Canoeing is the best way to relax and relieve your

stress. Gliding across a still lake on a summer day,

nothing but silence and bird songs will break the quiet
and interrupt your thoughts. In addition, the slow
rhythmic strokes of the paddle can help you unwind so
that all your troubles will
fade into the background. Canoeing has its
most soothing effect when you can lie back in
the middle of a deserted lake and stare up at
nothing more complicated than a bright
cloudless sky. Canoeing always makes you feel
comfortable with your life.

1. What is the general topic of this paragraph?

2. What is the main idea? (the writer’s opinion)
3. What are the three things that support the writer’s opinion?
4. What examples strengthen these supports?
5. How does the writer link the supports together? Be specific.
6. What is the conclusion?
7. Make a list of other words in the paragraph that relate to stress
and relaxation.
8. Now check your answers with the key in the back of this module. Your
answers may vary slightly. If you are unsure whether you have
answered the questions properly, check with your instructor.