English Skills with Readings 8th Edition by John Langan

Exercise 6

Read the following two paragraphs. Then outline each one in the space provided. Write out the topic sentence in each case and summarize in a few words the primary and secondary supporting material that fits under the topic sentence.
Slow Down to Slim Down
I t might sound strange, but one reason people gain weight is lack of time. Most of us live such busy lives that exercising and following a sen­sible diet-the two most important ways to stay slim-are difficult. Walk­ing, running, or working out at least three times a week demands sacrifice. To fit it into our schedules, we need to wake up extra early or make time after long hours at school or work, when all we want to do is lie on the couch. Moreover, physical exercise may not be part of our daily routine.
To save twenty precious minutes, we drive to the post office or drugstore rather than walk, or we take the elevator to the fifth floor rather than the stairs, just to squeeze out another ten minutes. However, our need for more time also affects our diet. Too often we skip breakfast, which causes us to overeat later in the day, or we head for the drive-through and pick up some cholesterol-loaded monstrosity containing nearly 1,000 calories. Then, at lunch, we grab a burger and french fries, which we devour-in five minutes or less-while at work, while we're studying, or even while we're driving our cars. And instead of spending time cooking sensible, healthful dinners at home, we opt for fat-soaked, calorie-filled fried chicken takeout so we can get to our second jobs on time, start a ton of homework, or run off to fulfill a family obligation. In short then, we need to make time-as hard as that is-to do what's right for our bodies and ourselves. Weight gain is a major health threat because it can lead to a number of serious illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. It can also affect our self-esteem and even cause depression. The lesson is clear: We need to slow down to slim down.
Topic sentence: ____________________________________________
a. _______________________________________________________
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(2) ______________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________
(1) ______________________________________________________
(2) _____________________________________________________
(3) ____________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________
(1) ___________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________