Answer Key

Organization

  1. Exercise: Identify the topic and the controlling idea

    1. Christmas is the most important holiday for families in Mexico.
    2. Playing sports is one of the most popular hobbies for college students.
    3. My wedding day was the most memorable day of my life.
    4. Learning English requires patience and practice.
    5. Pizza is the most traditional dish in Chicago.
  2. Exercise: Identify an effective topic sentence

    1. D
    2. A
    3. C
  3. Exercise: Write your own topic sentence (answers may vary)

    1. Paragraph A
      1. Topic: an ideal teacher
      2. Controlling Idea: important qualities
      3. Example: A good teacher should be patient and passionate
    2. Paragraph B
      1. Topic: courage
      2. Controlling Idea: definition
      3. Example: Courage is an essential quality.
    3. Paragraph C
      1. Topic: YouTube
      2. Controlling Idea: why people spend time on it
      3. Example: YouTube can be very useful.
  4. Exercise: Identify supporting sentences

    1. A, B, E
    2. C
    3. B, E
  5. Exercise: Identify supportig topic sentences

    1. SS
    2. TS
    3. SS
    4. SS
    5. SS
    6. TS
    7. SS
    8. SS
    9. SS
    10. TS
  6. Exercise: Write supporting sentences (answers may vary)

    1. You should compare prices between various apartment complexes. You should visit their website and complete your application. You should take your documents to the main office.
    2. Healthy food will make your mind and body strong. Simply put a piece of fruit in your backpack every morning! Healthy eating doesn’t require a lot of cooking since raw fruits and vegetables are so good for you.
    3. Homework is a great tool for learning because it provides extra out-of-class practice. Practice is required to gain automatic use of the skills you learn. Homework lets you measure how well you understand something.
  7. Exercise: Identify concluding sentences

    1. C
    2. A
    3. C
  8. Exercise: Write concluding sentences

    1. Students should be patient when they practice these difficult grammar patterns.
    2. Because it is so easy and healthy, you should make vegetables and rice.
    3. If you visit the falls, you will see many tourists amazed by the beauty there.
  9. Exercise: Identify topic, supporting, and concluding sentences

    1. SS
    2. TS
    3. SS
    4. SS
    5. CS
    6. SS
    7. SS
    8. CS
    9. TS
    10. SS

Body Paragraphs

  1. Exercise: Write a topic sentence

    1. Answers will vary for both parts. Here is a possible topic sentence for part 1: Making a comfortable bedroom environment will make it easier to prevent sleep disorders.

Conclusion Paragraphs

  1. Exercise: Practice restating (answers will vary)

    1. Anyone that wants perfect hair should use horse shampoo.
    2. There are many obvious differences between boys and girls.
    3. A few basic steps make it possible to learn Japanese.
  2. Exercise: Identify which paragraph

    1. Body paragraph
    2. Conclusion
    3. Introduction

Introduction to Essays: Example Essay

  1. Exercise: Identify the parts of an essay

    1. Print this essay for students to mark on and discuss. No answer key provided.

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Practice understanding the prompt

    1. What are some benefits of learning English?
      1. descriptive/classification
      2. good results of learning English
      3. examples of benefits
    2. Describe an influential person in your life. Why was the person important to you?
      1. descriptive
      2. a person that influenced you
      3. reasons why they are important to you
    3. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Use reasons and examples to support your answer: Cell phones should not be used in class.
      1. opinion
      2. Should cell phones be used in class?
      3. reasons why agree or disagree
  2. Exercise: Practice brainstorming

    1. Answers will vary dramatically, no example provided
  3. Exercise: Practice outlining

    1. TH: English offers educational and vocational benefits.

      TS: English opens doors to education.

      TS: Getting a job is easier when you know English.

    2. TH: My great aunt taught me many important lessons.

      TS: She taught me how to love others.

      TS: She also showed me how important it is to be patient.

    3. TH: Cell phones should be banned in class.

      TS: Cell phones can be distracting to both the user and classmates who sit by them.

      TS: Cell phones should be banned because students often miss valuable practice when they use their phones for other things.

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Brainstorm

    1. Answers will vary significantly, no example provided
  2. Exercise: Write your thesis

    1. Answers will vary significantly, no example provided
  3. Exercise: Make an outline

    1. Answers will vary significantly, no example provided

Revising

  1. Exercise: Write and identify hooks (Hooks and types of hooks will vary. However, the general topics should be the same.)

    1. Paragraph 1

      Hook: How do you prefer to study?

      Type: question

      Topic: studying

    2. Paragraph 2

      Hook: College is a natural step for many seniors.

      Type: fact

      Topic: plans after graduation

    3. Paragraph 3

      Hook: Everybody experiences emotional moments in their lives.

      Type: fact

      Topic: most emotional moment

  2. Exercise: Evaluate thesis statements

    1. Not effective, announces
    2. Not effective, too general
    3. Is effective, states main points
    4. Not effective, too specific
    5. Not effective, not a statement
    6. Not effective, doesn't answer the prompt
    7. Not effective, announces
    8. Is effective, implies main points
    9. Not effective, incomplete sentence
    10. Not effective, too general
  3. Exercise: Re-order a paragraph

    1. The first week of the ELC was very busy! On Monday, I spent several hours in the computer lab taking tests. Monday afternoon, I attended the ELC orientation in my native language. On Tuesday, I had an interview with one of the teachers. On Wednesday, all of the new students met in the gym for more orientation and lunch. We also played a game together after lunch.  I went to BYU campus on Thursday to get my student ID card. On Friday, I received the results of my tests in an email from the ELC. When the ELC emailed me, I read the names of my teachers. I was very tired by the end of the week, but I was ready to start my first semester at the ELC.
  4. Exercise: Check your essay

    1. Answers will vary significantly, no example provided

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: List descriptive words for the five senses

    1. Answers will vary
  2. Exercise: Free-write about descriptive essay topic

    1. Answers will vary
  3. Exercise: Make an outline

    1. Answers will vary

Revising

  1. Exercise: Evaluate thesis statements

    1. This is a great activity to adapt to your students’ needs. You could choose thesis statements from their first drafts and discuss them as a class or focus on different aspects of their thesis statements in various activities.
  2. Exercise: Fill in the missing topic sentence (answers will vary, examples provided)

    1. Being in nature is very relaxing.
    2. Studying in the library has many benefits.
    3. Working alone is more efficient.
  3. Exercise: Identify supporting sentences

    1. B
    2. B, C
    3. A, C
  4. Exercise: Fill in the concluding sentence (answers will vary, examples provided)

    1.  Determination separates excellent students from others.
    2. Therefore, having a positive outlook creates the ideal life.
    3. Considering each of these aspects of service can help a restaurant be ideal.
  5. Exercise: Identify topic, supporting, and concluding sentences

    1. CS
    2. SS
    3. SS
    4. SS
    5. SS
    6. TS
    7. SS
    8. SS
    9. SS
    10. SS
  6. Exercise: Organize a paragraph (original order in parentheses) 

    1. Therefore, the quality and taste of the food defines the ideal restaurant. (10)
    2. This is the moment you can check if this is the dish you chose on the menu. (7)
    3. The menu is important because in it you can see the options for food, drinks, and dessert that you can choose. Great restaurants have a menu with many options. (4)
    4. If the dish is as good as it looks, it makes you happy and satisfied to have chosen the dish on the menu. (8)
    5. After having been seated, the first thing people do is look at the menu. (3)
    6. Another feature of a great restaurant is that they serve delicious food. (1)
    7. Once you have ordered, they bring you dishes. (6)
    8. These varieties are good because when you go to the restaurant, you don’t always want to eat the same dish or pay the same price. (5)
    9. Delicious food is when it is fresh, the ingredients of the dish combine into a mixture of textures, and seasonings do not exceed the flavors of the ingredients. (2)
    10. After you check if everything is okay, it’s time to try the food and see if it surpasses your expectations because on the menu, the dishes look delicious, but at the table, sometimes they look different. (9)
  7. Exercise: Check your essay

    1. Answers will vary

Prewriting

  1. Exercise: Think about some topics that interest you

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  2. Exercise: Brainstorm to find a topic

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  3. Exercise: Make an outline

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.

Revising

  1. Exercise: Identifying the parts of a thesis statement (topic and controlling idea)

    1. There are many types of video games including adventure, strategy, and sport.
    2. The most popular brands of cell phones are iPhone, LG, and Samsung.
    3. There are two great instruments that people enjoy learning.
    4. Bachata, country, and electronic are some of the many genres of dancing music.
    5. The major types of watches are casual, smart, sport, and luxurious.
    6. Fast food restaurants have a wide variety of types.
    7. Books come in a plethora of genres such as fiction, non-fiction, and fantasy.
    8. There are many reasons to travel; however, the three main reasons are for sightseeing, visiting, and business.
  2. Exercise: Evaluate thesis statements

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  3. Exercise: Writing supporting sentences

    1. Many people choose iPhones for personal use. Also, businesses often choose iPhones for their employees to use. IPhones are popular because they sync to other devices easily.
    2. Fast food restaurants serve food that is easy to prepare quickly. For example, sandwiches and small salads are easy to find at fast food restaurants. Fast food restaurants also sell fried foods that they can keep hot until someone orders it.
    3. A majority of people like to visit famous places when they travel since it helps them get to know the area. When traveling to New York for the first time, for instance, you wouldn’t want to miss going to see the Statue of Liberty. Sightseeing gives people something to look forward to on their trip.
  4. Exercise: Identify concluding sentences

    1. C
    2. B
    3. A
  5. Exercise: Write concluding sentences

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  6. Exercise: Evaluate concluding sentences

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  7. Exercise: Write body paragraphs

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.
  8. Exercise: Restate thesis statements

    1. In conclusion, rap, pop, and country are some popular, modern music styles.
    2. In sum, suspense, romance, and fiction are the most popular entertainment genres.
    3. Basketball, American football, and basketball are indeed the most popular sports in the U.S.
  9. Exercise: Give feedback

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided.

Development

  1. Exercise: Evaluate development (answers may vary, examples provided)

    1. Paragraph 1

      • Give an example of students using their phones to translate.
      • Explain how cell phones help students study more effectively and quickly.
      • Omit the sentence starting with “on the other hand . . .” to make it more focused.

      Paragraph 2

      • Explain how laying in bed is relaxing.
      • Give more examples of where you can relax your body.
      • Describe the environment more. Is it noisy, cluttered, etc.

      Paragraph 3

      • Explain how art can help students to relax and express their feelings.

      Paragraph 4

      • Explain why it is important to control your health.
      • Relate the examples and explanation more to China.

Unity

  1. Exercise: Evaluate unity

    1. The perfect place to relax is nature. I love nature. It is green and quiet. When I go to a forest, nature, I feel amazing. There are no people, no voices, and it is peaceful. In other words, I love and feel very comfortable with nobody else around. However, I know that some people like noise and they may prefer to be with people in nature. They may feel better and good around people but not me. Imagine a place where there is a river, some beautiful trees, and a place to sit on the ground and look at the birds. The birds’ songs travel from the sky to the ground and the silence of everything else fills your spirit. What else would you want? Everybody likes to feel peace. Peace comes in the quiet of nature.
    2. Cellphones are tools that will help students in class. They can be useful for some students to research information about a topic of which they have no idea. At the same time, cellphones are useful for international students who need to translate some foreign words or explanations in their native language. We are in the twenty-first century, so technology should be used by students in class. This will help teachers to cover their curriculum easier and faster. Cellphones are one of the best tools of technology and are helpful and useful for students in class.
    3. Comedies and cartoons are one of the most famous types of television shows. Many people are used to watching different types of shows of different levels of maturity. On the TV, when listing the show, it warns viewers of mature content and recommends an acceptable age of viewer. For example, there are shows targeted for children and adults. However, some programs are also suitable for every age like “Drake and Josh,” a famous TV show that follows a family with a lot of problems. In addition, cartoon programs are another famous type of TV show. Many children like to watch cartoons because they are written for them and their interests. Some of these programs include “The Coyote” or “Bugs Bunny”. These are old TV shows that have been transmitted worldwide to children for many years. For these reasons, comedies and cartoons are some of the most successful TV types in the world.

Cohesion

  1. Exercise: Practice cohesive devices (some can use more than one cohesive device)

    1. First
    2. However
    3. An example of OR Also
    4. In addition
    5. Both
    6. Also
    7. On the other hand
    8. Finally
    9. For instance
    10. Likewise
  2. Exercise: Write with cohesive devices

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  3. Exercise: Practice cohesive devices in context

    1. In my country, there is a natural monument called “the Citadelle Laferiere” that is very beautiful. It is very beautiful because it is a magnificent mountain top fortress. In addition, the natural monument has many beautiful different types of trees. For example, Citadelle Laferiere has both palm and coconut trees. Also, the view from the Citadelle Laferiere is very amazing. When you are at the top, you can watch the city of Millot. You can also see the beautiful river nearby. Therefore, Citadelle Laferiere is a wonderful place to visit.
    2. There are many reasons why I think that professional athletes don't need to receive a lot of money. Professional sports are entertaining, but they are still only entertainment. The companies that are investing in professional sports only think about earning more money. For instance, there are many children who want to be athletes. However, the main reason they want to be athletes is because they can earn a lot of money. It's good that children want to do sports, but it's not ideal that they do it only for the money. To illustrate, this is my brother. He focused on sports and didn’t think that it was important or necessary to study since he was hoping to become a professional athlete. Yet, he was never chosen and now has to work at a local fast food restaurant because he doesn’t have any other skills. In sum, I agree with the opinion that professional athletes receive too much money.
    3. If you want to find a good job, you need to follow certain steps. First, you need to know what kind of job you want. For example, if you know a lot about business, you will want to find a job related to business. Next, you have to make your resume. This is very important because all businesses look at this paper, and they choose whether or not you get the job depending on what you write there. In addition, you need to put all the important and impressive information about you on your resume: where you studied, what you know how to do, and every other important detail about you that you can give to the company. Then, when you finish, you need to go to the business’s website, fill out an application, and upload your resume. You can also visit the business to ask for a job application. Finally, if you get an interview, you need to be quiet and tell the truth. Trust in yourself because they have all your information and wanted to interview you. As a result, if you follow these steps, you can find a good job and become more professional.
  4. Exercise: Write with cohesive devices

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  5. Exercise: Evaluate your writing

    1. Answers will vary, no examples provided
  1. Exercise: Write summaries (answers will vary, examples provied)

    1. The best thing to do when taking care of twins is to have a lot of love and patience. One thing people need to take into account is personality differences. All parents of twins and fraternal twins know very well that their children are different people with different personalities. Even if two children look the same that does not mean that they are the same. A way that parents can help their twins feel more like individuals is to spend time with each twin separately. For children, it is vital that parents promote their independence. To accomplish this, take advantage of any occasion they have throughout the day. Some examples of this are tying their own shoes, encouraging them to play alone, and helping them understand that it is good to have all different kinds of friends. One very important thing to remember is that as parents we are never perfectly trained. There is not an instruction manual to buy at the store on how to be the perfect parent. The good news is that many things we will learn along the way. We should ask for help from our spouse and rely on each other. As a couple, we can use the Spirit to ask for help from our Heavenly Father so we can choose what is right. With twins, there will be many long nights without sleep and days when you want to cry. That is why love and patience are essential.
    2. When it is time to be evaluated by your teachers or professors, you want them to remember you, and remember you in a positive way. As an experienced student, I know how to make a good impression on your course instructors. If you follow these fundamental steps, it should help.  First, before you go to class, you need to do all of the assigned homework and reading. Good preparation will help you to follow the teachers more easily, ask intelligent questions, and keep up with the class. Second, arrive to class a few minutes early. That way you can get a good seat and have enough time to get organized. You want to be ready so that you will not disturb the teacher and your classmates while the class is going on. For the same reason, you should also turn off your cell phone as you are getting ready. Next, always participate actively throughout the lesson. You need to make eye contact with your instructor. Take notes. If there is something that you don’t understand, wait for an appropriate time to ask about it. Finally, when the class ends, remain seated. Take a few minutes to collect your homework and make last-minute additions to your notes. If you still have questions, talk to your teacher in the classroom or you can send an email or clear up the confusion by going to the teacher’s office. If you follow these steps in all of your courses, you will do better on your tests, and you will be ready to get the good grades that you deserve.

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