Exam 3: The Proccess of Writing Paragraphs

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Investors should be familiar with three common kinds of investments. (2) The first kind of investment is called a certificate of deposit, or CD. (3) It is the investment option with the least risk. (4) A CD loans your money to your bank for a specific period of time, during which your money collects interest. (5) The second type of investment is a bond, a slightly less conservative way to invest money. (6) With a bond, you invest your money in a business or in the government, which treats your investment as a loan. (7) The third, and riskiest, type of investment of all is in stock. (8) If you buy stock in a company, it means that you own a part of that company, however small. (9) Your fortune will rise and fall with the profits and failures of the company. (10) Each investment option has advantages and disadvantages. (11) It is best to research all options before making your choice. Transitional words or phrases are used in which sentence(s)?

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Christopher Reeve's story includes an extraordinary twist of fate. (2) This star played Superman, the fictional hero who inspired fans with his ability to overcome obstacles and save others from harm. (3) How ironic that in 1995, this Hollywood heartthrob was paralyzed from the neck down in a horse-jumping accident and came to personify that superhuman perseverance himself. (4) Before his accident, Reeve was not only a famous actor but a pianist, an athlete who performed his own film stunts, a pilot, and all-round outdoorsman. (5) After being injured, he depended on a ventilator to breathe and operated his wheelchair by sipping or puffing on a straw. (6) However, this brave man went on to direct and narrate award-winning films, write the best-selling autobiography Still Me , and inspire thousands of people through speeches and interviews. (7) He also raised millions of dollars for research on spinal cord injuries. (8) By the time he died in 2004, Christopher Reeve had become a hero of a different kind; his heroism depended not on physical strength but on courage, optimism, and a sense of purpose. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

Select the letter of the correct answer for each of the following questions. Check the following paragraph for unity. Then select the number of the sentence that does not belong in the paragraph. (1) At Paradise Produce, attractive displays of fruit and vegetables caught my eye. (2) On the left, oranges, lemons, and apples were stacked in neat pyramids. (3) In the center of the store, baskets of ripe peaches, plums, and raspberries were grouped in a kind of still life. (4) Many nutritionists believe that berries help prevent certain diseases. (5) On the right, the leafy green vegetables had been arranged according to intensity of color: dark green spinach, then romaine lettuce and parsley, next the lighter iceberg lettuce, and finally the nearly white Chinese cabbage. (6) On the wall above the greens hung braided ropes of garlic.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the questions. (1) Achieving the position of attention ⎯ a key position in all military movements ⎯ is not as simple as most people think. (2) To obtain this position, a person must first bring his or her heels together and in line, toes forming a forty-five-degree angle. (3) The person then rests his or her weight equally on the heels of both feet and straightens the legs without locking the knees. (4) Next, he or she stands erect, hips level, chest lifted and arched, shoulders square and even. (5) The head should be erect and square, eyes to the front, chin drawn in so that the head and neck are vertical. (6) Finally, the arms should be straightened with fingers curled so that the tips of the thumbs are touching the index fingers. (7) The thumb should rest along the seams of the pants. (8) Like everything else in military life, the position of attention has a format that must be followed. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

Study the body of each of the following paragraphs. Then, select the letter of the topic sentence that is most accurate. Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph. One parent in Oklahoma, fed up with her daughter's poor grades and chronic tardiness, forced her daughter to stand at a busy intersection and hold a sign that read "I don't do my homework and I act up in school. My parents are preparing me for my future. Will work for food." After her son was suspended from school for the seventh time, a Kansas City mom required her son to wear a sandwich board declaring that he was the class clown and pace for hours outside her workplace. In California, two parents were charged with abuse after they sent their son to school with dog excrement in his backpack to punish him for failing to clean up after his pet.

Check the following paragraph(s) for unity. Select the number of the sentence that does not belong in the paragraph. Identify the sentence that does not belong. (1) Some very odd things have been sold on eBay, the online auction site. (2) One man recently sold his forehead for advertising space. (3) The winning bid was $37,000. (4) When pop singer Justin Bieber cut off his long, famous hair, the locks sold for over $40,668, and several sellers have offered buyers a chance to own singer Britney Spears's used chewing gum. (5) A cheese sandwich said to bear an image of the Virgin Mary went for $28,000. (6) A cinnamon bun that supposedly looked like Mother Teresa was stolen from a coffeehouse in Nashville, Tennessee. (7) One eBay shopper paid $4,550 for a vampire-killing kit, and another bought a serial killer's fingernails for $9.99. (8) "The meaning of life" sold for a mere $3.26, and another buyer got "Nothing! Absolutely Nothing!" for $1.03.

Each group of sentences below could be unscrambled and written as a paragraph. Read each group, and select the letter of the topic sentence for each. Select the topic sentence.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) I hadn't seen my childhood bedroom in the two years since I had left for France. (2) My parents kept everything in place, as if I had never left. (3) An enormous poster of Michael Jordan was still tacked to the front of the door. (4) On the wall were markings of my height, from age three to eighteen. (5) In the bookcase next to my bed stood all the science fiction novels and copies of Sports Illustrated that I had read in middle and high school. (6) Above the bed, a model airplane hung, suspended by thin wires. (7) I lay on the bed, now too small for me, and watched the model airplane move gently in the breeze. Transitional words or phrases are used in which sentences?

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) The chronograph is a watch that measures time in different ways. (2) Its dial has two, three, or even four smaller subdials for this purpose. (3) A dial at the 9 o'clock mark might measure continuous seconds; one at six o'clock might count total hours up to twelve. (4) Specific features like these are useful to people who must measure time with great accuracy. (5) The stopwatch dial, for example, is useful to athletes who must time and assess their performance. (6) Another possible feature, the tachometer, can be used by race-car drivers to measure the speed of Formula One racers. (7) The chronograph's radium dial with luminous numbers and hands is helpful to military personnel conducting operations at night. (8) A waterproof version with rubber gasket rings can be used by divers who need to mark the tides. (9) Because of the chronograph's fancy, technical details, these timepieces project an active, competent, outdoor image. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Do you have a flat bicycle tire? (2) If so, then follow these easy steps and you'll be on your way in no time. (3) First, remove the flat tire from its frame. (4) Make sure all the air is out of the tire. (5) Next, separate the tire from its rim. (6) Carefully remove the tube from inside the tire. (7) Once the tube is removed, patch it or start with a new tube. (8) Then inspect the inside of the rim for thorns, sticks, pebbles, or anything else that might cause a puncture. (9) Now you're ready to insert the tire back inside the rim. (10) After pushing the tire back into the rim, make sure the tube is completely inside the tire. (11) Inflate the new or patched tire. (12) After you check for bulges or irregularities in the tire, it should be ready for use. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Music aficionados will always argue over compact discs and records. (2) LPs, or long playing records, have been around since the invention of the phonograph. (3) Many jazz fans say that LP records give jazz and blues music a certain character. (4) They refer to the authentic pops and scratches audible even on a good recording after several plays. (5) Classical music fans, however, stand by compact discs as the best way to listen to recorded music. (6) Though LPs capture the pops and scratches, CDs capture both the highs of virtuoso violins and the lows of tubas with a clarity that LPs cannot replicate. (7) Although record companies produce fewer and fewer LPs each year, they will always have die-hard fans who will stand by vinyl. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

Select the letter of the correct answer for each of the following questions. Study the body of the following paragraph. Then, select the letter of the topic sentence that is most accurate. When two people discuss complex or serious issues, they need to be able to explain themselves fully. An exchange of brief text messages forces them to limit their vocabulary and the length of their statements, so they are less likely to express their complete meaning to one another. In a conversation about an important matter, people also need to be able to convey their moods and emotions to each other. Communicating via text messages eliminates the nonverbal channels ⎯ facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language ⎯ that express feelings, so texting often inhibits emotional connection. If the conversation becomes an argument, the deficiencies of text messaging can not only prevent a resolution of the conflict but also make it worse.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Employers should take aggressive steps to end age discrimination at the workplace. (2) According to the AARP, one-third of older American voters say that they or someone they know has experienced some form of age discrimination. (3) This problem is a serious one, as workers fifty-five and older are the fastest-growing segment of the workforce. (4) Age discrimination is on the rise in these difficult economic times. (5) Workers who are laid off at age fifty-five or sixty find it difficult to find work. (6) The same is true for men and women who retire early, whether by choice or due to a corporate buyout. (7) Some employers say that older workers will take more time to learn things and will be less willing to work long hours. (8) However, that is a narrow-minded view. (9) Older workers can bring wisdom and expertise to the work environment. (10) In addition, they can prove to be excellent teachers to younger employees who need help. (11) Therefore, employers must treat every worker and job applicant with fairness and objectivity, regardless of age. Transitional words or phrases are used in which sentences?

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Food critics always aim for anonymity so that restaurant owners will not recognize them. (2) A case in point is Ruth Reichl. (3) Reichl was food critic for The New York Times for many years. (4) Everyone from bartenders at the Ritz to small bistro owners came to recognize her face and gave her preferential treatment to get their restaurants a good review. (5) To avoid recognition, Reichl used twelve different disguises in order to be treated like an anonymous customer. (6) Sometimes she would manicure her nails, wear makeup, and dress in a black suit for a sophisticated look. (7) At other times she would wear a gray wig and a housedress to have an older, more modest look. (8) Reichl went to great lengths to disguise herself to avoid preferential treatment. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) I hadn't seen my childhood bedroom in the two years since I had left for France. (2) My parents kept everything in place, as if I had never left. (3) An enormous poster of Michael Jordan was still tacked to the front of the door. (4) On the wall were markings of my height, from age three to eighteen. (5) In the bookcase next to my bed stood all the science fiction novels and copies of Sports Illustrated that I had read in middle and high school. (6) Above the bed, a model airplane hung, suspended by thin wires. (7) I lay on the bed, now too small for me, and watched the model airplane move gently in the breeze. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

For each group of sentences below, select the letter of the sentence that is limited enough to be the topic sentence of a good paragraph. Select the good topic sentence.

The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Christopher Reeve's story includes an extraordinary twist of fate. (2) This star played Superman, the fictional hero who inspired fans with his ability to overcome obstacles and save others from harm. (3) How ironic that in 1995, this Hollywood heartthrob was paralyzed from the neck down in a horse-jumping accident and came to personify that superhuman perseverance himself. (4) Before his accident, Reeve was not only a famous actor but a pianist, an athlete who performed his own film stunts, a pilot, and all-round outdoorsman. (5) After being injured, he depended on a ventilator to breathe and operated his wheelchair by sipping or puffing on a straw. (6) However, this brave man went on to direct and narrate award-winning films, write the best-selling autobiography Still Me , and inspire thousands of people through speeches and interviews. (7) He also raised millions of dollars for research on spinal cord injuries. (8) By the time he died in 2004, Christopher Reeve had become a hero of a different kind; his heroism depended not on physical strength but on courage, optimism, and a sense of purpose. Transitional words or phrases are used in which sentences?

Study the body of each of the following paragraphs. Then, select the letter of the topic sentence that is most accurate. Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph. A study conducted by George Washington University and the National Endowment for the Arts showed that senior citizens who sing in a choir are physically healthier than senior citizens who aren't involved in an arts program. Plus, the singers are less likely to suffer from depression and mental deterioration. Dr. Graham Welch of the University of Surrey, who has spent over thirty years researching the effects of singing, claims that singing requires breathing deeply, so it's good aerobic exercise for the lungs, abdominal muscles, and circulatory system. Physician Eric Roter, who reviews the connection between music and health on his web site ermusic.org , agrees. He says that when people sing, the body responds as though it was getting a physical workout. Plus, singing just makes people feel good. Research from Manchester University suggests that singing stimulates a small organ in the inner ear called the saccule, which produces pleasure. Also, endorphins released during singing relax the body and lift the singer's spirits.

Check the following paragraphs for unity. Select the number of the sentence that does not belong in the paragraph. Identify the sentence that does not belong. (1) Many cities have adopted or toughened their laws that protect trees because trees benefit cities and their inhabitants in several ways. (2) They clean air by filtering out carbon monoxide, ozone, and other pollutants and then producing oxygen. (3) They also prevent rain from washing oil, vehicle coolant fluid, pesticides, and other chemicals into rivers and lakes. (4) Therefore, they reduce the need for cities to install huge, multibillion-dollar storm-water systems to handle the runoff that occurs in areas with fewer trees. (5) Trees also provide cooling shade, thus reducing the need for air conditioning in homes and businesses. (6) If it weren't for air conditioning, many cities in Florida, such as Miami and Orlando, would never have grown so large. (7) Because trees save money on energy costs, many cities encourage their residents to protect the trees surrounding their homes and businesses.

Study the body of each of the following paragraphs. Then, select the letter of the topic sentence that is most accurate. Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph. For example, a substance in chocolate is a cardiac stimulant that can increase a dog's heart rate and cause it to beat irregularly. Dogs that eat large quantities of chocolate may even die. Onions and garlic, too, contain an ingredient that is toxic to dogs. Onion poisoning causes the dog's red blood cells to burst while they circulate in its body. Vomiting and diarrhea will be followed by breathlessness as the dog's blood loses its ability to carry oxygen. Another toxic food is macadamia nuts, which can cause muscle weakness and pain in a dog's limbs. Other potential hazards for dogs include broccoli, raisins, grapes, potato peelings, and yeast dough.