A.

CHOOSING TOPIC SENTENCES

Choose the best topic sentence for each group of supporting sentences. Write it on the line
provided.

1. ……………………………. I usually go skiing every weekend in the winter even though it is

expensive. I love the feeling of flying down a mountain. The views are beautiful from the top
of a mountain and along the trails. Even the danger of falling and getting hurt can’t keep me
away from the slopes on a winter day.

a) Skiing is expensive.
b) Skiing is my favourite sport.
c) Skiing is dangerous.

2. _________________________________________________. North Americans send cards

for many occasions. They send cards to family and friends on birthdays and holidays. They
also send thank-you cards, get well cards, graduation cards, and congratulation cards. It is
very common to buy cards in stores and send them through the mail, but turning on the
computer and sending cards over the Internet is also popular.

a) Sending cards is very popular in North America.

b) Birthday cards are the most popular kind of card.
c) It is important to send thank-you cards.

3. _____________________________________________ . I enjoy summer sports like water

skiing and baseball. The weather is usually sunny and hot, so I can go to the beach almost
every day. Gardening is my hobby and I spend many summer days working in my garden.
Unfortunately, the days pass too quickly in summer.

a) I like to garden in summer.

b) Summer is my favourite season.
c) Summer is to short.

4. ________________________________________ . First of all, we need money to repair old

roads and build new roads. We also need more to pay teachers’ salaries and to pay for
services such as trash collection. Finally, more tax money is needed to give financial help to
the poor citizens of the city. It is clear that the city will have serious problems if taxes are not
raised soon.

a) We should raise city taxes.

b) City taxes are too high.
c) City taxes pay for new roads.
 5. ___________________________________________ . One thing you must consider is the
quality of the university’s educational program. You also need to think about the school’s
size and location. Finally, you must be sure to consider the university’s tuition to make sure
you can afford to go to school there.

a) It is expensive to attend a university in the United States.

b) There are several factors to consider when you choose a university to attend.
c) You should consider getting a good education.

B. WRITING A TOPIC SENTENCE

Write a topic sentence for each paragraph. Make sure your topic sentence expresses the main idea
of the paragraph.

1. paul has many hobbies. He has collected stamps and coins ever since he was a child. He is very
proud of his valuable collections. Paul also enjoys painting and drawing. Recently he has become
interested in gardening. Out of all his hobbies, Paul’s favourite one is reading. He usually reads at
least one book every week. Paul keeps busy with all of his hobbies.

2. My mother is an excaptional cook. I can’t wait to come home from school and eat the delicious
meals she has prepared. She is famous for her desserts like peach pie and chocolate soufflé. She
is always experimenting with new recipes and trying different ingredients. No one in the world
can cook the way my mother does.

3. I have an old car. It never starts in cold weather. The horn and the left turn signal don’t work
properly. Worst of all, the radio only gets one station and the CD player is completely broken. I
wish I could get a new car.
4. I like a new job. First and most importantly, the work is very interesting. I learn new things every
day and I get to travel a lot. In addition, my boss is very nice. She is always willing to help me
when I have a problem. I have also made many new friends at my job. Last, but not least, the
salary is fantastic.

5. I have a bad story abour my vacation. To start things off, my plane was six hours late. When I
finally got to my hotel, I was very disappointed. It was small and dirty. On the third day, my
wallet was 4 stolen, and I lost all my credit cards. It rained very day except one, and on that day I
got a terrible sunburn. All in all, it wasn’t a vacation to remember.

C. RECOGNIZING SUPPORTING SENTENCES

 Read the following paragraphs and underline the supporting sentences.

1. Use of the internet has grown very quickly. In 1983, there were 562 computers connected to the
Internet. By the turn of the century, there were 72.3 million computers in 247 countries on-line.
Experts say that the Internet is now growing at a rate of approximately 40 percent a year. As time
goes on, the Internet is becoming more and more popular.

2. There are many reasons I hate my apartment. The plumbing doesn’t work properly and the
landlord refuses to fix it. I also have noisy neighbours who keep me up all night. Furthermore,
there are so many bugs in my apartment that I could start an insect collection. I really want to
move.

3. Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet. First, fruits and vegetables are
packed with the vitamins and minerals you need to keep your body functioning smoothly. In
addition, they give you the carbohydrates you need for energy. Fruits and vegetables have lots of
fiber to help your digestive system work properly. Finally, many scientists believe that the
nutrients in fruits and vegetables can help fight diseases. If you eat a diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, you’ll be on the road to better health.

D. IRRELEVANT SENTENCES
A sentence that does not support the main idea does not belong in the paragraph, thus such a
sentence should be omitted. When a sentence does not belong in a paragraph, it is called an
irrelevant sentence.
There is one irrelevant sentence in each paragraph that follows. Find that sentence and cross it out.

1.) There are several ways people can conserve natural resources. One way is to turn lights off and
appliances when they are not in use. Another way is to drive cars less. My favourite kind of car is
convertible. People can also insulate their houses better. Finally, by reusing things like bottles and
plastic bags, people can reduce the amount of waste. By practicing these simple guidelines, we can
save our natural resources.

2.) Cats make wonderful house pets. They are very loving and friendly. Cats are also clean. They don’t
eat much, so they are not expensive. Unfortunately, some people are allergic to their hair. Cats look
beautiful and they’re fun to have in your home.

3.) The capital city of a country is usually a very important city. The government offices are located in
the capital city and political leaders usually live there nearby. There are many different types of
governments in the world. The capital may also be the centre of culture. There are often museums,
libraries, and universities in the capital. Finally, the capital city can serve as a centre of trade, industry
and commerce, so it is often the financial centre of the country.

4.) The Japanese automobile industry uses robots in many stages of its production process. In fact,
one large Japanese auto factory uses robots in all of its production stages. Some Japanese universities
are developing medical robots to detect certain kinds of cancer. Another automobile factory in Japan
uses them to paint cars as they come off the assembly line. Furthermore, most Japanese factories use
robots to weld the parts of the finished car together.

5.) The packaging of many products is very wasteful. Often the packaging is twice as big as the
product. Packaging is used to protect things that are breakable. Many food items, for example, have
several layers of extra packaging. Most of these extra layers could be eliminated.