their access to sunlight and killing them. (3) Formosan termites from East Asia are now responsible for millions of dollars in damage to homes and properties in Louisiana and other parts of the southeastern United States. (4) African honey bees, which spread from South America and Central America into America s Southwest, have been known to chase down and kill people and animals. (5) In the Great Lakes, Asian carp, imported in the 1970s to clean up algae, are now pushing out other kinds of fish and disrupting the lakes ecosystem. (6) In Florida s Everglades, huge pythons descended from abandoned pets are threatening everything from crocodiles to livestock to children. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. For each item, select the underlined part that contains an error. With chronic stress, the body doesn t get a sudden physical and emotional jolt, instead , the stress is slow and grinding .

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct verb or verbs for each sentence. Many ( say , says ) that the Italian earthquake of 1908 killed 123,000 because no technology warned the public.

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the correct words and punctuation for each blank. In 1870, a new copyright law ____ the Library of Congress receive two copies of each book published in the United States.

Instructions: The paragraphs of the following essay have been scrambled so that they are out of order. Read them and then answer the question(s) that follow. Making a Difference _____ (1) Most important, volunteers can do much to improve the quality of life in Westlake. (2) A sophomore named Annie Blakely, for instance, volunteered with a crew of other students to spruce up the neglected Stevenson Park. (3) Because budget cuts had reduced the number of caretakers, some of its gardens had become overgrown. (4) Supervised by the Parks Department, the crew cleared weeds, trimmed bushes, and planted several colorful flowerbeds. (5) They also painted the park benches a bright red, a welcome change from their former drab and faded gray. (6) For six Saturday afternoons, Annie and the other volunteers worked their magic. (7) Thanks to them, the park is certainly prettier and more inviting than it had been. _____ (8) Clearly, community service not only benefits the community but also rewards the volunteer. (9) Signing up can make a big difference in many lives. _____ (10) While helping out, volunteers can also develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of others. (11) Last year, another student, Kyle Hairston, worked for a few hours each week at the Westlake Home for the Aged. (12) He began with many preconceptions about the elderly; however, his work with them convinced him how wrong he had been. (13) For example, he assumed that the residents, because they lived in the home, had lost contact with the rest of the world. (14) While playing chess or chatting with them, he realized that they avidly watched the news on TV; read newspapers; and were well informed about local, national, and world affairs. (15) Also a surprise to Kyle, their opinions were often similar to his own. (16) These seventy-year-olds were not as old-fashioned as he had thought. (17) Kyle Hairston, the person, owes his respect for the elderly and his open-mindedness to Kyle Hairston, the volunteer. _____ (18) Finally, volunteers can often learn new skills. (19) Margo Rosa, a whiz in mathematics, volunteered to tutor Sandy Lewin, a junior high school student struggling with her math homework. (20) Aspiring to become a teacher, Margo hoped this assignment would give her a head start on her future career. (21) At first, she had trouble understanding why Sandy found fractions so confusing or decimals so difficult. (22) Soon, however, Margo saw where and why Sandy got stuck and thought of creative ways to help. (23) She also increased her patience, a necessary trait for any good teacher. (24) By the end of the semester, when Sandy s grades had improved, Margo was certain that she would become a first-rate teacher. _____ (25) The Community Service Office at Westlake College offers placement opportunities for students who wish to do volunteer work. (26) For a number of reasons, students who have the time should consider volunteering to help out their neighbors in the community. Select the number of the sentence that is the thesis statement of this essay. a. Sentence 1 b. Sentence 25 c. Sentence 26