Exam 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct adjective or adverb for each blank. It was the ____ passenger ship disaster in anyone s memory.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Energy sources can be divided into two groups: nonrenewable sources and renewable sources. (2) The first group, nonrenewable sources, includes the energy sources that are in finite supply and will eventually be depleted. (3) Fossil fuels, which include coal, petroleum, and natural gas, are in this category. (4) They are obtained from deposits in the earth that were formed from living matter during previous geologic eras. (5) When these deposits have been emptied, these energy sources will no longer be available. (6) The second group contains renewable energy sources. (7) Energy produced by wind, water, the sun s rays, and the heat of the Earth, for example, will always be available because these sources continuously regenerate as they are consumed. On what basis does the writer classify energy sources?

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. Select the correct noun for each blank. Some baseball ____ and players were furious with him; teams even threatened to picket if he played.

Instructions: Read the definition below and answer the question(s) that follow. A phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by strong, persistent, illogical fear of a specific object or situation. The subject of the sentence is ____.

Instructions: Below is a topic sentence followed by supporting details. Select the letter of the answer that arranges this group of details according to space order, numbering them 1, 2, 3, and so on, as if you were preparing to write a descriptive paragraph. Describe an old bike. ____ wide seat, adjustable in height ____ nearly bald front tire, with inner tube of soft rubber ____ scratched handlebars, with bell and rake levers ____ back tire nearly flat ____ pedals fixed to the chain wheel

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) America s public schools should adopt the principles of Harlem, New York s Promise Academy, three charter schools established in 2004 to revitalize an impoverished urban area through better education. (2) First, public schools should lengthen the school day. (3) In the Promise Academy schools, the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and does not end until 4:00 p.m.; furthermore, teachers assign homework in every subject every night. (4) Putting this kind of emphasis on academic studies in public schools would result in graduates who are better prepared for the challenges of higher education and the workforce. (5) Second, public schools should offer an after-school program like the one at the Promise Academy. (6) In that program, which lasts until 6:00 p.m. for elementary school children and 7:30 p.m. for middle and high school students, young people can get academic help or take additional classes to learn to speak a foreign language, play a musical instrument, or explore a new hobby such as photography or chess. (7) If offered a similar program, public school children would be more likely to spend their time in safe, productive activities and less likely to get into trouble. (8) Finally, public schools should replicate what the Promise Academy calls its culture of achievement and intellectual growth. (9) By creating this type of culture, public schools would increase their student success rates. Which of the following sentences does NOT contain a transitional expression that indicates persuasion (reasons)?

Instructions: Select the correct preposition in parentheses for each of the following sentences. Many philosophers are opposed ( to , about ) capital punishment.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Satire is a type of humor that attacks or exposes foolishness or lack of good sense of a subject using sarcasm, wit, or irony. (2) Subjects of satire can be specific individuals or organizations. (3) Examples of modern satire include three popular animated TV comedy series: Family Guy , South Park , and The Simpsons . (4) All three repeatedly make fun of the modern American middle-class lifestyle as well as all other aspects of American culture and society. (5) In particular, greedy, selfish, or ineffective authority figures including parents, teachers, principals, police officers, elected officials, and the clergy are favorite targets of ridicule in all three of these comedies. (6) Other examples of modern television satire are The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report , two fake news programs that poke fun at the media, government, and politics. Identify the kind of definition used in the topic sentence.

Instructions: Select the correct past participle for each blank. For many decades, tungsten filaments have been ____ by makers of contemporary light bulbs, with life spans of 750 to 4,000 hours.

Instructions: Read the following paragraph. For each set of sentences below the paragraph, select the letter of the sentence that provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language. In 1929, toy dealer Edwin S. Lowe came across people having more fun than a barrel of monkeys while playing a game at a carnival in rural Georgia. A leader calls out each and every number, and the players use beans to cover the matching numbers on their cards. The winners yelled Beano! at the top of their lungs when they had filled in a row of numbers. Quick as a wink, Lowe saw the game was a winner. Sharp as a tack, he returned home and began testing the game on friends. Lowe markets the game as Bingo! and it sells like crazy. Which sentence provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. For each item, select the underlined part that contains an error. Most of us would say that we live stressful lives but you might not be aware that we are probably experiencing several kinds of stress at once.

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. Part A: Select the letter of the answer that numbers the paragraphs in the order they should appear in the essay. a. 5, 4, 2, 1, 3 b. 2, 5, 3, 4, 1 c. 1, 2, 4, 5, 3 Part B: Which paragraph in the reordered sequence begins with a transitional expression that most clearly indicates this type of order? a. paragraph 2 b. paragraph 3 c. paragraph 5 Part C: What type of order arranges the information in the body paragraphs? a. time order b. space order c. order of importance: most to least

Instructions: Select the letter of the correct answer. Which of the following tasks comes after writing the first draft?

Instructions: Identify each of the following definitions as a synonym definition, class definition, or definition by negation. Select the letter of the correct answer. An Internet meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads rapidly from person to person via the Internet, through means such as YouTube videos, blogs, e-mail messages, and social networking sites.

Instructions: The following sentences form a passage. For each one, select the type of error in the sentence. If the sentence is free of mechanics errors, select Correct. Children of the Kindertransport Families in Great Britain volunteered to open their homes to endangered children they had never met.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) Just as growing children develop physically in stages, they also progress through stages of moral development. (2) Devised by American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, the stages describe the moral reasoning that guides decision-making. (3) The earliest stage Kohlberg called pre-conventional. (4) Here, children base their moral decisions on the outcome of a choice. (5) In other words, something is right or wrong depending on whether they will be punished or praised for doing it. (6) The next level is called the conventional stage because people at this level base their moral judgments on the conventions of society. (7) Something is right during this stage if most people agree that it is right. (8) Many people do not pass beyond the conventional level of moral reasoning. (9) Those who do have arrived at what Kohlberg termed the post-conventional level, a stage at which people base their moral decisions on personal beliefs. (10) People with such convictions will do what they consider is right even if it contradicts social rules or comes with negative consequences. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Instructions: Select the letter of the answer with the correct words for the blanks in each of the following sentences. I ____ of ____ way to get the house clean ____ to start early and work late.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Select the correct preposition for each blank. Unsung Innovators David Buick (1855-1929) originally made his fortune in a Detroit plumbing business but soon became interested ____ the rising demand for the horseless carriage.

Instructions: Select the letter of the list of words that should be capitalized. This semester, professor ali (the head of the department) will be teaching physics I and II.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and then answer the question(s) that follow(s) by choosing the letter of the correct response. Students who do not have the money to pay for some or all of their college expenses can apply for various forms of financial aid. Obtaining the funds for tuition, books, and even living expenses begins with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The fastest way to fill out this form is to complete it online at www.fafsa.gov , but students can also fill out and mail in a paper version of the form. This form asks for information about students financial situation and requires them to answer questions about their taxable and untaxed income and their assets, such as savings account balances and investments. If students are considered dependent on their parents, their parents financial information is also required. After students submit their FAFSA forms, those forms are processed, and students receive a Student Aid Report. A report is also sent to the colleges the student identified on the FAFSA. Each college uses the information it receives to calculate the amount of aid the student can receive; then, the college generates an award letter for the student. This application process must be completed every year a student is enrolled in school and needs financial aid. The subject of this paragraph is