Relevant and Irrelevant Sentences

Instructions: One of the sentences in the texts below is irrelevant to the main idea of the paragraph. Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Garfield

(I)Garfield is a comic strip featuring the cat Garfield, the pet dog Odie, and their socially inept owner Jon Arbuckle. (II) The main character is Garfield, who is a lazy, overweight, orange cat. (III) He considers himself to be more intelligent than humans or dogs. (IV) He was named Garfield after his grandfather. (V) He hates Mondays and loves lasagna apparently.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Alfred Hitchcock

(I) With more than fifty feature films Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the most popular directors of all time. (II) Hitchcock's films draw heavily on both fear and fantasy. (III) He began directing in the United Kingdom. (IV) They often portray innocent people caught up in circumstances beyond their understanding. (V) The movie Rebecca, which evokes the fears of a young bride, is a good example of this.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Doping

(I) Doping is the use of drugs to try to improve sports performance. (II) This practice is banned by sports federations throughout the world. (III) Athletes need to know which substances are banned in sport. (IV) The use of drugs during athletic festivals is evident. (V) Furthermore, they must make sure that any product or medication they take does not contain a prohibited substance.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence

Everest

(I) May 10, 1996 was the deadliest day in Everest history. (II) A storm stranded many climbers near the summit and killed eight people. (III) Among those who died were Rob Hall and Scott Fischer. (IV) Both were experienced guides and were leading paid expeditions to the summit. (V) Everest can be climbed without supplementary oxygen, but this requires special fitness training.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Education

(I) At one time in the history of education, one had to be wealthy to attend school. (II) At other times, women were kept from attending school, despite their standing in finances. (III) Financial aid was widely available to aid those less fortunate. (IV) Today, this is not the case because school attendance is obligatory. (V) The law requires students who are between six and 16 years of age to attend school.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Renaissance Women

(I) During the Renaissance period, all of the women wore a corset. (II) Moreover, a woman was put to shame if she was found absent of a corset. (III) Corsets resembled a cone, as they were small at the waist and uplifting at the bosom. (IV) They have been with us for many centuries. (V) They were used to hide the thick waist since at that period in time, a 15 to 18 inch waist was acceptable.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Water

(I) It is estimated that 15% of worldwide water use is for household purposes. (II) These include drinking water, bathing, cooking, and sanitation. (III) Basic household water requirements have been estimated at around 50 liters per person per day, excluding water for gardens. (IV) In some areas of the world irrigation is necessary to grow any crop. (V) Most household water is treated and returned to surface water systems.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Dieting

(1) While dieting or losing weight, there are often times when we are tempted to eat things which we are not supposed to eat. (II) Therefore it is not very easy for someone to lose body fat and it can be very frustrating as well. (III) However, many studies nowadays support the idea that while dieting one should allow himself to eat once a week whatever he desires. (IV) Following a high-protein diet over a long period of time can cause considerable health problems. (V) It has been proved that this not only makes the dieter happy but also helps the person to continue his diet.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Rainforests

(I) Rainforests are extremely important in the ecology of the Earth. (II) They cover about 7% of the Earth's surface and are havens for millions of plants and animals. (III) The plants of the rainforests generate much of the Earth's oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. (IV) There are many types of tropical rainforests in the world. (V) However these plants are also very important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V

Identify the irrelevant sentence.

Being Thin

(I) Being thin was not always viewed as being desirable. (II) Thinness became the most alarming and deadliest of obsessions. (III) Once upon a time, thin women were considered poor and sickly, unsuitable for nurturing a large family. (IV) What exactly happened to change our view of beauty? (V) The bathing suit undoubtedly played a role in determining the ideal body shape.

• I

• II

• III

• IV

• V