Writing Strong Paragraphs

children streetcars

Choose the answers that are key words or phrases in the following paragraph and that indicate what the paragraph is about. Select all that apply. Children are permitted on streetcars during the influenza epidemic, whether they are accompanied by adults or not. Because of a mistake in health department advertising, a special notice was published that children must remain out of streetcars as well as department stores and amusement places, and remain off streets after 7 o'clock at night. There is no order prohibiting children from being on streetcars, although the health department desires that they be kept from them as much as possible. The rule that children must not go into stores and amusement places holds good and in most instances, this rule had been obeyed. Source: "Children Allowed On Street Cars During Epidemic." Milwaukee Sentinel, December 15, 1918, https://www.marquette.edu/cgi-bin/cuap/db.cgi?uid=default&ID=2346&view=Search&mh=1

Opens with a topic sentence that is specific. Each sentence connects smoothly to the sentence that follows it. Supporting sentences provide clarification or evidence for the main topic. Maintains a consistent point of view.

Choose the answers that describe qualities of a focused paragraph. Select all that apply.

The assertion about the sentence's topic is clearly stated. The sentence's topic is specific.

Choose the answers that describe qualities of effective topic sentences such as the sentence below. Select all that apply. Today's digital technologies mean that education no longer has to take place in the physical space of a school building. Source: Croteau, David and William Hoynes. Experience Sociology. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018, pp. 4, 190, 316, 317, 322, 323, 360, 361, 371, & 392. Copyright ©2018 McGraw-Hill Education. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

The sentence's topic is specific. The assertion about the sentence's topic is clearly stated.

Choose the answers that describe qualities of effective topic sentences such as the sentence below. Select all that apply. Today's digital technologies mean that education no longer has to take place in the physical space of a school building. Source: Croteau, David and William Hoynes. Experience Sociology. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018, pp. 4, 190, 316, 317, 322, 323, 360, 361, 371, & 392. Copyright ©2018 McGraw-Hill Education. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Uses concise language. The topic can be considered from multiple perspectives. The meaning is clear. The topic is specific.

Choose the answers that describe qualities of effective topic sentences. Select all that apply.

-The paragraph focuses on a single topic, technology and globalization's significant impact on the growth of intercultural business. -The paragraph's supporting examples, such as technology enabling people across the globe to communicate, relate closely to the topic. -The paragraph uses the transition "also" to link its related examples about outsourcing and product costs.

Choose the answers that describe why the following paragraph is a focused paragraph. Select all that apply. Globalization is changing the way we do business. Technology makes it easier to communicate and cultural changes have helped as well. A good example of this is how I learned to interact with other cultures during the semester that I studied business management abroad. Many companies are outsourcing to other countries, creating jobs where few existed before. Product costs can also be reduced by using overseas manufacturers, although some Americans are resistant to purchasing products made outside of the USA. Source: Cardon, Peter W. Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World. 1st ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.

Each sentence connects to the sentence that follows. Supporting sentences give evidence for the main topic. Opens with a specific topic sentence. Maintains a consistent topic, voice, and verb tense.

Choose the characteristics that make the following example a focused paragraph. Select all that apply. As the American citizenry has changed to become more diverse, so has Congress. Far from being removed from their constituency as the first members of Congress were early in the nation's history, today's congressmen and women are reachable through their websites, email, telephone, Facebook, and Twitter. People of color and women, once denied the opportunity to hold office, are beginning to join the House and the Senate in increasing numbers. Directly contacting members of Congress is not the only option; there are also many special interest groups working to lobby Congress to support their goals. Source: Losco/Baker AM GOV 2013-2014, 3e, 2013, 264-265

does not

Choose the correct word or phrase to complete the sentence that follows the paragraph below. I've enjoyed listening to podcasts for years, but I never expected that I would be an actor on one! Last semester a small group of creative writing students wrote a script for a six-episode podcast about a trio of witches who own a bookstore. One of the writers was my roommate, and she asked if I'd be able to play the role of Mrs. Grainger, the nosy next-door neighbor of the witches. I said yes immediately, and that's how I found myself in front of recording equipment two weeks later.Source: Amber Wingfield, 2020. This paragraph _____________ (does/does not) have a key word or phrase that keeps readers engaged.

confused

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence below. When a writer repeats words and phrases that are not central to the paragraph's topic and focus, readers are more likely to feel _________________ (engaged/confused).

Discusses multiple topics at the surface level. Drifts into storytelling that may be off-topic. Makes vague, general statements. Switches topic, verb tense, or point of view.

Choose the features that correctly describe an unfocused paragraph. Select all that apply.

Is the topic detailed and specific? Is the meaning clear? Is the language concise? Are there multiple perspectives for this subject?

Choose the questions that determine if a topic sentence is effective or ineffective. Select all that apply.

Before Will could say anything, Sanders interrupted him. When I disembarked from the plane, my legs felt wobbly and I was exhausted.

Choose the sentences from the following that would most likely be in a piece of writing that is organized chronologically. Select all that apply.

The paragraph is ineffective because it does not state its claim. The paragraph is ineffective because it opens by citing the definition of a common word.

Choose the statements that accurately evaluate the introductory paragraph below, which is for a paper about healthcare in the United States. Select all that apply. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word happiness refers to a "state of well-being and contentment." Since they first emerged over 200,000 years ago, all Homo sapiens, wherever they are on Earth, have tried very hard to pursue happiness: it is the goal of every human on the planet, past, present, and future. No doubt, receiving good medical care is an important part of happiness. What is more important than health? I will investigate this issue in great detail in this paper.

The paragraph is effective because it engages the reader with startling data. The paragraph is effective because it establishes the writer's purpose and states the writer's main claim.

Choose the statements that accurately evaluate the introductory paragraph below, which is for a paper about student loan debt. Select all that apply. According to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, US student loan borrowers owed a collective $1.6 trillion in federal and private student loan debt as of last year. The average American household with student debt owes over $47,000 in loans. Currently, the default and delinquency rate is over 11%, but that number could increase to 30% by 2023. This debt not only harms individuals, but it also puts a drag on the entire US economy, as younger generations cannot purchase homes, buy cars, or invest in their retirement funds. In other words, everyone should care about this crisis. A range of solutions have been proposed for this problem, but the best approach is the simplest one to understand: the US government should cancel the student loan debt that is owed by over 44 million Americans.

The paragraph is effective because it challenges common, received opinion or conventional wisdom. The paragraph is effective because it establishes the writer's main claim.

Choose the statements that accurately evaluate the introductory paragraph below, which is for a paper about the "myth" of the student loan crisis. Select all that apply. Everyone seems to agree that the weight of student-loan debt is crushing the finances, lives, and dreams of younger generations. College has become unaffordable and higher education itself, once a key to social mobility, now only makes inequality worse. The media frets over debt-strapped graduates as they languish in their parents' basements, struggle to find employment, and default on their loans. In fact, the student loan crisis is a myth—and a dangerously misleading fiction. The fear-mongering around this false "crisis" could have many harmful effects, including discouraging high school students from attending college at a time when college degrees will become more valuable than ever.

The paragraph is effective because it uses a memorable quotation to introduce its topic and claim. The paragraph is effective because it establishes the writer's main claim.

Choose the statements that accurately evaluate the introductory paragraph below, which is for a paper about the student loan crisis. Select all that apply. The journalist and critic H.L. Mencken wrote, "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong." As students, educators, policymakers, and others propose various solutions to the student debt crisis (now over $1.6 trillion in the United States), politicians and others are proposing grand solutions, from simply canceling all student debt to allowing students to refinance their loans. No doubt, the issue must be addressed, as the crisis hinders both individual debtors and the American economy, as a whole. But the student debt crisis is a complex problem that requires a complex answer. To that end, the United States needs to institute five specific reforms to solve the debt crisis, once and for all.

an idea that is demonstrably common, popular, or prevalent an idea that is familiar to general readers

Choose the type of idea that a writer might effectively debunk in an introductory paragraph. Select all that apply.

The theremin is the only musical instrument that is played without the performer touching it. The instrument was accidentally invented by Russian scientist and spy Leon Theremin.

Choose which answer or answers would be effective support for the topic sentence below. Select all that apply. Even among the most unusual musical instruments, the theremin is a unique instrument with an equally strange backstory.

They should keep the paragraph's topic clear. They should help readers stay engaged.

Choose which effects pronouns should have when used effectively to create coherence in a paragraph. Select all that apply.

Begin with a curious or surprising piece of data relevant to your essay. Begin with a relevant and memorable anecdote.

Choose which of the following are good strategies for writing a strong introductory paragraph. Select all that apply.

a point related to a writer's essay identification of who is in the anecdote, when it happened, and where it takes place

Choose which of the following are necessary components of an anecdote. Select all that apply.

evidence details examples

Choose which of the following provide effective support for a topic sentence. Select all that apply.

Locate each pronoun in the paragraph. Consider the paragraph as a whole to determine if pronouns are clear. Determine each pronoun's antecedent.

Choose which steps would be helpful in the process of deciding if pronouns are used effectively to create a coherent paragraph. Select all that apply.

Unfocused paragraph

Drifts into storytelling that may be off-topic Addresses multiple topics at the surface level

Focused paragraph

Explores a single idea in depth Consistent point of view

The question makes readers re-examine their own ideas and also connects directly to the topic of the essay.

Identify a quality that make a question in an introductory paragraph compelling and effective.

By citing examples of mainstream magazine articles, books, and online sources that support the idea.

Identify an effective way for a writer to demonstrate that an idea is common before debunking it.

poultry

Identify the antecedent of the pronoun them in the sentence in bold in the paragraph below. I went to drink coffee at the miller's place with some friends. The old miller came out to greet us, as some of my friends already knew him. He had a muscular build, and his loud musical voice, with its friendly, familiar tone, went well with his bright eyes, the fine cloth of his coat, and the general look of substance about the place. Poultry of all kinds roamed freely about in the mill-yard, where there were food scraps and seeds for them scattered on the ground. But not content with this, the miller took out handfuls of corn from the sacks, and threw liberally to the chicks and hens that ran almost under his feet in their eagerness. Source: Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn. The Grey Woman and Other Tales. Project Gutenberg, 1865.

girls

Identify the antecedent of they in the sentence in bold in the passage below. We seldom find any recognition of girls as pupils in the early public schools. Sometimes it is evident that they were admitted at times not devoted to the teaching of boys. Source: Alice Morse Earle, Child Life in Colonial Days, 1915.

Uses concise language. The subject can be considered from multiple perspectives. The meaning is clear. The topic is specific and detailed.

Identify the characteristics that make the following example an effective topic sentence. Select all that apply. Some cultures' speech patterns have a tendency to be more direct than others, which can contribute to offense or miscommunication. Source: Cardon, Peter W. Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World. 1st ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.

description

Identify the pattern of development used in the passage below. Ichabod, who had no relish for this strange midnight companion, and bethought himself of the adventure of Brom Bones with the Galloping Hessian, now quickened his steed in hopes of leaving him behind. The stranger, however, quickened his horse to an equal pace. Ichabod pulled up, and fell into a walk, thinking to lag behind,—the other did the same. His heart began to sink within him; he endeavored to resume his psalm tune, but his parched tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, and he could not utter a stave. There was something in the moody and dogged silence of this pertinacious companion that was mysterious and appalling. It was soon fearfully accounted for. On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!—but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle! His terror rose to desperation; he rained a shower of kicks and blows upon Gunpowder, hoping by a sudden movement to give his companion the slip; but the spectre started full jump with him. Away, then, they dashed through thick and thin; stones flying and sparks flashing at every bound. Ichabod's flimsy garments fluttered in the air, as he stretched his long lank body away over his horse's head, in the eagerness of his flight. Source: Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Project Gutenberg, 2008.

narration

Identify the pattern of development used in the passage below. On the morning of March 25, 2010, Hank Skinner was transferred to the site of the Texas death chamber for a 6:00 P.M. execution. For years, Skinner had insisted upon his innocence, claiming that DNA testing of crime-scene evidence would prove he had not committed the multiple murders. After the leading state newspapers called for the stopping of his execution, protestors in Paris, France, marched in front of the American Embassy to plead for his life. The Pope opposed his execution. Skinner had just met with his wife and two daughters, telling them, "If I die tonight, you've got to move on with your life—you've got to accept it and move on." The day passed quickly with final phone calls to the family and conversations with the prison chaplain and warden. At 5:00 P.M. he sat down to his last meal of Popeye's chicken, fried catfish, a salad with ranch dressing and bacon bits, onion rings, and a chocolate milkshake. At this moment, less than an hour before his execution, the prisoner learned that the Supreme Court of the United States had granted him an indefinite stay. He would not be given the lethal injection on this day. His good fortune was due in large part to a group of undergraduate journalism students and their professor, who were affiliated with the Innocence Network. The Innocence Network is an organization and public policy organization that is dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing. Source: Losco and Baker. American Government 2013-2014.New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2012, pp. 63-64. Copyright ©2012 McGraw-Hill Educaiton. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

It is directly related to the topic, argument, or research question of the essay.

Identify the quality that makes a startling statistic effective in an opening paragraph.

How can schools and colleges take steps to improve the safety and security of their students?

Identify the question that would be most effective in an introductory paragraph for an essay a student is writing about why schools and colleges need to do more to keep students safe.

Why have Hollywood movies become so dull and derivative?

Identify the question that would be most effective in an introductory paragraph for an essay a student is writing about why the Hollywood film industry has become too dependent on superhero franchises, remakes, and other unoriginal projects.

As America transitions from finite, harmful fossil fuels, what energy source will make the best replacement?

Identify the question that would be most effective in the introductory paragraph of an essay that a student is writing about why America should embrace nuclear energy as a primary replacement for traditional fossil fuels.

Why does the United States have so many gun-related deaths relative to other countries—and what can be done to change this?

Identify the question that would be most effective in the introductory paragraph of an essay that a student is writing about why the federal government needs to enact stricter regulations on handguns and other firearms.

How can the United States address the contentious issue of immigration with both efficiency and compassion?

Identify the question that would be most effective in the introductory paragraph of an essay that a student is writing about why the federal government should enact comprehensive immigration reform.

Description depicts the physical characteristics, behavior, or mood of a person, place, or object.

Identify the sentence that best defines description.

It is fully developed because its sentences provide details, descriptions, and examples that support the topic sentence.

Identify the sentence that most accurately describes the paragraph that follows. Growing up in a large family has many advantages. First, living with others teaches you valuable skills and habits useful later in life. For example, with so many siblings in one house, you learn to wait your turn for the bathroom, the kitchen, and the comfortable living room chair. You also learn not to be selfish about food, as everyone needs to be fed—not just you. Second, sharing a crowded home helps your emotional well-being: it's difficult to ever feel lonely in a house full of people. You do not need to search for playmates or someone to walk to school with. Most of all, someone's always around to provide love and support when you need it. Do you need someone to listen to your problems? A caring sibling is likely to be there for you. Is someone sick? A family can provide care without any single family member feeling overburdened. Whatever large families may lack in financial resources, they make up for in many other ways.

It is not fully developed because its sentences do not directly support and develop the topic sentence.

Identify the sentence that most accurately describes the paragraph that follows. While many people eat graham crackers, most probably do not know that their inventor has an interesting backstory that deserves explanation. Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer Sylvester Graham helped found the American Vegetarian Society in 1850. About eight million Americans are vegetarians. That is roughly three percent of the population. The benefits of vegetarianism are obvious: the diet is low in fat and high in fiber. High-fiber diets have been shown to be very healthful.

Only 0.4% of college students attend an Ivy League school.

Identify the startling statistic that would be most effective for a student to use in the introductory paragraph of an essay about how people place too much emphasis on—and pay too much attention to—Ivy League schools compared to other colleges and universities.

The anecdote lacks conflict and resolution.

Identify the statement that provides the most accurate evaluation of the anecdote in the passage below. When I worked at my internship last summer, I received a lot of good experience. I started in June and continued until Labor Day. My supervisor was terrific. I can't even describe how much I enjoyed being an intern. Everybody at the company was just so friendly. This awesome experience is why I think internships are great.

The United States and the international community must take immediate action to address climate change.

Identify the topic and claim that this compelling quotation would best support in an introductory paragraph. The quotation is from Swedish environmental youth activist Greta Thunberg on the imminent dangers of climate change. "I don't want you to be hopeful; I want you to panic."

No, because their antecedents are not clear.

Identify whether or not pronouns are used effectively in the following paragraph to achieve coherence. In the 18th and 19th centuries, people seeking to improve their health were likely to turn to patent medicines, also sometimes called proprietary medicines. Despite the name, most of them did not actually have patents for either themselves or their ingredients. They were often either dangerous on their own or were used in dangerous quantities. They included alcohol, opium, morphine, and laudanum. Even those marketed as being for babies and children could include them, so parents could never be certain of what they were actually getting when they took them. Source: Amber Wingfield, 2020.

No, because the paragraph doesn't use pronouns.

Identify whether or not pronouns are used effectively in the following paragraph to achieve coherence. Rhode Island and Delaware are the two smallest states in the United States. The two share another commonality as well: chickens for state birds. Delaware's is the blue hen chicken, a bird named after a nickname for a group of Delaware's brave soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Nowadays the blue hen chicken is intentionally bred to have feathers with hints of blue. Rhode Island's state bird is the Rhode Island red chicken. The Rhode Island red's feathers are a deep red that appear almost black, particularly towards the chicken's tail. Source: Amber Wingfield, 2020.

Yes, because repeating the word fabric instead of replacing it with the pronoun it is less confusing for readers.

Identify whether or not the following paragraph successfully uses repetition of key words and phrases to achieve coherence. The wax resist process of fabric dyeing known as batik has been in existence since at least the 4th century BCE, when it was used in Egypt as part of mummification. However, the technique is best known as it has been refined by people on the Indonesian island of Java. The wax is usually either paraffin or beeswax, and it is applied to the fabric using a tool chosen by the dyer. Once the fabric has been dyed, the wax pattern is removed, and the fabric underneath it shows its original color. Depending on the desired results, the wax may be reapplied and the fabric dipped in dye again. This process can be done three or four times. Source: Amber Wingfield, 2020.

St. Peter's Basilica in Rome has one of Michelangelo's most famous masterpieces, the Pietà.

Identify which answer provides effective support for the topic sentence below. The city of Rome, Italy is home to many beautiful, important, and historical churches.

workers

Identify which of the answers is a key word in the paragraph that follows. The paragraph is about the fire at the Triangle Waist Company building that killed 146 people in New York City in 1911. A fire at the Triangle Waist Company factory, a ten-story high building, yesterday caused the deaths of one hundred and seventy-five workers. The fire, which began just after the workers stopped working, spread quickly through the top three floors used by the company, blocking access to staircases and elevators. Many of the young women and girls working there were burned in the fire, while others died after trying to escape through the windows. Few had time to escape, and instead could only watch in horror as the flames quickly approached. Source: The Jewish Daily Forward, 26 March 1911. Translated into English by Tina Lunson. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5482.

Black Friday sales have become part of the Thanksgiving tradition for millions of Americans, but the deep discounts often lead to impulsive purchases that end up costing shoppers more money.

Identify which of the following answer choices is an effective topic sentence.

World War II was a pivotal point in American history because it brought millions of women into the workforce to fill jobs vacated by men serving in the military.

Identify which of the following answer choices is an effective topic sentence.

Abraham Lincoln is a national hero because he emancipated the slaves.

Identify which of the following is a common idea.

Fast food is unhealthy.

Identify which of the following is a common idea.

Human intelligence can be measured and expressed numerically in terms of an intelligence quotient.

Identify which of the following is a common idea.

Aim to make paragraphs between one hundred and two hundred words.

Identify which of the following is a good rule for keeping paragraphs an appropriate length.

First responders are constantly ... they work hard to protect us.

Identify which of the following is an example of a paragraph that lacks unity.

dates

Identify which of the following is one signal of chronological organization in a piece of writing.

The paragraph should have a hook to engage readers and compel them to read the rest of the essay.

Identify which of the following qualities a good introductory paragraph should have.

It should make the reader interested in reading the rest of the essay.

Identify which of the following qualities an anecdote should have to be effective in an introductory paragraph.

Does the anecdote make one main point?

Identify which of the following questions you should ask when you are evaluating an anecdote that you are thinking of using in a piece of writing.

Supporting sentences are closely related to the topic, use explanation and evidence to support the main point, and transition smoothly from one sentence to the next.

Identify which of the following sentences best describe a focused paragraph.

While recycling may seem helpful and virtuous, its costs are too high and its environmental benefits are too limited to make it worthwhile.

Identify which of the following sentences debunks a common idea.

This paragraph does not use repetition of key words and phrases, but it should.

Identify which statement about the following paragraph is true. Last winter, during my study abroad semester in Ontario, I learned how to build a quinzee, which is a shelter made from snow. It is different from an igloo because it is meant to be a temporary shelter only and is usually constructed out of necessity for survival. Of course, while most of them were built for semi-permanent use by Inuit and Eskimo peoples, some were used just temporarily during hunting trips. Because snow shelters are intended for short-term use, the construction process is quick, but they are also more prone to collapsing which can injure or even kill the people inside. They are not big enough to stand up in, but a person can usually sit up in them. Source: Amber Wingfield, 2020.

The quotation may be related to the writer's claim and topic, but the writer does not explain the connection.

Identify which statement best describes the following introductory paragraph, which is from a student paper arguing that the United States must enact comprehensive immigration reform. "You can't go home again," wrote Thomas Wolfe. For many undocumented immigrants and their families, life in the United States is fraught with fear and secrecy. The best estimates suggest that around eleven million immigrants live in America: roughly three percent of the country's population. Overwhelmingly, these are hardworking individuals, looking to make better lives for themselves and their families. In a sense, they represent all the hopes and desires that we associate with the American dream. To keep that dream alive, the United States must enact compassionate and comprehensive immigration reform legislation as soon as possible.

The quotation is compelling and the writer explains its relevance to the essay's claim and topic.

Identify which statement best describes the following introductory paragraph, which is from a student paper arguing that too many people now suffer from "FoMo": the fear of missing out. In Samuel Johnson's 1759 book Rasselas, a character named Nekayah says, "Of the blessings set before you, make your choice, and be content: no man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of the spring [. . .]". She means that you cannot "have it all." You must choose as best you can, and live with your choices. It may seem strange to apply the wisdom of an eighteenth century story to contemporary life, but Nekayah's point is truer today than it ever was. Overwhelmed with choice, striving to make the very best selections, anxious about failure—we often sacrifice our own happiness in pursuit of ideal outcomes we can never attain. The current term for this is "FoMo": the fear of missing out. Rather than chase the perfect, however, we should practice "satisficing": choosing a satisfactory outcome, rather than an ideal one. As Nekayah might say, "[M]ake your choice, and be content."

Explains unfamiliar terms or concepts.

Indicate the answer choice that describes a paragraph with details supporting the topic sentence.

Contemporary fearfulness shows stark contrast to the myths and traditions of the America's past, which emphasize rugged individualism, the pioneer spirit, and a fearless desire for liberty.

Read the following paragraph, and then select the sentence that indicates that the writer should begin a new paragraph. As American culture has become obsessed with armageddon and dystopia, we should probably ask, "What does that mean?" For example, people have eagerly watched The Walking Dead, Black Mirror, Stranger Things, The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, and The Handmaid's Tale. Several of these have literary origins, which is not surprising, as dystopian fiction has a long history. Books such as Kayla Olson's The Sandcastle Empire and Rachel Vincent's Brave New Girl, among others, reflect this cultural preoccupation among young adult readers, as well. Perhaps this trend mirrors current anxieties: about climate change, about the rise of authoritarian governments, about terrorism, about the breakdown of trust in institutions, about inequality, or so many other things that frighten us. Contemporary fearfulness shows stark contrast to the myths and traditions of the America's past, which emphasize rugged individualism, the pioneer spirit, and a fearless desire for liberty. As our national anthem claims, this country is the "land of the free and the home of the brave."

Lately, however, internships—especially unpaid internships—have come under increased scrutiny, as some critics find them exploitative and harmful to those who take them.

Read the following paragraph, and then select the sentence that indicates that the writer should begin a new paragraph. Internships have several benefits for college students. These positions allow undergraduates to explore different jobs and careers, learn about professional expectations, and get a sense of what a field is like on a daily basis. At the same time, most interns earn college credit for their work, even if internships are often unpaid. Students can build relationships and networks, which are invaluable in the business world. Moreover, internships often provide the opportunity for undergraduates to build portfolios that highlight their skills as they go on the job search. Lately, however, internships—especially unpaid internships—have come under increased scrutiny, as some critics find them exploitative and harmful to those who take them. In some cases, students go into debt to work in these positions, which often require long hours. In contrast, students who are more affluent, but perhaps less talented or diligent, can afford to intern, which interferes with the notion of meritocracy.

The writer argues that eating meat is immoral and that people should become vegetarians.

a personal story about a visit to an industrial feedlot and slaughterhouse

The writer argues that the US government must enact immigration reform.

a story about an immigrant family struggling to live in the United States

The writer argues that online social media builds real connections and relationships.

an account of how a group of online posters built a supportive online community

The writer argues that children today are over-scheduled with activities.

an anecdote about a child who has no free time

Used in narration

characters setting action

Not used in narration

examples comparisons definitions