Basic Patterns of Organization Exercise 1

A: Any single event or situation by itself may not cause stress. But if you experience several mildly disturbing situations at the same time, you may find yourself under stress. For instance, getting a low grade on a biology lab report by itself may not be stressful, but if it occurred the same week during which your car “died,” you argued with a close friend, and you discovered your checking account was overdrawn, then it may contribute to stress.

1. What transition does the writer use to introduce the examples?

A: Any single event or situation by itself may not cause stress. But if you experience several mildly disturbing situations at the same time, you may find yourself under stress. For instance, getting a low grade on a biology lab report by itself may not be stressful, but if it occurred the same week during which your car “died,” you argued with a close friend, and you discovered your checking account was overdrawn, then it may contribute to stress.

2. List the four examples the writer provides as possible causes of stress.

• getting a low grade on a biology lab

• getting stress

• having an arguement with a close friend

• finding an overdrawn account

• getting a broken car

B: Every time you make a major change in your life you are susceptible to stress. Major changes include a new job or career, marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of someone close. Beginning college is a major life change. Try not to create multiple simultaneous life changes, which multiply the potential for stress.

3. Does the topic sentence occur first, second, or last?

• first

• second

• last

B: Every time you make a major change in your life you are susceptible to stress. Major changes include a new job or career, marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of someone close. Beginning college is a major life change. Try not to create multiple simultaneous life changes, which multiply the potential for stress.

4. The writer gives six examples of major changes. List them briefly.

• new job or carrer / beginning college

• marriage and divorce

• new friend

• the birth of a child

• the death of someone close

C: Because you probably depend on your job to pay part or all of your college expenses, your job is important to you and you feel pressure to perform well in order to keep it. Some jobs are more stressful than others. Those, for example, in which you work under constant time pressure tend to be stressful. Jobs that must be performed in loud, noisy, crowded, or unpleasant conditions- a hot kitchen, a noisy machine shop, with coworkers who don’t do their share – can be stressful. Consider changing jobs if you are working in very stressful conditions.

5. Does the topic sentence occur first, second, or last?

• first

• second

• last

C: Because you likely depend on your job to pay part or all of your college expenses, your job is important to you and you feel pressure to perform well in order to keep it. Some jobs are more stressful than others, especially those where you work under constant time pressure. Jobs that require working in loud, noisy, crowded, or unpleasant conditions- such a a hot kitchen, a noisy machine shop, with coworkers who don’t do pull their weight – can also be stressful. If you are you are working in very stressful conditions, consider changing jobs.

6. The transition the writer use to introduce the first type of jobs is ___