Question 1

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. Being an only child tends to encourage the development of positive character traits like leadership and maturity.
A) Cause: being an only child Effect: development of positive character traits like leadership and maturity
B) Cause: development of positive character traits like leadership and maturity Effect: being an only child

Accepted Answer

The statement identifies being an only child as the cause and the development of positive character traits like leadership and maturity as the effect. This means that only children are more likely to develop those traits. Option B suggests that developing positive character traits is the cause of being an only child, which is not accurate.

Question 2

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $10.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one 2006 study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.
A) Sentence 1
B) Sentence 2
C) Sentence 3

Accepted Answer

The topic sentence is the main idea of the paragraph, and it usually introduces the subject. In this case, it is sentence 1, which states the specific proposal that the author will argue for in the rest of the paragraph - increasing the federal minimum wage to at least $10.00 per hour. The topic sentence is the main idea of the paragraph and provides an overview of the content. In this paragraph, the topic sentence is sentence 1 ("The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $10.00 per hour"), as it presents the main argument or claim that is then supported with evidence and explanation in the following sentences.

Question 3

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The swim-with-dolphin programs popular in tropical resorts have been described as a delightful way to get to know these gentle, intelligent animals. (2) However, people should consider the harmful consequences of swimming with a dolphin and avoid these programs. (3) For one thing, getting into a pool with a dolphin may result in injuries. (4) Quite a few participants have suffered from cuts, bruises, cracked ribs, and broken arms because dolphins are wild animals, and they don t always behave in predictable ways. (5) What s more, swimming with dolphins can be harmful not only to humans but also the dolphins. (6) Trainers may say that these playful, permanently smiling creatures are friendly and love interacting with humans. (7) According to marine mammal scientist Dr. Ben Coleman, though, the dolphins in these programs are being held captive, which causes them stress. (8) Their happy expressions mask their true mental and emotional state. (9) Finally and most important, capturing a wild animal and forcing it to perform tricks for humans amusement is just downright unethical. (10) These animals deserve to live their lives in freedom in the open seas, as nature intended. How many arguments support the topic sentence?
A) two
B) three
C) four

Accepted Answer

There are three arguments presented in the paragraph that support the topic sentence: potential injuries to humans, harm to dolphins, and the ethical issue of captivity and forced performance.

Question 4

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. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.
A) Sentence 1
B) Sentence 2
C) Sentence 3

Accepted Answer

The topic sentence is the sentence in a paragraph that provides the main idea or focus of the paragraph. In this case, sentence 1 clearly states the main idea of the paragraph, which is that America's public schools should adopt the principles of the Promise Academy to improve education in impoverished urban areas. Therefore, sentence 1 is the topic sentence.

Question 5

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $10.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one 2006 study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy. Which of the following sentences presents a fact to support a reason?
A) Sentence 3
B) Sentence 5
C) Sentence 6

Accepted Answer

Sentence 5 presents a fact from a study that found job growth was faster in states that raised their minimum wage above the federal minimum. Sentence 5 presents a fact that supports the reason that increasing the minimum wage may stimulate job growth, as it cites a study that found that employment in small businesses grew faster in states that increased their minimum wage above the federal minimum.

Question 6

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $10.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one 2006 study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy. How many arguments support the topic sentence?
A) two
B) three
C) four

Accepted Answer

There are three arguments presented in the paragraph to support the topic sentence: helping families in poverty, decreasing the need for government support, and stimulating job growth. There are three arguments that support the topic sentence. The first is that it will help families living in poverty by providing fairer pay and decreasing their reliance on government support. The second is that it may stimulate job growth, particularly in small businesses. The third is that workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy.

Question 7

Instructions: Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the letter of the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince someone to buy a particular product, you could say that
A) it lasts.
B) it s competitively priced.
C) it works.
D) the TV commercials that advertise it are funny.

Accepted Answer

The humor or quality of the TV commercials does not necessarily relate to the effectiveness or value of the product itself. The humor of TV commercials has no direct relation to the effectiveness or reliability of the product itself.

Question 8

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The wide availability of canned, frozen, and precooked foods has definitely improved people s lives by freeing up time that used to be spent preparing meals. (2) However, these convenience foods have also had some negative consequences. (3) One effect has been a rise in obesity. (4) Because plentiful convenience foods need little to no preparation time, many people have developed a tendency to eat too much and put on too much weight. (5) These foods also tend to contain unhealthy ingredients like preservatives and high amounts of salt. (6) Therefore, people who rely too heavily on them can find themselves with health problems such as heart disease. (7) Another negative result of convenience foods has been the death of family dinner time. (8) Now that people can grab prepackaged foods on the run, they just don t try as hard to sit down to a meal as a family. (9) Convenience foods have also contributed to Americans rushed lifestyle overall. (10) Unfortunately, when it became easy to just microwave a burrito and keep going, sitting down and eating a relaxed meal seemed like a waste of precious time. Which of the following sentences does NOT contain a transitional expression that indicates cause or effect?
A) Sentence 3
B) Sentence 5
C) Sentence 6

Accepted Answer

Sentence 5 provides information about the negative consequences of convenience foods, but it does not indicate a cause or effect relationship with any previous or following sentence.

Question 9

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. How many arguments support the topic sentence?
A) two
B) three
C) four

Accepted Answer

There are three arguments supporting the topic sentence: lengthening the school day, offering an after-school program, and replicating the culture of achievement and intellectual growth.

Question 10

Instructions: Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the letter of the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade a person not to keep a wild animal as a pet, you could say that
A) a wild animal is potentially dangerous.
B) escaped wild pets may seriously disrupt local ecosystems.
C) a person who keeps a wild animal is obviously mean and selfish.
D) keeping a wild animal as a pet may be illegal.

Accepted Answer

This reason is irrelevant and is not supported by any evidence. It is a personal attack on the hypothetical person who wants to keep a wild animal as a pet and does not address the consequences of such actions. This reason is irrelevant and not necessarily true. Keeping a wild animal as a pet does not necessarily mean the person is mean and selfish. The other three reasons are logical and convincing.

Question 11

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The wide availability of canned, frozen, and precooked foods has definitely improved people s lives by freeing up time that used to be spent preparing meals. (2) However, these convenience foods have also had some negative consequences. (3) One effect has been a rise in obesity. (4) Because plentiful convenience foods need little to no preparation time, many people have developed a tendency to eat too much and put on too much weight. (5) These foods also tend to contain unhealthy ingredients like preservatives and high amounts of salt. (6) Therefore, people who rely too heavily on them can find themselves with health problems such as heart disease. (7) Another negative result of convenience foods has been the death of family dinner time. (8) Now that people can grab prepackaged foods on the run, they just don t try as hard to sit down to a meal as a family. (9) Convenience foods have also contributed to Americans rushed lifestyle overall. (10) Unfortunately, when it became easy to just microwave a burrito and keep going, sitting down and eating a relaxed meal seemed like a waste of precious time. How many effects does the writer include to develop the topic sentence?
A) two
B) three
C) four

Accepted Answer

The answer of Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer...

Question 12

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The average age of first marriage has been rising; in America, it is now 28.4 for men and 26.5 for women. (2) Why are people waiting longer to get married? (3) Americans are postponing marriage for a number of reasons. (4) One cause of this phenomenon is young people s desire to concentrate on their careers before taking on the additional responsibilities of a spouse and children. (5) Many people also want to enjoy the freedom and independence of the single life as long as possible. (6) Another reason for postponing marriage is the lack of pressure to marry. (7) Society now finds it acceptable for people in their twenties to be involved in intimate, long-term relationships without tying the knot. (8) Therefore, friends and family members are less likely to urge young people to formally commit to one another. (9) Yet another cause for the rising age of first marriage is the fear of divorce combined with high expectations for a marital relationship. (10) People want to wait to marry until they re sure they ve found their perfect soul mate. Which of the following sentences does NOT contain a transitional expression that signals cause or effect?
A) Sentence 6
B) Sentence 7
C) Sentence 8

Accepted Answer

Sentence 7 does not contain a transitional expression that signals cause or effect. It simply presents a societal shift in attitudes towards unmarried couples.

Question 13

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. The factory is adding a second shift and hiring more employees because orders have increased.
A) Cause: the factory is adding a second shift and hiring more employees Effect: orders have increased
B) Cause: orders have increased Effect: the factory is adding a second shift and hiring more employees

Accepted Answer

The cause (orders have increased) is the reason for the effect (the factory is adding a second shift and hiring more employees). Therefore, the best choice is B.

Question 14

Instructions: Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the letter of the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince parents that their children should do household chores, you could say that
A) doing chores helps to teach kids the value of money.
B) kids who do chores learn responsibility.
C) children who do chores learn practical life skills they ll need later when they re on their own.
D) kids who don t do chores are sure to become bums who will never leave home.

Accepted Answer

The reason given in option D is irrelevant and extreme. It is not necessary that children who do not do chores will turn out to be bums who will never leave home. The fourth reason, that kids who don't do chores are sure to become bums who will never leave home, is irrelevant and untrue. It is an overly dramatic and negative statement that is not supported by any evidence. It is not necessary to use fear-based tactics to convince parents of the value of having their children do household chores.

Question 15

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. President Harry Truman dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 to end World War II and save American lives.
A) Cause: President Harry Truman dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 Effect: World War II ended and American lives were saved
B) Cause: World War II ended and American lives were saved Effect: President Harry Truman dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945

Accepted Answer

The statement clearly indicates that the cause of dropping atomic bombs on Japan was to end World War II and save American lives. The effect of this cause was that World War II ended and American lives were saved. Choice B is not correct as it reverses the cause and effect relationship stated in the sentence.

Question 16

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)?
A) Sentence 2
B) Sentence 5
C) Sentence 6

Accepted Answer

Sentences 2 and 5 use transitional expressions ("First," and "Second,") that indicate the beginning of new reasons or points in a persuasive argument, while Sentence 6 does not contain such a transitional expression; it provides additional detail about the after-school program mentioned in Sentence 5.

Question 17

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The wide availability of canned, frozen, and precooked foods has definitely improved people s lives by freeing up time that used to be spent preparing meals. (2) However, these convenience foods have also had some negative consequences. (3) One effect has been a rise in obesity. (4) Because plentiful convenience foods need little to no preparation time, many people have developed a tendency to eat too much and put on too much weight. (5) These foods also tend to contain unhealthy ingredients like preservatives and high amounts of salt. (6) Therefore, people who rely too heavily on them can find themselves with health problems such as heart disease. (7) Another negative result of convenience foods has been the death of family dinner time. (8) Now that people can grab prepackaged foods on the run, they just don t try as hard to sit down to a meal as a family. (9) Convenience foods have also contributed to Americans rushed lifestyle overall. (10) Unfortunately, when it became easy to just microwave a burrito and keep going, sitting down and eating a relaxed meal seemed like a waste of precious time. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.
A) Sentence 1
B) Sentence 2
C) Sentence 3

Accepted Answer

The answer of Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer...

Question 18

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. The defendant was found guilty of kidnapping. Therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison.
A) Cause: the defendant was found guilty of kidnapping Effect: the defendant was sentenced to life in prison
B) Cause: the defendant was sentenced to life in prison Effect: the defendant was found guilty of kidnapping

Accepted Answer

The cause is the defendant being found guilty of kidnapping, and the effect is the sentence of life in prison. Option B is incorrect as the sentence is the effect, not the cause.

Question 19

Instructions: Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the letter of the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade someone to buy and use a couple of reusable cloth bags for transporting groceries home from the store, you could say that
A) the Kline Corporation, a manufacturer of cloth bags, says that cloth bags are better than paper or plastic bags.
B) cloth bags reduce the trash and pollution created by discarded paper and plastic bags.
C) cloth bags are easy to use.
D) cloth bags are sturdier and won t break as easily as paper and plastic bags will.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the Kline Corporation manufactures cloth bags does not necessarily make their claim that cloth bags are better than paper or plastic bags true or unbiased. It is a potential conflict of interest. The fact that a specific manufacturer says cloth bags are better than other types of bags could be seen as biased or not a credible source. It would be more convincing to use statistics or research from independent sources. Choices B, C, and D all provide logical and relevant reasons for using reusable cloth bags.

Question 20

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and answer the question(s) that follow. (1) The swim-with-dolphin programs popular in tropical resorts have been described as a delightful way to get to know these gentle, intelligent animals. (2) However, people should consider the harmful consequences of swimming with a dolphin and avoid these programs. (3) For one thing, getting into a pool with a dolphin may result in injuries. (4) Quite a few participants have suffered from cuts, bruises, cracked ribs, and broken arms because dolphins are wild animals, and they don t always behave in predictable ways. (5) What s more, swimming with dolphins can be harmful not only to humans but also the dolphins. (6) Trainers may say that these playful, permanently smiling creatures are friendly and love interacting with humans. (7) According to marine mammal scientist Dr. Ben Coleman, though, the dolphins in these programs are being held captive, which causes them stress. (8) Their happy expressions mask their true mental and emotional state. (9) Finally and most important, capturing a wild animal and forcing it to perform tricks for humans amusement is just downright unethical. (10) These animals deserve to live their lives in freedom in the open seas, as nature intended. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.
A) Sentence 1
B) Sentence 2
C) Sentence 3

Accepted Answer

Sentence 2 introduces the main idea of the paragraph, which is the argument against participating in swim-with-dolphin programs due to their harmful consequences.

Quiz 1: Writing Effective Paragraphs

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. Being an only child tends to encourage the development of positive character traits like leadership and maturity.

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. The factory is adding a second shift and hiring more employees because orders have increased.

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. President Harry Truman dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 to end World War II and save American lives.

Instructions: Identify the cause and the effect contained in each of the following statements. The defendant was found guilty of kidnapping. Therefore, he was sentenced to life in prison.