Reading and Writing Skills

It's best to think of different topics and discover various points of focus so you can keep your options open before writing.

• False

This part of a research report describes the instrument used to arrive at a result.

• Results
• Review of Literature
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Methods

After reading the book, that's when to take notes of what you have read.

• True
• False

Critical reading may only consist of negative observations and analysis.

• False
• True

The subject in a descriptive paragraph may be conveyed in detail through an explanation of its significance.

• True

Which of the following sentences is the topic sentence of the paragraph?

• Best test of friendship is adversity.
• Friendship means closeness, association, relationship, and mutual trust – without any selfish motive.
• Growing true friendship depends upon selection of a friend.
• Growing true friendship is very hard and it takes time but once the friendship is broken it can be very difficult to fix it again.

According to the essay sample, which of these is not a problem specified by the author? (Write the letter of the correct answer)

Global warming, despite others’ doubts, exists.

• Claim of fact
• Claim of policy
• Claim of value

Therefore, I think it is important to learn to distinguish between light constructive feelings of care, and intense romantic addiction, which can lead to unforeseen consequences.

• Claim of value
• Claim of policy
• Claim of fact

In the analysis of a written text, in what element does the following question fall? To whom did the author intend to write the text for?

• Author/s
• Audience
• Purpose/Context
• Topic and Position

The part of a research report that describes the procedure to arrive at the result.

• Review of Literature
• Hypotheses
• Conclusion
• Methods
• Introduction

Given the following sentence from the story, Dead Stars:

Which of the following is not said to be a health benefit of volunteering?

• psychological well-being is stable
• body remains functional for a longer period of time
• heals the body and mind of any mental and psychological problems
• increase in lifespan

The technique in finding a writing topic by finding the relationships between ideas.

• Clustering

This refers to the occasion or situation in which the reader can consider while analyzing. What is being described?

• Context
• Hypertext
• Intertext

_________ is the part of the story where the characters and setting are introduced. It also tells backstories and other important plot events.

• Exposition
• Climax
• Rising action
• Resolution

Insomnia, or sleep deprivation, is a dangerous condition leading to a wide range of health problems.

• Assertion - fact
• Claim
• Assertion - convention
• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - preference
• Counterclaim

Read the following example of a definition paragraph: Soren Kierkegaard, another famous existentialist, comprehends absurd as a synonym to paradox. He defines it as a matter of faith and the only phenomena that allows a person to believe in self. According to his philosophy, a human being is a synthesis of opposites: eternal and temporary, finite and infinite, freedom and obligation. Due to the synthesis of these opposites in an individual’s consciousness, one constantly resides in fear and despair (Liam 194). And the more self-consciousness one possesses, the deeper these feelings are. The only way for salvation is faith in God and this is where absurd comes in. Kierkegaard refers to the biblical myth about Abraham and his son Isaac. According to this legend, God required Abraham to sacrifice his son to Him. In this case, Abraham’s faith led him to commit a crime; it transformed a murder into an act of charity and simultaneously, where faith had returned Isaac to his father alive. Faith cannot be logically argued, but it works and this is absurd. Individuals are free and this freedom lets them find their own way to God. (Source: https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/definition/absurd.html#sthash.TNCtvBtC.dpuf) ; What is the strategy used in the development of the paragraph?

• Contrast
• Etymology
• Intensive definition
• Extensive definition
• Denotation
• Comparison
• Connotation

The most unrestrained method in finding a suitable topic.

• Freewriting

This analyzes the media in which the text is used. What is being described?

• Context
• Hypertext
• Intertext

There are terms that are associated with indirectly related words through analogy. What are these terms called?

• Comparison
• Denotation
• Connotation
• Contrast

This is used to establish connections between language, images, characters, topics, themes and the like.

• Intertext
• Hypertext
• Context

An element of a good project proposal that details where to get the funds to bring the project to fruition.

• Significance
• Preparation
• Budget
• Resources

In writing a text, these two elements must be present: content and __.

• form

Tell which figure of speech is used in the following sentences. He’s as gentle as a bunny.

• simile

A part of the project proposal that identifies similar solutions.

• introduction
• project summary
• motivation
• conclusion
• project details

Read the following example of a definition paragraph: The term protein quality refers to the ratio of essential amino acids (eaa) in a protein in comparison with the ratio required by the body. A high quality protein contains eaa in a ratio that matches human requirements. A protein which is lacking or low in one or more eaa is termed a low quality protein. The eaa which is in the shortest supply is called the ‘limiting’ amino acid. In general, animal proteins tend to be high quality while vegetable proteins tend to be low quality. The exception is soy protein which is quite high quality. What is the strategy used in the development of the paragraph?

• Etymology
• Intensive definition
• Comparison
• Extensive definition
• Connotation
• Denotation
• Contrast

Why are human beings the best creation of God?

• Because human beings are the smartest creation of God.
• Because most human beings believe in God.
• Because human beings make very amazing things with their bare hands.
• Because human beings have moral feelings.

Read the following excerpt from the short story, Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez: Alfredo remembered that period with a wonder not unmixed with shame. That was less than four years ago. He could not understand those months of a great hunger that was not of the body nor yet of the mind, a craving that had seized on him one quiet night when the moon was abroad and under the dappled shadow of the trees in the plaza, man wooed maid. Was he being cheated by life? Love--he seemed to have missed it. Or was the love that others told about a mere fabrication of perfervid imagination, an exaggeration of the commonplace, a glorification of insipid monotonies such as made up his love life? Was love a combination of circumstances, or sheer native capacity of soul? In those days love was, for him, still the eternal puzzle; for love, as he knew it, was a stranger to love as he divined it might be. What narrative device was used in the paragraph?

• Flashback

What type of definition is used in the given paragraph?

Which of the following contains the topic sentence?

• C and A
• A
• B
• B and C
• A and B
• C

The time and the place where the story takes place.

• Setting

2. The type of paragraph development: __.

• descriptive

Choose the proper pattern of arrangement of the following jumbled paragraph.

• E, D, A, B, C
• E, C, A, B, D
• C, A, B, E, D
• B, E, D, A, C
• A, D, B, E, C

Which of the following is not true about the topic sentence of a paragraph?

• None of the choices
• The topic sentence tells the main idea of the paragraph.
• The topic sentence is commonly found at the beginning of the sentence.
• The topic sentence gives life to the paragraph.

Which of the following statements is not true?


• Pornography websites can be easily accessed by children.

• Internet has become so widespread that it is hard to track the cause of serious problems encountered by its users.
• 

• Sensitive information have been falling into the hands of criminals

• Through right action of individuals, government and businesses, the internet can be made into a safe place.

Which of the following statements is not true according to the essay?

• Volunteering opens networks and connections
• Volunteering can boost someone's one's career
• Volunteering is simply "working for free"
• Volunteering improves a person's personality to be more diverse and innovative.

__ refers to the technique that suggest hints on future events in a story.

• Foreshadowing

The latin word from which the word "narration" comes.

• narrare

Lord Templeman suggested that the issue of consent was irrelevant to the question of the illegality of an action, since the latter constitutes a breach of the peace. This traces back to high-minded English snobbery about a king needing able-bodied soldiers. The idea seems to be that a society is more important than its individuals. But this is, of course, erroneous, for it seems obvious, upon reflection, that there can be nothing more sacred than individual liberty.

• Counterclaim
• Assertion - convention
• Claim
• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - fact
• Assertion - preference

Which of these statements are supporting details? I. But they face certain problems which cannot be discussed with his relatives – in whatever relation they may stand and here is the need of a friend, of course a true friend. There is no matter which cannot be discussed with a friend. II. Friendship is seen even among animals. III. Men of similar moral idea irrespective of social, cultural, educational and financial idea may grow true friendship.

• Only II is a supporting detail
• All three are supporting details
• Both I and III are supporting details
• Both II and III are supporting details

Identify the topic sentence.

• it was not stated in the given paragraph
• A
• D
• B
• C

The most common method of discovering a topic.

• Brainstorming

Which of the following is not a proposed solution of the author?


• Install anti-virus programs that could prevent potential malware.
• Governments ensure adequate legislation and controls over website access

• Parents should monitor the online activities of their children

• Building of onsite IT security systems for companies
• 


Which of the following is the best test of friendship?

• All of the choices
• Prosperity
• Adversity
• Misunderstanding

Which of the following statements is true?

• Organizing is when you express your thoughts in comprehensible sentences
• You must come up with all the possible ideas from the pre-writing stage.
• Brainstorming shows relationships among a variety of ideas
• You may choose to find a topic that only a handful people are interested in.

Which of the following questions is not beneficial in exploring your topic?

• How does the issue relate to other public issues?
• Why is it an issue or problem at all?
• At what place is the cause or effect of the problem most visible?
• When is the issue most apparent?

A critique must contain the following parts except for:

• comparison with other relevant works
• explanation of its relationship with other works
• thorough discussion of the theme
• abstract
• well-supported evaluation of the work

1. The topic sentence in the paragraph is sentence number __.

• three

Read the following narrative essay: Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.” (Source: http://examples.yourdictionary.com/narrative-essay-examples.html#eJbghHSKyA7cV5Mm.99) The writer presented what point of view?

• Second person
• A mix of all the kinds
• Third person
• First person

The main aim of descriptive paragraphs is to describe a particular thing as accurately as possible.

• False

Complete the following sentence: "Writing without __ is like a human body without skeleton; writing without ___________ is like a skeleton with no flesh."

• form and content
• Separate your answers with the word "and."

A review of Harry Potter contains the following passage:

• What is the overall theme of the story?
• How did the story progress?
• What is the climax of the story?
• What is the conflict of the story?

Which step in the writing process includes correcting mechanical errors and filtering the information needed to get your point across?

• Organizing
• Revising
• Writing
• Editing

Time is gold.

• Claim of value
• Claim of policy
• Claim of fact

During your first two days in a hostel, you can meet more new people than you did throughout your whole last year of office work.

• Claim of value
• Claim of policy
• Claim of fact

This is achieved through an accumulation of a variety of texts connecting to a single text to form a meaning. What is being described?

• Hypertext
• Context
• Intertext

You will identify this through taking notes and paraphrasing the key points.

• What a text does
• What a text says
• What a text means

This is where you identify the climax of the story.

• point of view
• setting
• plot
• conflict

Often mistaken as a plagiarized passage.

• Context
• Hypertext
• Intertext

The term that refers to the consequences or events caused by the climax.

• Falling action

In the analysis of a written text, in what element does the following question fall? How does this statement relate to the other parts of the text? Select one:

Which of the following sentences is not coherent?

• The whisper of leaves, the gurgle of water, and the chirp of birds made me feel peaceful.
• For the meeting, everybody was required to be silent, serious, and responsible.
• Summer is the smell of mowed grass, the sound of outdoor concerts, and the way grilled hamburgers taste.
• Succeeding at team sports requires conscientiousness, discipline, and cooperation.

This is one of the terms used in writing narratives that refers to the outcome of the characters’ actions.

• Climax
• Ending
• Rising action
• Resolution
• Conclusion
• Falling action

Tell which figure of speech is used in the following sentences. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

• Hyperbole

This is portrayed by the use paraphrasing another author's statement. What is being described?

• Intertext
• Context
• Hypertext

In brainstorming, you must find the related ideas to the topic you have in mind and link it to subtopics.

• false

St. Thomas Aquinas gave five proofs for God’s existence. The first two are cosmological: there can be no uncaused cause, so the universe could not have created itself, so there must be a first cause/prime mover, (Appiah, 2003, p. 322), which he calls “God.” This, in my view, does not prove anything. He is saying the universe cannot have come from nothing, but its creator can. If God is an exception to the “no uncaused cause” rule, why cannot the universe be? (Russell, 1927).

• Assertion - convention
• Counterclaim
• Assertion - fact
• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - preference
• Claim

Which is the usual format followed in sending an application letter via email?

• position, name
• position, company, name
• name, position
• name, position, company

There are terms that are defined by the author’s perspective and experiences. What are these terms called?

• Comparison
• Connotation
• Contrast
• Denotation

In evaluating an article, it is important for it to be generally unknown so you can grab the reader's attention.

• True
• False

Which step in the writing process includes expressing ideas in sentences and paragraphs?

• Writing
• Editing
• Revising
• Organizing

A review of the Twilight Saga contains the following passage:

• What are some notable scenes in the story that the author would like to highlight?
• How did the author make the story interesting?
• What is the weakness of the plot?
• What is the high point of the story?

This informs the recipient of what the project aims to achieve.

• goals and objectives
• significance
• project plan
• resources

These are the circumstances surrounding a topic. What is being described?

• Intertext
• Hypertext
• Context

The logical transition of one sentence or paragraph to another.

• Consistency

Pre-writing requires an __ mind.

• open

Which among the following choices is the most suitable/strongest inference for the given sentence? "Drug use is detrimental to society."

• More people are often lured into using drugs and drug lords haven't been captured.
• There has been multiple instances and cases displaying the dire consequences of drugs on people.
• The government is eradicating the use of drugs through the establishment of new policies.
• The number of drug-related cases are increasing every year.

Read the following narrative essay: In blistering Nebraska, it was America’s Independence Day. As usual on every Independence Day since I was five years old, George and Terry, my two best friends, and I, went on a manly picnic. I diligently carried out my household chores, packed my picnic bag and off I went to collect my friends by way of bicycle. It is going to be an awesome day, I thought to myself as I sped down my neighborhood street on my beat-up blue Schwinn. (Source: https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/narrative/life-long-best-friends.html#sthash.WqammaPC.dpuf) ; The writer presented what point of view?

• A mix of all the kinds
• Second person
• Third person
• First person

At least 25 percent of the federal budget should be spent on helping upgrade business to clean technologies, researching renewable energy sources, and planting more trees in order to control or eliminate pollution.

• Claim of fact
• Claim of value
• Claim of policy

For political correctness to achieve its goals, too many words have to be banned.

• Claim of value
• Claim of policy
• Claim of fact

Each level of an outline must have same grammatical structures.

• Parallel structure

The part of a project proposal that gives the funding details.

• resources
• budget
• project plan
• preparation

Identify the part of the research report where the following passage falls:

• Limitations
• Introduction
• Research question or hypotheses
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• Review of Literature
• Discussion
• Methods
• Abstract
• Results

IDENTIFICATION:

Which among the following choices is the most suitable/strongest inference for the given sentence? "This group has garnered the most music awards for this year."

• They have received multiple awards from different award-giving bodies.
• They produced more songs this year than the previous years.
• They were overjoyed that they held concerts all over the world.

Read the following paragraph and identify what type of description is used:

Insomnia affects not only the mind, but also the body in ways no less devastating; specifically, according to a study conducted by the University of Chicago, sleep deprivation is closely connected to the reduced control of blood-sugar levels.

• Assertion - preference
• Assertion - fact
• Claim
• Assertion - convention
• Assertion - opinion
• Counterclaim

Tell which figure of speech is used in the following sentences. Her eyes were like fireflies.

• simile

Which step in writing process includes coming up with ideas for you to write?

• Pre-writing
• Revising
• Writing
• Organizing

_________ is the outcome of the events and the character’s actions.

• Resolution
• Climax
• Exposition
• Rising action

Which step in the writing process includes checking for errors of your work?

• Writing
• Editing
• Revising
• Organizing

Stories about being abducted by aliens are frightening, because knowing the size of the Universe, one can never be sure that aliens do not exist, or that their intentions are non-hostile.

• Claim of fact
• Claim of policy
• Claim of value

The element of a paragraph that gives life to the characters and gives sense to the setting.

• plot

A pre-writing strategy which is the process of pouring out all your thoughts nonstop in an exact order, language and form as you think them.

• Brainstorming
• Looping
• Clustering
• Freewriting

This refers to the logical transition of one sentence or paragraph to another

• consistency

Nordquist suggested the structure of paragraphs in a problem-solution essay to serve as a guide on what to include in that type of essay. Which of the following is the elaboration of the problems and the search for the solution?

• Solution Paragraph
• Introduction
• Conclusion
• Problem Paragraph

Read the given paragraph below:

Where did the story take place and how does it relate to the story?

• dialogue
• point of view
• theme
• plot
• setting

This can be divided into static (or something prepared or stored in advance) or dynamic (something that continually changes). What is being described?

• Intertext
• Hypertext
• Context

Descriptive paragraphs may or may not appeal to the five senses of the readers.

• False

Too much alcohol may cause a lot of heart-related diseases.

• Claim of value
• Claim of fact
• Claim of policy

Based on the paragraph, why are true friendships rarely seen?

• Because true friendships depend upon selection of a friend.
• Because it’s not easy to find friends.
• Because some people make friends too fast.
• Because many people today are fake friends.

Which of the following statements is true about the three main principles in developing classification paragraphs?

• None of the statements are correct.
• Both Statement II and Statement III are correct
• Only Statement II is correct
• All of the statements are correct.

More and more employers are looking into volunteering experiences than personal skills.

• True
• False

The sequential flow of ideas in a sentence.

• Coherence

Of course, any book can be described like this; for example, the plot of “The Lord of the Rings” can be described even in a shorter way: “Four guys go to a dangerous land to defeat ancient evil by destroying an important artifact, and their friends help them.” However, unlike Tolkien’s novel, Twilight has nothing to offer to a reader except the events described in the previous paragraph. This is ridiculous, considering four published books, some sort of online encyclopedia, and movies.

• Assertion - fact
• Assertion - preference
• Claim
• Counterclaim
• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - convention

Tell which figure of speech is used in the following sentences. The leaves of the trees waved in the wind.

• Personification

The rising action refers to events caused by the climax.

• false

Refer to the given paragraph below, entitled “Picturing Don Quixote”: Seventeenth-century images emphasized the title character’s pompous folly as well as the often rough-and-tumble action of many episodes. The windmill scene, in which Don Quixote mistakes the technology that grinds the grain produced in the semi-arid Manchegan landscape for giants, became immediately iconic. The first representation of the scene appears in a Frankfurt edition of 1648, in which the windmill sail stabs Don Quixote. (Source: https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/descriptive/don-quixote.html#sthash.QIzJXYhQ.dpuf) What type of description is used in the paragraph?

• Subjective description

The step in writing a research report wherein you formulate questions related to the topic.

• choosing a topic
• writing a thesis statement
• planning the research
• making reference cards

Is the conclusion positive or negative?


• Neutral

• The essay does not imply so.
• No

• Yes


Studying is a necessity rather than a privilege.

• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - convention
• Assertion - fact
• Assertion - preference
• Claim
• Counterclaim

Read the following narrative essay: I can remember my first ascension to a mountain top well. It happened about three years ago, when it was autumn, and the weather in the mountains was gloomy. My friends offered me to travel to the western Carpathian Mountains, and after a short period of hesitation, I accepted their invitation. There was nothing much to do for me at the time, so I thought a change of surrounding would only be of use to me. (Source: https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/narrative/ What narrative device was used in the paragraph?

• Flashback

In the analysis of a written text, in what element does the following question fall? What is the author trying to emphasize in the text?

• Author/s
• Drawing Conclusions
• Audience
• Purpose/Context
• Topic and position

In writing a critique, focus on the flaws of the text.

• False
• True

One advantage of volunteering is meeting new people. Which of the following is not one of the benefits it could yield?

• new skills to acquire from people in other fields
• career opportunities
• have companions for future volunteer work
• make friends with the same conditions as you

Learning to write is a __ process.

• sequential

A story cannot be without a foundation. The writer gives the readers a view of what has happened to the characters in the past and how they came to be. Which narrative device is used to show these parts of the story?

• Flashback
• Dialogue
• Backstory
• Foreshadowing

It is in bad taste to stress your interest in applying for the job in the company.

• False
• True

What happens in the story that changed the course of the character/s?

• conflict
• dialogue
• plot
• character

A stage in writing where you look for any mechanical errors.

• Editing
• Revising
• Writing the final draft
• Rereading
• Writing

The intent of dividing items into groups.

• Exclusiveness

There are different interpretations of a single literature. There may be similarities in some but there will always be differences.

• False
• True

Which narrative device is used by the writer to present hints to future events?

• Foreshadowing
• Backstory
• Dialogue
• Flashback

Identify which part of the resume the following information belongs to:

• Opening statement
• Key skills
• Contact details
• Personal attributes
• Employment history
• Educational qualifications
• Reference
• Technical/software skills

Refer to the given paragraph below on The Great Wall of China: The Great Wall, or Chang Cheng in Chinese, is massive. It begins in the east at the Yellow Sea, travels near China’s capital, Beijing, and continues west through numerous provinces. For thousands of miles, it winds like a snake through China’s varied terrain. Smaller walls extend from the main wall. According to conservative estimates, the Great Wall’s length is approximately 2,400 miles, its thickness ranges from 15-30 feet wide, and it reaches in height to about 25 feet. (Source: https://academichelp.net/samples/academics/essays/descriptive/chinese-wall.html#sthash.R7jNMNo9.dpuf) What type of description is used in the paragraph?

• descriptive

Rowling created truly vivid characters; however, not all of them revealed their potential from the very beginning. Surprisingly, the one who truly took his time before finally showing his personality was Harry. Whereas Ron, Hermione, Draco, Snape, and other characters possessed vivid and readable personalities from the very beginning, for a long time, Harry remains some kind of an “event-trigger,” whose main goal is to move the story forward.

• Counterclaim
• Claim
• Assertion - fact
• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - preference
• Assertion - convention

Defense mechanisms are numerous, and each person has a set of their own.

• Defense mechanisms are numerous, and each person has a set of their own.
• Select one:
• Claim of fact
• Claim of policy
• Claim of value

Which among the set of sentences is most appropriate to be the 4th sentence?

• D
• E
• C
• B
• A
• F

_________ is the formal definition of a term.

• Connotation
• Comparison
• Contrast
• Denotation

3. Give one signal word from the paragraph, indicating space, location and place. __.

• amid

Many high school graduates simply do not have an opportunity to continue their education right away (Saiz, Report on Education to Career Conversion).

• Assertion - opinion
• Assertion - preference
• Assertion - convention
• Counterclaim
• Assertion - fact
• Claim

This identifies what type of research it is going to be.

• Methods
• Research questions/hypothesis
• Review of Literature
• Introduction

What type of figure of speech is used in the following sentence?

• Simile
• Hyperbole
• Metaphor
• Personification

Tell which figure of speech is used in the following sentences. Laughter is music for the soul.

• Metaphor

_________ shows the formation of the word and how it has evolved through time.

• Comparison
• Connotation
• Denotation
• Etymology

What did the main idea of the story make you feel as the reader? Identify what is described.

• conflict
• theme
• dialogue
• character

Prior research about the company you're applying for helps in composing your application letter.

• True
• False

The highest point in a story.

• Climax