skill 2 – recognizing the organization of ideas skill 3 – answer stated detail questions reading...
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SKILL 2 – RECOGNIZING THE ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS
SKILL 3 – ANSWER STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
Reading Comprehension
Knowing your paragraph
There are several types of paragraphs for writing.
Some describe something or someone; present processes, make comparisons or establish contrasts between ideas; define concepts; or explain something through a logical division of ideas.
Knowing your paragraph (2)
Each of these types of paragraphs has the standard composition: Topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding sentence.
Knowing your paragraph (3)
What makes these paragraphs different is their
contents. In a descriptive paragraph, you can
picture what the author wants you to see or
imagine. In a process paragraph you will find step-
by-step instructions. A comparison and contrast
paragraph will find differences and/or similarities
between, well, whatever it is being compared.
Knowing your paragraph (4)
Now, why is this important for you? Why would you care about the types of paragraphs? One word, TOEFL!
In your TOEFL exam you will find questions related to the objective of a certain text.
Hey, here’s an example!
Now, let’s get into business!
Descriptive Paragraph
My Mother’s KitchenMy Mother’s Kitchen is not big but it is warm
and comfortable. My mother cooks a lot and it smells spicy and sweet. Sometimes she taught my brother and me how to cook. We liked learning new things, working together and making delicious foods. Now I live far away, but I often think of my mother’s kitchen. (From: Paragraph Writing by Zemach, D.E. and Islam C.)
Process Paragraph
If you have a guinea pig, you have to clean its cage or else it will get sick, it will
get
dirty, and it will stink! You will need two towels, the cage, guinea pig bedding, a
hose,and a garbage can. First, you put one of the towels onto the floor out of the
way, and then you put your guinea pig on the towel, and the top of the cage over
the guinea pig so he will be safe. Next, you get the bottom part of the cage and
dump the dirty bedding into the garbage can.
Continues!
Process Paragraph (2)
If all the junk does not come off, get a stick and scrape it off. After that, lean the
cage on something and spray it with the hose.
Next, wipe it with the other towel until it is dry. Then put clean bedding on top,
just enough so you can’t see the bottom of the cage. Put your guinea pig in the
cage, put the top part on, make sure he has plenty of fresh food and water, and
since he’s probably been such a good pig, give him a carrot and he will love you
for
the rest of his life.
Comparison and Contrast Paragraph
Miller Medical Labs
Memorandum
To: Director of Human Resources
From: Barbara Johnson, Interviewer
From the fourteen applications received for the job of receptionist, two applicants stand out. Following is a
summary of their qualifications. Educationally, the two applicants are quite similar. JZ has completed two years
of college, just as SW has, and their grade point averages are approximately equal. JZ’s one past employer was
very positive. Similarly, SW’s past employers gave very high recommendations. Finally, both applicants can start
work on the same date (June 1). There are two differences between the job applicants that may influence
the hiring decision…
Continues!
Comparison and Contrast Paragraph (2)
…The first difference is that JZ’s job in a medical office included some contact
with patients, whereas SW’s volunteer work in the library and gift
shop of a local hospital included no patient contact. Second, JZ likes to be part
of a team, while SW prefers to work independently. 11The hiring decision is
difficult because both applicants are equally well qualified. 12However, JZ
would be the better choice for the receptionist job because of her experience
with patient contact and preference for working with other staff. 13If there is a
future opening for a lab assistant, SW would be an excellent choice for that
position.
Definition Paragraph
CourageCourage is the quality of being brave when you are facing something dangerous or that you fear. For example, a soldier who goes into battle shows courage. A paramedic who crawls into a collapsed building to help an injured person also shows courage. However, you don’t have to be a soldier or a paramedic to be courageous. You can display courage in everyday situations, too.
Continues!
Definition Paragraph (2)
For example, a shy person who is afraid of speaking in public shows courage when she or he gives a speech at school or at work. A teenager who resists peer pressure to smoke, drink, or try drugs shows courage. To give another example, my friend Angela, who is terrified of flying, recently took her first airplane flight. As she walked onto the plane, she was trembling with fear, but she didn’t give in to her fright. To me, Angela entering that airplane was as brave as a soldier entering battle.
Logical Division of Ideas
Why I don’t have a credit card
There are three reasons I don’t have a credit
card. The first reason is that using a piece of
plastic instead of cash makes it too easy for me to
buy things I can’t afford. For instance, last week I
saw a $75.00 pair of pink sandals in my favourite
shoe store. Of course, I don’t need pink sandals,
nor can I afford them.
Logical Division of Ideas
With a credit card, however, I would now own
those sandals and be worrying about how to pay
for them. The second reason I don’t have a credit
card is that I would end up in debt like my friend
Sara the Shopaholic. Sara got a credit card last
year, and she already owes $4000. She buys
things that she doesn’t really need, such as
jewelry and designer sunglasses.
Logical Division of Ideas (3)
Sara makes only minimum payments each
month. Her monthly interest charges are
more than her payments, so her balance
never decreases. She will be in debt for
years. The third reason I don’t have a credit
card is the difficulty in understanding the fine
print in the credit card contract.
Logical Division of Ideas (4)
If I don’t read the fine print, I can be
surprised.
For example, some credit card companies will
raise my interest rate if I make a payment
one day late. To sum up, credit cards may be
a convenience for some people, but for me,
they are a plastic ticket to financial disaster.