Question 1

One way to make sure that your essay will have enough support is to start with
A) freewriting. 
B) an informal outline. 
C) an introduction.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

An informal outline helps organize your thoughts and ensures that you have enough supporting points for your essay.

Question 2

Which of the following sentences is not an effective thesis because it contains more than one idea?
A) People who live in small towns escape many of the hazards of the city.
B) Living in a small town can be boring, but it can provide business opportunities.
C) Moving to a small town required some major adjustments in my life.
D) My roommate's small-town background did not prepare her for life at a large university.

Accepted Answer

Option B is not an effective thesis because it presents two distinct ideas: the potential boredom of living in a small town and the business opportunities it can provide. A strong thesis should focus on a single main idea.

Question 3

An introductory paragraph may ____________.
A) contain a quotation
B) relate an incident or story
C) begin with an idea that is the opposite of the thesis
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

An introductory paragraph can employ various strategies to engage the reader, including starting with a quotation, relating an incident or story, or presenting an idea that contrasts with the thesis to eventually highlight the thesis's significance. All these techniques are effective in drawing the reader's attention and setting the stage for the argument or discussion that follows.

Question 4

Connecting words may include ____________.
A) repeated words
B) pronouns
C) synonyms
D) all of these

Accepted Answer

Connecting words in a text can include repeated words, pronouns, and synonyms. These elements help in maintaining coherence and ensuring the text flows smoothly from one idea to another.

Question 5

Choose the vague term from the list below.
A) Diesel truck 
B) Vehicle 
C) Convertible
D) Wagon

Accepted Answer

"Vehicle" is the most vague term in the list because it broadly refers to any mode of transportation, including cars, trucks, bicycles, and more, without specifying the type.

Question 6

THE FOURTH STEP IN ESSAY WRITING (III):
VARYING SENTENCES
On separate paper, combine each of the following groups of simple sentences into one longer sentence, using the strategy indicated.
A. Special Opening Words and Phrases
1. Elias walked out of the theater. He was shocked by the movie's violence.
2. The new receptionist was timid. She answered the office phone for the first time.
3. The cat was curled up in a sunny spot on the windowsill. It paid no attention to the people passing by.
4. Lillian was nauseated and feverish. She could not face the idea of making dinner for her children.
B. Series of adjectives
5. An odor filled the house.
The odor was damp.
The odor was musty.
The house was cold.
The house was creepy.
6. Hakim snarled at his computer.
Hakim was impatient.
Hakim was angry.
The computer was ancient.
The computer was slow.
C. Series of verbs
7. The runner stretched her legs.
She rotated her shoulders.
She talked quietly to herself.
8. The termites swarmed over the woodpile.
They burrowed under the loose bark of the logs.
They began to feast.

Accepted Answer

The answer of THE FOURTH STEP IN ESSAY WRITING (III):
VARYING...

Question 7

_____ A topic sentence can also be a transitional sentence.

Accepted Answer

A topic sentence can serve as a transitional sentence by linking paragraphs together, guiding the reader from one idea to the next while introducing the main idea of the new paragraph.

Question 8

An example of a change-of-direction signal is _______________.
A) another
B) before
C) on the other hand
D) once

Accepted Answer

"On the other hand" is an example of a change-of-direction signal, indicating a shift in the argument or perspective.

Question 9

FILL-IN: A "dead-end" statement is another name for a sentence that is too _________________________ to be developed into an essay.

Accepted Answer

The answer of FILL-IN: A "dead-end" statement is another name...

Question 10

Choose the sentence that is too narrow to be an effective thesis for an essay.
A) When I was eight years old, I got a parakeet.
B) Wild cats do not make good house pets.
C) Some people at zoos seem less civilized than the animals.
D) There are three effective ways to housebreak a puppy.

Accepted Answer

The sentence about getting a parakeet at eight years old is too specific and narrow to serve as an effective thesis for an essay, as it focuses on a singular, personal event rather than a broader topic or argument.

Question 11

An example of an addition signal is __________________.
A) but
B) such as
C) therefore
D) also

Accepted Answer

"Also" is an addition signal because it is used to add information or introduce an additional point related to the previous statement.

Question 12

Repeating a key word in a paragraph ___________.
A) is boring and should be avoided
B) can serve to remind the reader of the paragraph's central idea
C) shows the reader where the most important detail is
D) is grammatically incorrect

Accepted Answer

Repeating a key word strategically in a paragraph can help emphasize the central idea, making it clearer to the reader and reinforcing the main point being made.

Question 13

Which of the following sentences is an announcement rather than a thesis statement?
A) Professional athletes are underworked and overpaid.
B) Professional basketball players are poorly treated by their management.
C) For several reasons, professional athletes today are a bad influence on young people.
D) The importance of professional athletes is the subject of this paper.

Accepted Answer

An announcement introduces the topic or subject of a paper without providing a specific stance or argument, making D the correct choice as it merely states what the paper will discuss rather than presenting a clear argument or position.

Question 14

FILL-IN: Two common methods of organizing the supporting material in an essay are
emphatic order and ____________________ order.

Accepted Answer

The answer of FILL-IN: Two common methods of organizing the...

Question 15

Revise each of the following sentences, using the strategy indicated.
A. Parallelism
 1. Tired of your old hair? The hair-care aisle is full of products that can color it, straighten it, or make it curly. 
 2. Beautiful women, a suave hero, and villains who are despicable are the most important elements of a James Bond movie.
B. Consistent point of view
 3. Joanna's date smiled at her, reached for her hand, and says, "You're looking beautiful tonight." 
 4. Rhonda says that you can kill a dog by feeding it chocolate. 
C. Specific words
 5. Tonight I'd like a hamburger with all the trimmings. 
 6. The pile of junk on Carlos's bed made it impossible for him to sleep there. 
D. Active verbs
 7. My sleep was shattered by a blood-curdling scream. 
 8. Every bit of the stew was eaten by the hungry hikers.
E. Concise words
 9. Without any doubt whatsoever, the success of this project has been due to the fact that everyone involved gave it his or her absolute utmost effort.
 10. One of the very positive benefits of exercise is that after the person returns back to her normal everyday activities, she is not infrequently in a better mood than in the period of time before she exercised.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Revise each of the following sentences, using...

Question 16

Choose the sentence that is too broad to be an effective thesis for an essay.
A) Our family outings tend to fall into three categories.
B) A bicycle trip is a terrible way to spend a vacation.
C) Recreation is an important part of the American lifestyle.
D) Several steps should be taken to speed up baseball games.

Accepted Answer

Option C is too broad because it makes a general statement about recreation in the American lifestyle without specifying a particular aspect or argument to be explored in an essay.

Question 17

_____ One clue that a paragraph lacks enough supporting details is that its paragraphs are full of vague generalities.

Accepted Answer

A paragraph that lacks enough supporting details often relies on vague generalities instead of concrete, specific information, making it less effective in conveying its message or argument.

Question 18

In emphatic order, the most interesting or important detail is placed
A) last.
B) first.
C) in the middle.
D) in several places.

Accepted Answer

In emphatic order, the most interesting or important detail is placed last to leave a strong impression on the reader.

Question 19

THE FOURTH STEP IN ESSAY WRITING (II):
COMBINING SENTENCES THROUGH COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION
On separate paper, use coordination and subordination to combine the groups of simple sentences below into one or (in most cases) two longer sentences. Omit repeated words. Since a variety of combinations is possible, you might want to jot several combinations on your paper. Then read them aloud to find the combination that sounds best. Keep in mind that, very often, the relationship between ideas in a sentence will be clearer when subordination rather than coordination is used.
1. • Everyone laughed at the boss's story.
• Stan laughed harder than anyone else.
• He didn't get the joke.
2. • My car developed an annoying rattle.
• I took it to the service station.
• The mechanic couldn't find what was wrong.
3. • I have always wanted to play the piano.
• My parents couldn't afford music lessons.
• I still want to learn.
• I am taking an adult ed course at our high school.
4. • A Vietnamese restaurant opened in our town.
• It has been doing a tremendous business.
• The food is reasonably priced.
• It is a delicious combination of Chinese and French cooking.
5. • A person at the party told a racist joke.
• I decided to leave.
• My boyfriend told me to calm down.
• I didn't want to be around people like that.
6. • The burner was set only at "medium."
• The soup boiled over the top of the pot.
• The mixture hit the hot stove.
• It smoked, hissed, and bubbled.
7. • I couldn't decide which of the two sweaters to buy.
• The saleswoman convinced me to take both.
• At home, I regretted the expensive purchase.
• I vowed to return one of the sweaters.
8. • Debbie felt nervous and out-of-place at the party.
• She sat by herself at the end of the couch.
• She didn't want people to feel sorry for her.
• She kept a strained smile on her face.
9. • Mr. Blatt always mixes up the students' names.
• People get the feeling he doesn't care.
• Being called by another name is embarrassing.
• It makes the students feel unimportant as well.
10. • The Mars Curiosity rover made an apparently exciting discovery.
• It turned out to be a shiny piece of robot litter.
• Curiosity continues its exploration of Mars.
• Scientists believe Curiosity will make many more discoveries, perhaps even fossils.

Accepted Answer

The answer of THE FOURTH STEP IN ESSAY WRITING (II):
COMBINING...

Question 20

FILL-IN: Transitions occur not only within the paragraphs of an essay, but also __________ the paragraphs, in the form of linking sentences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of FILL-IN: Transitions occur not only within the...

Quiz 1: College Writing Skills with Readings

One way to make sure that your essay will have enough support is to start with

Which of the following sentences is not an effective thesis because it contains more than one idea?

An introductory paragraph may ____________.

Connecting words may include ____________.

Choose the vague term from the list below.

_____ A topic sentence can also be a transitional sentence.

An example of a change-of-direction signal is _______________.

FILL-IN: A "dead-end" statement is another name for a sentence that is too _________________________ to be developed into an essay.

Choose the sentence that is too narrow to be an effective thesis for an essay.

An example of an addition signal is __________________.

Repeating a key word in a paragraph ___________.

Which of the following sentences is an announcement rather than a thesis statement?

FILL-IN: Two common methods of organizing the supporting material in an essay are emphatic order and ____________________ order.

Choose the sentence that is too broad to be an effective thesis for an essay.

_____ One clue that a paragraph lacks enough supporting details is that its paragraphs are full of vague generalities.

In emphatic order, the most interesting or important detail is placed

FILL-IN: Transitions occur not only within the paragraphs of an essay, but also __________ the paragraphs, in the form of linking sentences.