Exam 42: Some Guidelines for Students of English as a Second Language.

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and then answer the question(s) that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response.Many young people don't bother to register to vote, and those who do often don't show up at the polls on Election Day. But they should. Why? There are good reasons for every eligible young person to vote in every election. First of all, people ages eighteen to thirty should vote because many of the biggest issues affect the nation's youth. Wars in which young soldiers are dying, education funding, employment and job training programs, and reproductive rights are just a few of the issues that are affecting the lives of young people right now. Young people should help to select government representatives who share their views on these matters. When this country's youth don't vote, they don't have any influence on how these issues are decided, and they allow older people to decide how things will work. Plus, an individual who chooses not to vote really has no right to complain about government decisions he or she doesn't like. Being able to vote is a precious gift, one that no one should take for granted. Many people have fought and died so that all Americans would get and keep the right to participate in a democratic government. To honor their sacrifice, all of the young people in America should register, vote, and make themselves heard! This paragraph was written for an audience of

Instructions: Read the paragraph below and then answer the question(s) that follow by choosing the letter of the correct response.In most states, before you can even think about voting, you have to register to vote. You can register in person by going to your local board of elections office, state department of motor vehicles, or other office or agency (such as the post office) designated as an official voter registration location in your state. However, one of the fastest and easiest ways to register is to go to the website RegistertoVote.org and complete three easy steps. First, you click on your state of residence. You will be taken to a page that lists your state's voter eligibility requirements and identifies registration deadlines. Next, you fill out the online voter registration form and click the "Get Registration Form" button. Finally, you download your completed form and follow the instructions to sign it and submit it to the appropriate state or local office for processing. Within a few weeks, you will receive confirmation of your registration. This paragraph was written for an audience of

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Others in the ancient world would not go near soap with a ten-foot pole.

Instructions: Read the essay that follows, written without proper paragraph breaks, and then answer the question(s) by selecting the letter of the correct answer. (1) Have you ever wanted a huge party, puffy dress, and sparkling tiara? (2) If so, you just may be one of the millions of girls counting the days until their quinceañeras. (3) A quinceañera is an over-the-top, dramatic, and even funny celebration that occurs when a Hispanic girl turns fifteen, but a quinceañera is also an important event in the girl's life, marking her entry into adulthood. (4) Each girl puts her own stamp on the celebration, as several examples will show (5) One illustration of a memorable quinceañera was my cousin Cindy's three years ago (6) She constantly said she wanted something different from other quinceañeras (7) The first step was her custom-made invitations (8) Another component of the party was more like a fairytale (9) A wooden swan was constructed to lead her into the ballroom to perform her waltz (10)Luckily, her dress wasn't as outlandish as the swan (11)It was simple, but it was the centerpiece of the party (12)Many quinceañeras are lavish parties like my cousin's, but others focus on the occasion's meaning (13)My own quinceañera four years ago is an example (14)Despite its simplicity, it was an experience I'll never forget (15)My family came from far away to the event, and I felt special, knowing they were there to help me transition into adulthood (16)Even more special were my uncles' sincere speeches and my mother's proud and happy words (17)Yet, despite this joy, I felt a little sad: I was no longer a carefree girl as I would now have to take on some responsibilities (18)I was scared I would fail, but having my family there showed me the help I would have along the way (19)A third example is my little cousin, who is 11 years old but already halfway through planning her own quinceañera (20)She has already designed her own dress for the quinceañera and picked the location. (21) So far, she feels relaxed, but knowing how I felt during the first few months of planning, I wish her the best of luck. (22) I plan on helping her. (23) I already promised her a spa day before her party, but I hope the meaning of the occasion is what she appreciates the most, not the dress or shoes. (24) As you can see, a quinceañera is a pivotal experience in a Hispanic girl's life. (25) She learns there is more to life than clothes and gifts. (26) It's the togetherness of the family and determination that she learns about, two things Hispanics value highly. (27) After the party, we begin our adulthood, our entrance into the real world. (28) Somehow, we still manage to laugh and smile along the way. ¾ Diana Valtierra, Student What is the thesis statement?

Instructions: The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) New Jersey businessman Barry Halper owned the world's largest collection of baseball memorabilia (2) Three packed rooms in his basement held countless      baseball-related objects priceless to any lover of the game. (3) He owned, for instance, at least 1 million baseball cards, all in complete sets. (4) Nine hundred players' uniforms on a dry cleaner's conveyor belt hummed through a huge closet in Halper's basement (5) Another prized example of Halper's passion was a life-size wax statue of Babe Ruth purchased from Madame Tussaud's famous wax museum in London (6) Halper displayed a huge leather chair shaped like a baseball mitt, 3,000 autographed balls, a baseball pinball machine made in the 1930s, posters, bats, masks, trophies (7) In 1998, he sold his collection; Major League Baseball bought many of Halper's treasures and donated them to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Choose the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

Instructions: The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Recent research shows that laughter improves health through its positive effects on stress hormones and boosting the immune system (2) Studies by Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University in California show that belly laughter reduces at least four hormones associated with high levels of stress. (3) Another beneficial effect of laughter, according to these researchers, is an increase in the body's natural ability to kill diseased cells. (4) Laughter seems to reduce pain, too (5) The Journal of Holistic Nursing reported that patients who were told jokes or watched comic videos after surgery perceived less pain than those who did not get a dose of humor (6) Consequently, experts recommend taking time to laugh each day, especially during stressful times like finals week. Select the type of development the writer of this paragraph has used.

Instructions: The topic sentence below is followed by a brainstormed list of possible ideas for a paragraph. Decide which ideas support the topic sentence and should be kept and which ideas should be dropped. Select "keep" or "drop" for each idea. Topic sentence: In order to be a good cook, you have to be prepared in the kitchen. I like sharpening knives on a stone.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Medication can help with the most severe cases of hypertension, but the first line of defense, physicians agree, was to cut back on sodium.

Instructions: Read the essay that follows, written without proper paragraph breaks, and then answer the question(s) by selecting the letter of the correct answer. (1) Have you ever wanted a huge party, puffy dress, and sparkling tiara? (2) If so, you just may be one of the millions of girls counting the days until their quinceañeras. (3) A quinceañera is an over-the-top, dramatic, and even funny celebration that occurs when a Hispanic girl turns fifteen, but a quinceañera is also an important event in the girl's life, marking her entry into adulthood. (4) Each girl puts her own stamp on the celebration, as several examples will show (5) One illustration of a memorable quinceañera was my cousin Cindy's three years ago (6) She constantly said she wanted something different from other quinceañeras (7) The first step was her custom-made invitations (8) Another component of the party was more like a fairytale (9) A wooden swan was constructed to lead her into the ballroom to perform her waltz (10)Luckily, her dress wasn't as outlandish as the swan (11)It was simple, but it was the centerpiece of the party (12)Many quinceañeras are lavish parties like my cousin's, but others focus on the occasion's meaning (13)My own quinceañera four years ago is an example (14)Despite its simplicity, it was an experience I'll never forget (15)My family came from far away to the event, and I felt special, knowing they were there to help me transition into adulthood (16)Even more special were my uncles' sincere speeches and my mother's proud and happy words (17)Yet, despite this joy, I felt a little sad: I was no longer a carefree girl as I would now have to take on some responsibilities (18)I was scared I would fail, but having my family there showed me the help I would have along the way (19)A third example is my little cousin, who is 11 years old but already halfway through planning her own quinceañera (20)She has already designed her own dress for the quinceañera and picked the location. (21) So far, she feels relaxed, but knowing how I felt during the first few months of planning, I wish her the best of luck. (22) I plan on helping her. (23) I already promised her a spa day before her party, but I hope the meaning of the occasion is what she appreciates the most, not the dress or shoes. (24) As you can see, a quinceañera is a pivotal experience in a Hispanic girl's life. (25) She learns there is more to life than clothes and gifts. (26) It's the togetherness of the family and determination that she learns about, two things Hispanics value highly. (27) After the party, we begin our adulthood, our entrance into the real world. (28) Somehow, we still manage to laugh and smile along the way. ¾ Diana Valtierra, Student Which of the following pairs of sentences include transitional expressions?

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Soap has existed since ancient times long ago.

Instructions: Read the essay that follows, written without proper paragraph breaks, and then answer the question(s) by selecting the letter of the correct answer. (1) Have you ever wanted a huge party, puffy dress, and sparkling tiara? (2) If so, you just may be one of the millions of girls counting the days until their quinceañeras. (3) A quinceañera is an over-the-top, dramatic, and even funny celebration that occurs when a Hispanic girl turns fifteen, but a quinceañera is also an important event in the girl's life, marking her entry into adulthood. (4) Each girl puts her own stamp on the celebration, as several examples will show (5) One illustration of a memorable quinceañera was my cousin Cindy's three years ago (6) She constantly said she wanted something different from other quinceañeras (7) The first step was her custom-made invitations (8) Another component of the party was more like a fairytale (9) A wooden swan was constructed to lead her into the ballroom to perform her waltz (10)Luckily, her dress wasn't as outlandish as the swan (11)It was simple, but it was the centerpiece of the party (12)Many quinceañeras are lavish parties like my cousin's, but others focus on the occasion's meaning (13)My own quinceañera four years ago is an example (14)Despite its simplicity, it was an experience I'll never forget (15)My family came from far away to the event, and I felt special, knowing they were there to help me transition into adulthood (16)Even more special were my uncles' sincere speeches and my mother's proud and happy words (17)Yet, despite this joy, I felt a little sad: I was no longer a carefree girl as I would now have to take on some responsibilities (18)I was scared I would fail, but having my family there showed me the help I would have along the way (19)A third example is my little cousin, who is 11 years old but already halfway through planning her own quinceañera (20)She has already designed her own dress for the quinceañera and picked the location. (21) So far, she feels relaxed, but knowing how I felt during the first few months of planning, I wish her the best of luck. (22) I plan on helping her. (23) I already promised her a spa day before her party, but I hope the meaning of the occasion is what she appreciates the most, not the dress or shoes. (24) As you can see, a quinceañera is a pivotal experience in a Hispanic girl's life. (25) She learns there is more to life than clothes and gifts. (26) It's the togetherness of the family and determination that she learns about, two things Hispanics value highly. (27) After the party, we begin our adulthood, our entrance into the real world. (28) Somehow, we still manage to laugh and smile along the way. ¾ Diana Valtierra, Student The essay should be broken into five paragraphs. Select the group of sentence numbers below that includes all first sentences of new paragraphs.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Decades ago, researchers realized that high blood pressure is a cardiovascular danger signal and that it is a risk to the health of one's heart.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Perhaps someday soon, researchers will have conclusive answers. For now, keeping sodium levels down is probably a good idea, particularly since there is no evidence that a low-sodium diet was harmful.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. Beginning in 600 B.C., the Phoenicians manufactured soap by boiling goat fat and added wood ash until the mixture hardened.

Instructions: The topic sentence below is followed by a brainstormed list of possible ideas for a paragraph. Decide which ideas support the topic sentence and should be kept and which ideas should be dropped. Select "keep" or "drop" for each idea. Topic sentence: Modern fireworks have their origins in tenth-century Chinese pyrotechnics. Washington, D.C., has great Fourth of July fireworks.

Instructions: Select the part of the sentence that contains a grammar or punctuation error. Many people throughout history have advocate vegetarianism; for example, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, and Albert Einstein ate a vegetarian diet.

Instructions: The topic sentence below is followed by a brainstormed list of possible ideas for a paragraph. Decide which ideas support the topic sentence and should be kept and which ideas should be dropped. Select "keep" or "drop" for each idea. Topic sentence: Modern fireworks have their origins in tenth-century Chinese pyrotechnics. Fireworks are illegal in many states.

Instructions: The following sentences form an essay. Proofread them for consistency, parallelism, and concise language. Select the letter of the error in each sentence. In general, though, soap was sought after and many people wanted to get it.

Instructions: The topic sentence below is followed by a brainstormed list of possible ideas for a paragraph. Decide which ideas support the topic sentence and should be kept and which ideas should be dropped. Select "keep" or "drop" for each idea. Topic sentence: Gilberto learned how to play the trumpet, but it took a long time. Nonetheless, his mother brought him to his weekly lessons.

Instructions: The paragraph below is developed by a specific mode or pattern. Read the paragraph; then answer the question(s). (1) Reality television shows are inspiring viewers to explore and adopt new hobbies (2) For example, the fashion design show Project Runway has sparked new interest in sewing. (3) Enrollment in sewing classes and sales of sewing machines have both increased significantly since the show began in 2004. (4) Another example is the Dancing with the Stars shows, which feature celebrities performing routines with ballroom dance professionals (5) This series has led to a resurgence of interest in dances like the tango, the waltz, and the cha cha, with dance studios all over America reporting a spike in enrollment since this show started in 2005 (6) Reality TV shows like Antiques Roadshow, American Pickers, and Pawn Stars have spawned new interest in antiques and collectibles. Transitional words or phrases are used in which sentences?