Quiz 04 | Higher Education | Oxford University Press Canada

Higher Education

Writing by Choice, Second Edition: Chapter Four

Instructions:

Question 1:

Which of the following best describes the function of paragraphs?
a) They introduce and develop important points, while providing transitions to what precedes and follows.
b) They reveal the essay’s main conclusion.
c) They describe the essay’s topic and how it is treated.
d) They summarize the essay’s overall claims.

Question 2:

The primary purpose of the “topic sentence” of a paragraph is to _______.
a) help writers organize their thoughts
b) reiterate the thesis statement
c) develop the discussion
d) focus the discussion, giving the paragraph force and unity

Question 3:

A successful topic sentence _______.
a) includes the main idea in the paragraph
b) contributes to the paragraph’s unity
c) is often, but not always, the first sentence
d) All of the above

Question 4:

The topic sentence of a paragraph is like what part of a formal essay?
a) the thesis
b) the title
c) the body
d) the conclusion

Question 5:

From the discussion of the paragraph wrap on page 73, one can conclude _______.
a) that including a wrap is often a useful strategy in paragraph construction
b) that including a wrap unnecessarily lengthens the paragraph
c) that including a wrap is necessary so the reader can remember the main idea in the paragraph
d) All of the above.

Question 6:

The conclusion of a paragraph, the “paragraph wrap,” functions like _______.
a) the bibliography of sources
b) the conclusion of an essay
c) the thesis of an essay
d) None of the above.

Question 7:

A "paragraph wrap" functions best when it _______.
a) repeats the topic sentence word for word
b) introduces the main topic of the following paragraph
c) reinforces the topic sentence by using different words
d) immediately follows the topic sentence

Question 8:

A topic sentence for a paragraph typically introduces _______.
a) a highly specific idea, such as an example or illustration
b) the evidence for a claim
c) a general idea, the main idea of the paragraph
d) explanatory matter

Question 9:

When considering the movement of thought from paragraph to paragraph, good writers _______.
a) trust their instincts to ensure that the reader will be able to follow the ideas
b) need not be concerned about transitions between paragraphs
c) ask if the relationship between the thoughts in each paragraph is clear
d) provide regular summaries of the thought to ensure coherence

Question 10:

One way to connect the thoughts between paragraphs is to _______.
a) repeat the topic sentence of the previous paragraph
b) use a "paragraph wrap "
c) use transitional expressions
d) refer indirectly to the previous paragraph in the new topic sentence

Question 11:

While topic sentences typically appear at the beginning of paragraphs _______.
a) they may appear also in the middle or at the end of a paragraph
b) they never appear in the middle of a paragraph
c) they never appear at the end of a paragraph
d) they are generally not required at all

Question 12:

In general, paragraphs function best when _______.
a) the writer shapes them intuitively
b) they make use of several forms of paragraph development
c) they contain only one central idea
d) they combine several disparate ideas

Question 13:

The risk in using short paragraphs is most likely that _______.
a) the reader may become bored
b) the reader may see them as unsophisticated and insufficiently developed
c) the reader may become confused
d) None of the above.

Question 14:

A coherent paragraph is _______.
a) focussed on one idea
b) easy to follow
c) challenging or complex
d) well-developed

Question 15:

Paragraphs that lack coherence _______.
a) contain jumbled ideas and are difficult to read and understand
b) tend to be more interesting
c) keep the reader alert
d) can be repaired with the use of stronger topic sentences

Question 16:

Writers can work towards coherent paragraphs by using _______.
a) explanatory footnotes
b) definitions provided in parentheses
c) quotations and paraphrases
d) repeated key words, regular rhythms, parallel structures, and transitional expressions

Question 17:

Of the strategies below, which is the most helpful in creating coherent paragraphs?
a) repeating key words continually throughout a paragraph
b) never repeating the same word twice in a paragraph
c) repeating key words strategically in a paragraph
d) if you feel the need to repeat a word, it should be taken as a sign that the paragraph is inadequately developed

Question 18:

Paragraphs may be structured on which of the following organizing schemes?
a) chronological
b) spatial
c) cause and effect
d) All of the above

Question 19:

Words such as “but,” “and,” “yet,” and “so” _______.
a) can also function as transitional expressions between separate sentences
b) do not function like transitional expressions, because they connect ideas within a single sentence
c) should be scrupulously avoided in academic prose
d) None of the above.

Question 20:

The phrases “in fact,” “for example,” and “such as” are examples of what kind of transition?
a) limit or concession
b) cause and effect
c) illustration
d) sequence and addition

Question 21:

The words and phrases “admittedly,” “it is true that,” and “naturally” are examples of what kind of transition?
a) contrast or qualification
b) aummary or conclusion
c) limit or concession
d) cause and effect

Question 22:

The words “again,” “also,” “furthermore,” and “moreover” are examples of what kind of transition?
a) sequence and addition
b) contrast or qualification
c) illustration
d) summary or conclusion

Question 23:

Which of the following is true of transitional words and phrases used in an essay?
a) They can never be overused.
b) They provide a link between ideas which otherwise would seem unrelated.
c) They can assist the reader in moving from one idea to the next.
d) None of the above.

Question 24:

The function of an introduction in an essay is to _______.
a) assist the writer in organizing his or her thoughts
b) help the writer establish an effective thesis statement
c) assist the reader in absorbing the content of the essay
d) create reader interest, present the main idea, and give a preview of what follows

Question 25:

In a “logical approach,” the writer begins the introduction by _______.
a) revealing the paper’s organization
b) listing the paper’s specific points
c) situating the paper’s approach in a larger context
d) None of the above.

Question 26:

Which of the following is true of the “inverted pyramid structure”?
a) It was first employed by priestly scribes in ancient Egypt.
b) It begins with a specific statement and moves to the most general statement.
c) It begins with a general statement and moves to a specific statement, the thesis.
d) All of the above are true.

Question 27:

An introduction organized according to the “logical approach” may move from the general to the specific or from _______.
a) the familiar to the unfamiliar
b) the past to the present
c) the general to the more general
d) None of the above.

Question 28:

Which of the following characterizes the “dramatic” approach to introductions?
a) The essay begins with an interesting quotation or a compelling question.
b) The essay begins with a general or universal statement and moves to a specific statement.
c) The essay begins with a statement that taps into a shared feeling between writer and reader.
d) None of the above.

Question 29:

Beginning an introduction by citing the definition of a word _______.
a) is an example of the “logical approach ”
b) is a fresh way of capturing the reader’s interest
c) is a good example of the dramatic introduction
d) is not a good example of the dramatic introduction

Question 30:

Which of the following characterizes the “emotional” approach to introductions?
a) as it is not reason-based, it is unsuitable for formal writing
b) the essay begins with a statement that is neither universal nor specific but somewhere in between the two
c) in the introduction, the writer tries to present something shocking
d) None of the above.

Question 31:

The way that writers can create reader interest in the introduction of a formal essay _______.
a) is by slightly embellishing the truth
b) should be relevant to their topic
c) is by presenting only the facts
d) is by drawing on life experiences

Question 32:

Students sometimes overlook which function of introductions?
a) leading the reader into the essay
b) introducing the topic of the essay
c) introducing the thesis or main idea
d) introducing the writer

Question 33:

The length of the introduction _______.
a) will depend mostly on how much research is completed
b) will depend partly on the length of the essay
c) should never exceed four to five sentences
d) should always be as brief as you can make it

Question 34:

The following sentence is an example of what kind of ineffective opening: “Everyone these days has used a computer at one time or another”?
a) the too obvious opening
b) the too abrupt opening
c) the overstated claim
d) the irrelevant opening

Question 35:

A thesis statement has two parts: _______.
a) the thesis and the statement
b) the opening and the conclusion
c) the noun and the verb
d) the topic and the comment

Question 36:

Which statement best evaluates the quality of the following thesis _______. “This essay will discuss the issue of child labour”?
a) The statement is effective.
b) The statement names a topic, which is sufficient.
c) The statement names a topic, but needs to make a comment.
d) None of the above.

Question 37:

What are the two basic forms of thesis statement?
a) the simple and the expanded
b) the simple and the complex
c) the expanded and the specific
d) the manageable and the expanded

Question 38:

Effective thesis statements are _______.
a) specific
b) manageable
c) interesting
d) All of the above.

Question 39:

The following statement is an example of which kind of flawed thesis _______. “This essay will study the question of warning labels on cigarette packages and argue that the use of such labels needs to continue”?
a) the unclear thesis
b) the thesis that straddles two topics instead of focusing on one
c) the “stiff” thesis
d) a thesis that lacks parallel structure

Question 40:

The following statement is an example of which kind of flawed thesis: “The film sequence from Double Indemnity shows what both Phyllis and Walter represent”?
a) the unclear thesis
b) the thesis that straddles two topics instead of focusing on one
c) the “stiff” thesis
d) a thesis that lacks parallel structure

Question 41:

The following statement is an example of which kind of flawed thesis: “Government needs to take stricter control over casinos, because of the risk of gambling addiction, of the harm to the local economy, and some casinos have committed fraud”?
a) the unclear thesis
b) the thesis that straddles two topics instead of focusing on one
c) the “stiff” thesis
d) a thesis that lacks parallel structure

Question 42:

Which of the following statements is true of effective conclusions?
a) They have been prepared for every step of the way.
b) They are predictable but not repetitive.
c) They encourage the reader to reconsider the thesis statement in light of the essay’s unfolding discussion.
d) All of the above.

Question 43:

Which of the following is true of “circular” conclusions?
a) They point to ramifications of the thesis or suggest follow-up research that needs to be done.
b) They close the circle by bringing the reader back to the starting point, but in a fresh way.
c) They open the circle by leading the reader to points not yet discussed.
d) They continue to circle until the final statement.

Question 44:

Which of the following is true of “spiral” conclusions?
a) They bring the reader back to the starting point.
b) They present a new point in the final sentence.
c) They do not address the thesis.
d) They point to ramifications of the thesis or suggest follow-up research that needs to be done.

Question 45:

Which of the following should you generally avoid doing in your conclusion?
a) writing a conclusion much longer than your introduction
b) mentioning a new point
c) giving an example or illustration to support your thesis
d) All of the above.