Exam 4: Achieving Coherence

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response. When Lewis and Clark made their way through what is now North Dakota, the Shoshone Indian woman named Sacajawea joined the team of explorers. Because the expedition was traveling with a Native American, other tribes did not attack the group. In fact, one tribe even supplied horses to help the explorers and their interpreter cross the Rocky Mountains. This invaluable team member taught the men how to find medicine and food in the wilderness and once even saved the records of the journey when a canoe overturned during a storm. She reached the Pacific Ocean with Lewis and Clark in 1805. Her fame eventually spread; one of the best-known monuments to her is a statue in Portland, Oregon. Which of the following is a synonym used to refer to the subject of the paragraph?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response. When Lewis and Clark made their way through what is now North Dakota, the Shoshone Indian woman named Sacajawea joined the team of explorers. Because the expedition was traveling with a Native American, other tribes did not attack the group. In fact, one tribe even supplied horses to help the explorers and their interpreter cross the Rocky Mountains. This invaluable team member taught the men how to find medicine and food in the wilderness and once even saved the records of the journey when a canoe overturned during a storm. She reached the Pacific Ocean with Lewis and Clark in 1805. Her fame eventually spread; one of the best-known monuments to her is a statue in Portland, Oregon. Which of the following is a pronoun used to refer to the subject of the paragraph?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response. The cross is, of course, most often associated with Christianity. However, it was also used by the Assyrians to represent their sky god, Anu, and by the Chinese to represent the earth. The symbol appears in Egyptian paintings, too; gods are often shown holding the ankh, a cross topped with a loop, which symbolized immortality. When Hernan Cortés and his Spanish troops invaded Mexico in 1519, they found the cross in native temples there, but the image represented the gods Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl. The Celtic cross, which predates Christianity, symbolized fertility. Which of the following is a synonym used to refer to the subject of the paragraph?

For the following questions, select the letter of the answer that arranges each set of sentences in logical time order. The first sentence is the topic sentence in each set. The demolition of a building occurs in four main stages. ____ Based on the information they gather, the blasters then carefully plan what type of explosives to use, where to position them in the building, and how to time their detonation. ____ Finally, the team clears the area, begins a countdown, detonates the explosions, and watches as the building collapses in a cloud of dust in just a few seconds. ____ First, the demolition crew studies the building's architectural blueprints to find out exactly how the building is put together. ____ After the demolition team figures out how to set up the blast, it prepares the building by knocking out walls, weakening its support columns, and loading those columns with dynamite.

Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Nail polish dates back to about 3000 B.C. In China, it was made from beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes, and Arabic gum. In ancient Egypt, the cosmetic was made from henna, a reddish-brown dye from the leaves of a henna tree or shrub. In both societies, fingernail colors depended upon one's social and economic class. A royal woman was allowed to wear gold and silver polish. ____________, a lower-ranking woman could wear only pale tones. If she wore royal colors, she was punished with death. What pronoun refers to the subject of this passage?

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) Pele and Slouch, my two cats, are so unlike, it's a wonder that they get along. (2) Pele is a short-haired, long-eared, slim but agile feline. (3) His color is silver gray. (4) Slouch, on the other hand, is a long-haired, short-eared, chubby, and clumsy cat. (5) He is brown and gold. (6) Pele has always been a very active cat. (7) He will fetch a crumpled piece of paper as often as I can throw it. (8) I've yet to tire him out. (9) Jumping to a height of 3 feet is an effortless task for him, or so he makes it seem. (10) His muscle coordination is something to see. (11) If I throw a paper directly at him, he will sit back on his hind legs and catch it with his front paws. (12) Whenever he gets tired of that, he just runs all over the apartment. (13) With people, Pele is extremely gentle. (14) Because Slouch didn't come along until Pele was ten months old, Pele got a lot of attention. (15) He likes being held and petted. (16) On occasion he will jump up next to a visitor with a crumpled piece of paper in his mouth, all primed for fun and games! (17) Slouch, on the contrary, is a lazy but unpredictable cat. (18) His daily exercise consists of walking over to the dish where his food is kept. (19) When he gets tired of that, he will just sit by the bowl as if he were waiting to get hungry. (20) On those long days when the cat food loses its appeal, he will walk around, head bent down, sniffing the floor for imaginary food droppings. (21) His methodical and determined approach to this pastime reminds me of a cow grazing in the fields. (22) But people, beware: don't ever try to hold on to a piece of food while feeding Slouch. (23) He will claw wildly to get it. (24) I was told by his previous owner that he was the runt of the litter, often shoved aside by the larger cats. (25) Perhaps this accounts for his greedy and fearful hunger. (26) Contrary to what might be expected, Pele and Slouch are the best of friends. (27) I have seen Pele help Slouch with the laborious task of washing his long coat. (28) Once in a while, Slouch will join Pele in a game of slow tag, or perhaps they'll just lie together. (29) On sunny afternoons they often sit by the open window, sharing the weird smells drifting in on the breeze. (30) They seem to know they are like two children, each loved in a different way, but nevertheless loved. ⎯ Angel Reyes, Student What is the thesis statement?

Each topic sentence below is followed by supporting details. Select the letter of the answer that arranges each group of details according to space order. Describe a skyscraper. ____ 150 hotel rooms take up the fifteenth through thirtieth floors ____ offices on floors 2-14 ____ on the ground floor, shops and restaurants ____ condominiums occupying the top eighteen floors ____ at the very top, rooftop penthouses

Select the letter of the answer that arranges the ideas that develop each of the topic sentences below in their order of importance. Begin with the most important (or largest, most severe, most surprising) and continue to the least important. On January 2, the Waltons returned to find that their home had been robbed. ____ The DVD player was gone. ____ A jar with about $20 in change was nowhere to be found. ____ A video game worth $40 had been taken. ____ Mrs. Walton's diamond ring was missing. ____ Two cans of noodle soup had been filched.

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. ⎯ Diana Valtierra, Student What is the thesis statement?

For the following questions, select the letter of the answer that arranges each set of sentences in logical time order. The first sentence is the topic sentence in each set. Ham the Chimp was the United States' first higher primate astronaut. ____ His training complete, Ham was strapped into a capsule atop a Mercury rocket and launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, into outer space on January 31, 1961. ____ Following his successful flight, the astronaut chimp lived in zoos for 17 years until he died at age 27 and was buried at New Mexico's International Space Hall of Fame. ____ After spending a day in orbit proving that astronauts could indeed function in space, Ham splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and was picked up by a rescue ship. ____ In December 1960, the chimpanzee was trained to perform simple tasks in response to lights and sounds.

Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow. According to sports writer Ian Stafford, the British hold the record for winning the world's oddest competitions . In one of these bizarre events, contestants contort their faces and are judged on their ugliness. One competitor removed half his dentures and reversed the other half, rolled his eyes, and tucked his nose into his mustache and upper lip to achieve prize-winning ugliness. Another of these eccentric contests is snail racing. Opponents in this case are, of course, snails, which are placed in the center of a thirteen-inch cloth circle. The first to reach the edge of the circle wins. The race often takes four to five minutes, although the all-time champion (owned and trained by an English seven-year-old) finished the course in two minutes. Toe wrestling, bog snorkeling, worm charming ⎯ the British have emerged as unconquered rivals in all of these so-called sports. Perhaps you think that sports writer Ian Stafford should win first prize in the Biggest Liar in the World Competition. No, every one of these outlandish games exists. You can check them all out on the Internet. What synonym refers to the subject of this passage (in italics)?

In each pair of sentences below, carefully determine the exact relationship between the sentences. Then select the transitional expression that clearly expresses this relationship. Some fashions are a health hazard. High heels, ____, can cause back pain and foot injuries.

Number the sentences 1, 2, 3, and so on, as if you were preparing to write a paragraph. ____ She started her new work with the poor by teaching the street children of Calcutta arithmetic and reading. ____ Mother Teresa was rightly and lovingly named the "Saint of the Gutters." ____ After several years at the school, she decided that her calling lay with the poor. ____ After her efforts in India, she aided relief agencies in Lebanon and Ethiopia, caring for the displaced and the starving. ____ With help from local authorities, she opened and staffed free clinics in the worst sections of Calcutta. ____ Soon she realized that what these poor people needed most was adequate medical facilities. ____ She began her career working at a Catholic school for the wealthy in Calcutta. What type of order did you use to arrange the sentences?

Number the sentences 1, 2, 3, and so on, as if you were preparing to write a paragraph. The apartment needed work before the new tenants could move in. ____ The handles on the kitchen cabinets were loose. ____ Every room needed plastering and painting. ____ The living room and bedroom rugs needed deep cleaning. ____ Two closet doors hung off the hinges. What type of order did you use to arrange the sentences above?

Select the letter of the answer that arranges the ideas that develop each topic sentence below in their order of importance. Begin with the most important (or largest, most severe, most surprising) and continue to the least important. Louis Pasteur is revered as a great scientist for his three major discoveries. ____ Almost as important was Pasteur's development of pasteurization, the process that keeps beverages from spoiling, after he realized that tiny living beings, not chemical reactions, were spoiling beverages like milk, wine, vinegar, and beer. ____ Most important, after this Frenchman discovered that weakened forms of a disease could help a person or animal build up immunity to that disease, he created vaccines that have saved millions of lives. ____ Finally, Pasteur found ways to stop a silkworm disease that threatened to ruin France's profitable silk industry.

In each pair of sentences below, carefully determine the exact relationship between the sentences. Then select the transitional expression that clearly expresses this relationship. The hurricane's high winds uprooted trees and knocked over utility poles. ____, flooding damaged the city's businesses and homes.

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. ⎯ Diana Valtierra, Student Which title best captures the essay?

Each topic sentence below is followed by supporting details. Select the letter of the answer that arranges each group of details according to space order. Describe a gift. ____ white rectangular box ____ big blue bow ____ flannel nightgown with Minnie Mouse design ____ white tissue paper, the innermost wrapping ____ flowered wrapping paper

Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow. Nail polish dates back to about 3000 B.C. In China, it was made from beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes, and Arabic gum. In ancient Egypt, the cosmetic was made from henna, a reddish-brown dye from the leaves of a henna tree or shrub. In both societies, fingernail colors depended upon one's social and economic class. A royal woman was allowed to wear gold and silver polish. ____________, a lower-ranking woman could wear only pale tones. If she wore royal colors, she was punished with death. What synonym refers to the subject of this passage?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the letter of the correct response. The cross is, of course, most often associated with Christianity. However, it was also used by the Assyrians to represent their sky god, Anu, and by the Chinese to represent the earth. The symbol appears in Egyptian paintings, too; gods are often shown holding the ankh, a cross topped with a loop, which symbolized immortality. When Hernan Cortés and his Spanish troops invaded Mexico in 1519, they found the cross in native temples there, but the image represented the gods Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl. The Celtic cross, which predates Christianity, symbolized fertility. Which of the following is a synonym used to refer to the subject of the paragraph?