Introductory Identification

Multiple Choice

      Think about it. How many times have you complimented someone and the immediate reaction is that he or she thinks you are being a smart aleck. Sometimes, people think it's insulting to point out something. For example, I was once working on a project with a fellow student. When he finished his part of the research before I did, I said, "Wow, you were fast!" His response was, "What, was I supposed to be slow?"
     Unless you actually know the person you want to compliment, the best thing to do is to just keep all comments (compliments and criticisms) to yourself. Think about it. Think about how you would react in the same situation if someone paid you a compliment.

Which sentence is the BEST introductory sentence to the paragraph?

• Some people cannot take a compliment.

  
  

• Say something like, "That's a great job."

  
  

• It's hard to be truthful to someone sometimes.

  
  

• Some people are often fishing for compliments.

  
  

Multiple Choice

  Bengal tigers are known for their fierceness and strength. They are the most common tiger species and make up almost half of the entire tiger population. They are found in the marshy mangroves of Sundarbans, shared by India and Bangladesh, and also in Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. According to various surveys, there are only about 2,500 Bengal tigers remaining in the world. Bengal tigers tend to live alone and mark their territories in order to keep rivals away. They are powerful hunters that hunt for their food at night. A single Bengal tiger can eat up to 60 pounds of meat in a night. Female Bengal tigers give birth to a litter of two to six cubs at a time. For two to three years, the cubs live with their mothers and learn to hunt with them. Once older, the cubs move away from their mothers to find their own territories.

Which sentence is the best introductory sentence to the paragraph?

• Bengal tigers are carnivorous animals that hunt for food.

• Bengal tigers have narrow black or brown stripes.

• Full-grown Bengal tigers can weight up to 660 pounds.

• Bengal tigers are the most interesting of all tigers.

Multiple Choice

     Serena started playing tennis at the age of three. Her father, Richard Williams, had had observed his daughter's talent for tennis. He was her first coach. Even at age three, Serena was strong enough to play tennis for two hours a day. By 2002, Serena had won the Wimbledon, the French Open, and the and the United States Open Tennis Championships. In 2003, she won the Australian Open and by 2012, Williams had won 15 Grand Slam singles titles and 13 Grand Slam doubles titles. In 2015, she won the Wimbledon title, making her the oldest Grand Slam singles champion in the Open division.

• Serena Jameka Williams was born in Saginaw, Michigan on September 26, 1981.

• Serena built schools in Africa to help underprivileged African youth.

• Serena was selected by People magazine as one of America's most interesting people.

• Serena and her sister, Venus Williams, were trained by their father.

Multiple Choice

Harry has been asked to write a paper in favor of the local government funding more parks and play areas. Which statement is a good thesis statement for him to use in his paper?

• More parks and play areas will make our town a more appealing place for people to live.

• Green areas are good for us to build because they are pretty and are fun for kids to play in.

• Parks and play areas are a waste of money, and our local government shouldn't spend the money.

• The ozone layer is in danger, and planting more trees will help the ozone layer.

Multiple Choice

Reggie is trying to convince his family that they should adopt a dog. Reggie's father agrees, but he says the ultimate decision will be up to Reggie's mother. Reggie's mother wants to have fish as pets. Which statement would make a good thesis for Reggie to use to persuade his mother that a dog would be a better choice?

• Training dogs is very different from training fish because dogs have better memory retention.

• It is a lot of time and effort for owners to train their dogs to behave and to not tear up furniture.

• Dogs make better pets because they have personality, they live longer, and they can protect us.

• Many dogs need to be groomed on a regular schedule, anywhere from six weeks to two months.

Multiple Choice

In Flora's English class, the teacher is assigning the students a short essay. The students are to pick out a topic from the news and argue for or against it. Flora picks a topic dealing with circus animals. She feels that animals should not be made to perform in circuses. Which statement would make a solid thesis for Flora's essay?

• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus sends animals to zoos after they become old or sick.

• Circus animals should not be made to perform in circuses because the animals get sick faster.

• Learning how to train exotic animals is a dangerous and time-consuming career for adventurers.

• Many people do not know how to keep themselves safe around animals of any size or shape.

Multiple Choice

For Liam's English class, his teacher asks the students to write an essay explaining whether or not pets benefit children. Which statement is the best thesis for Liam to use?

• Dogs are smart animals and can learn tricks.

• Caring for an animal can teach responsibility.

• Pets are good to keep because they are cute.

• Dogs are more useful animals to have than cats.