Help With Writing Composition

TEST: AN INTRODUCTION TO WRITING

Instructions:

Highlight the answers you think are correct.

For example: When given an assignment, I should

procrastinate

forget about it

start working on it

get help

Please do not use red color.

3) Once you have taken the test, email it to me, as an attachment, through Blackboard

4) Send it to me as a Microsoft word attachment only.

TEST

1. An important difference between writing and talking is that

a. writers make more points than speakers.

b. writers always use better English than speakers.

c. writers do not write about personal matters.

d. writers have to give reasons for their statements.

2. In most writing, your general aim should be to first advance a point and then

_________ that point.

Brain storm

Write

Support

Answer

3. The introductory paragraph of an essay should always begin by stating the point the essay will prove.

a. True

b. False

4. The plan of development in an essay is

a. the structure of a body paragraph.

b. the same as a thesis statement.

c. a preview of the major points that support the essay.

d. always part of an introductory paragraph.

5. Supporting paragraphs in an essay do not need their own topic sentences.

a. True

b. False

6. Which of the following are advantages of learning how to write essays?

a. Makes you think more logically.

b. Helps you write job application letters.

c. Improves your chances of success on written tests.

d. All of the above.

7. The body of an essay consists of

a. paragraphs that support the thesis

b. the thesis.

c. introduction, development, and conclusion.

d. topic sentences.

8. The concluding paragraph of an essay can include both a summary of the main point and a final thought on the subject.

a. True

b. False

If you don’t know your subject when you begin to write, you may discover it as you write.

True

False

10. In which stage of the writing process is a computer helpful?

a. Generating a list of items to write about.

b. Deciding on the order of sentences and paragraphs.

c. Substituting more effective writing during revision.

d. All of the above.

The first step in essay writing is deciding what __________you want to make.

Thesis statement

Topic sentence

Point

Narrowed topic

Formulating your thesis at the beginning will help you stick to the topic of your essay.

True

False

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

a. a thesis statement.

b. an informal outline.

c. an introduction.

. d. all of the above.

14. Which of the following sentences is an announcement rather than a thesis

statement?

a. Professional athletes are under worked and overpaid.

b. My cousin has centered his life around becoming a professional basketball

       player.

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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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 at times, but it has its advantages.

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

18. A “dead-end” statement is another name for a sentence that is too _______________ to be developed into an essay.

Wordy

Strong

Narrow

lengthy

19. Choose the vague term from the list below.

a. Diesel truck

b. Vehicle

c. Convertible

d. Wagon

20. One of the five prewriting techniques is

Questioning

Editing

Writing the thesis statement

Revising

21. When freewriting, you should concern yourself with

a. spelling.

b. punctuation.

c. constantly writing.

d. finding the exact words to say what you mean.

22. In questioning, you generate ideas about a topic by

a. asking as many questions as you can think of.

b. reading.

c. writing for ten minutes or so without stopping.

d. drawing boxes, arrows and circles to show relationships between ideas.

23. Another name for clustering is

a. brainstorming.

b. freewriting.

c. outlining.

d. diagramming.

24. In outlining, you must distinguish between major ideas and

a. minor details.

b. diagrams.

c. lists.

d. techniques.

25. What is the first stage of writing?

a. Pre writing

b. writing and revising

c. editing

d. proofreading

26. A paper is considered supported when

There are at least three separate supporting points.

Each supporting point is well supported with examples and evidence.

Each paragraph shows adequate use of source material

All of the above

27. In revising sentences, which of the following questions should you NOT ask?

a. Do I have a consistent point of view?

b. Do I use specific words?

c. Do I vary my sentences?

d. Do I use correct spelling and punctuation?

28. If a paper has been written on a computer, all revisions should be made at the computer rather than in longhand.

True

False

29. Another name for order of importance is:

Chronological order

Coherence

Emphatic order

Order of sequence

30. Emphatic order, the most interesting or important detail is placed

a. last/first.

b. in the middle

c. in several places.

d. beginning to end

31. Which of the following is an addition signal?

a. but

b. such as

c. therefore

d. also

32. Which of the following is a change-of-direction signal?

a. another

b. before

c. on the other hand

d. once

33. A topic sentence can also be a transitional sentence.

a. True

b. False

34. Which of the following are connecting words?

a. repeated words

b. pronouns

c. synonyms

d. all of the above

35. 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 main idea.

c. shows the reader where the most important detail is.

d. is grammatically incorrect.

36. An introductory paragraph may

a. contain a quotation.

b. include a question.

c. begin with an idea that is the opposite of the thesis.

d. all of the above.

37. The title of an essay should be a complete sentence.

True

False

38. Which of the following is the best example of addressing the audience of your paper?

When you go through this process

When one goes through this process

When they went through this process

I personally went through this process

Which of the following is an example of a good concluding sentence?

a. We need to realize that the only way we can put an end to this problem is by joining hands.

b. No one can single handedly resolve this problem; the whole nation needs to join hands in putting this monstrous issue to an end.

c. In conclusion, it can be well said that this is not a job for one single person; the whole nation need to do something about it.

d. As discussed in the paper, this is a huge and hideous issue that can only be put to an end if we all join hands and work together.

Which of the following is an example of a good introductory sentence?

a. From the earliest written rhymes to the latest top –forty ratio hit, love is among the eternal themes of poetry

b. This paper will show you that from the earliest rhymes to the latest poetry, love has been the most eternal theme.

c. By research, I have found that from the very beginning love has been the most eternal theme of poetry

d. This paper will discuss how from the earliest written rhymes to the latest most popular hits, love has always been amongst our eternal themes of poetry.