PERSONAL ASSIGNMENT 2

(WEEK 4 / SESSION 5)
(120 minutes)
Resource: LN and PPT Week 3, 4 Session 4, 5

A. Reading Skill 3 and 4 (10 Points)

Study the passage and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.

Theodore Dreiser

(1) [1A] Theodore Dreiser, the American author best known for the novel Sister Carrie
(1912), introduced a powerful style of writing that had a profound influence on the writers that
followed him, from Steinbeck to Fitzgerald and Hemingway. [1B] It was in Sister Carrie that
Theodore Dreiser created a fictional account that laid bare, the harsh reality of life in the big city
and in which Dreiser established himself as the architect of e new genre. [1C]
(2) Dreiser was born in 1871 into a large family whose fortunes had in the recent past taken a
dramatic turn for the worse. Before Theodore’s birth, his father had built up a successful factory
business only to lose it to a fire. [4A] The family was rather abruptly thrust into poverty, and
Theodore spent his youth moving from place to place in the Midwest as the family tried
desperately to reestablish itself financially. [4B] He left home at the age of sixteen. [4C] After
earning some money, he spent a year at Indiana University but left school and returned to
Chicago, yearning for the glamour and excitement that it offered. [4D] At the age of twenty-two,
he began work as a reporter for a small newspaper in Chicago, the Daily Globe, and later worked
on newspapers in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Saint Louis, and New York City. In his work as a
reporter, he was witness to the seamier side of life and was responsible for recording events that
befell the less fortunate in the city, the beggars, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, and the working
poor.
(3) [5A] Dreiser first tried his hand at fiction by writing short stories rather than novels, and
the first four short stories that he wrote were published. [5B] Based on this, he was encouraged
to write a novel that would accurately depict the harsh life of the city, and the novel Sister Carrie
was the result of his effort. [5C] This novel chronicles the life of Carrie Meeber, a small-town
girl who goes to Chicago in a quest for fame and fortune. [5D] As Carrie progresses from factory
worker to Broadway star by manipulating anyone in her path, Dreiser sends a clear message
about the tragedy of life that is devoted purely to the quest for money.
(4) Sister Carrie, unfortunately for Dreiser, did not achieve immediate success. [7A] The
novel was accepted for publication by Doubleday, but Dreiser was immediately asked to make
major revisions to the novel. [7B] When Dreiser refused to make the revisions. Doubleday
published only a limited number of copies of the book and refused to promote or advertise it.
[7C] Published in limited release and without the backing of the company, the novel was a
dismal failure, selling fewer than 500 copies. [7D]

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(5) After the failure of the novel that was so meaningful to him, Dreiser suffered a nervous
breakdown; he was depressed, stricken with severe headaches, and unable to sleep for days to
end. Having sunk to a point where he was considering suicide, he was sent by his brother to a
sanatorium in White Plains, New York, where he eventually recovered. [10A] After leaving the
sanatorium, he took a position as an editor for Butterick’s. [10B] He was successful in this
position, and was eventually able to purchase a one-third interest in a new publishing company,
B. W. Dodge, which republished Dreiser’s novel Sister Carrie. [10C] This new release of the
novel proved considerably more successful than the first release had been. [10D] In its first year,
the reissued version of Sister Carrie sold 4,500 copies, with strong reviews, and the next year it
sold more than 10,000 copies. The recognition that accompanied the success of the novel was
based not only the power of the description of the perils of urban life but also on the new trend in
literature that Dreiser was credited with establishing.

Questions
1. Look at the three squares [ ] that indicate where the following sentence can be added to
paragraph 1.
This forceful first novel set a new path for American novels at the turn of the last
century.
Choose the appropriate square [1A]/ [1B]/ [1C] to add the sentence to the passage.
Answer : [1C]
2. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the first highlighted
sentence in paragraph 2?
Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. Dreiser’s family had formerly been rich before it had become poor.
B. Dreiser was, unfortunately, born into a overly dramatic family.
C. The fortunes of Dreiser’s family had recently increased.
D. Members of Dreiser’s family suffered from the serious effects of a disease.
Answer : A
3. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the second highlighted
sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential iformation.
A. Dreiser served as a witness in a number of trials that involved beggars, alcoholics, and
prostitutes.
B. Dreiser observed and wrote about the poorer classes as part of his newspaper job.
C. In New York City, during Dreiser’s time, there were many people who were less
fortunate than Dreisers.
D. Dreiser’s work involved working with beggars, alcoholics, and prostitutes.
Answer : B
4. Look at the four squares [ ] that indicate where for following sentences can be added to
paragraph 2.
At this young age, he moved alone to Chicago and supported himself by taking odd
jobs.
Choose the appropriate square [4A]/ [4B]/ [4C]/ [4D] to add the sentence to the passage.

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 Answer : [4C]
5. Look at the four squares [ ] that indicate where for following sentences can be added to
paragraph 3.
It was rather unusual for a novice writer to achieve so much so quickly.
Choose the appropriate square [5A]/ [5B]/ [5C]/ [5D] to add the sentence to the passage.
Answer : [5B]
6. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence
in paragraph 3? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out
essential iformation.
A. Dreiser devoted his life primarily to trying to become rich.
B. In Dreiser’s novel, Carrie succceeds by moving from a low-level job to stardom.
C. Dreiser used one of his characters to demonstrate the negative aspects of lust for money.
D. Dreiser tried to warn Carrie that she was taking the wrong path in life.
Answer : C

7. Look at the four squares [ ] that indicate where for following sentences can be added to
paragraph 4.
These changes were intended to tone down some of the starker and more scandalous
descriptions.
Choose the appropriate square [7A]/ [7B]/ [7C]/ [7D] to add the sentence to the passage.
Answer : [7B]

8. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the first highlighted
sentence in paragraph 5? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential iformation.
A. Dreiser recovered from an attemppted suicide at a sanatorium.
B. Dreiser’s brother went to a sanatorium after attempting suicide.
C. After being sent to a sanatorium, Dreiser considered committing sucide.
D. Dreiser’s brother stepped in to help Dreiser after Dreiser became depressed.
Answer : D
9. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the second highlighted
sentence in paragraph 5? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave
out essential iformation.
A. In Dreiser’s novels, he recognized the power of urban life and new trends that existed in
it.
B. The success of Dreiser’s novel went unrecognized because it represented such a new
trend in literature.
C. Dreiser credited his urban upbringing and literaly background for the success that his
novel achieved.
D. Dreiser achieved acclaim because his writing was so powerful and because he established
a new trend.
Answer : D

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10. Look at the four squares [ ] that indicate where for following sentences can be added to
paragraph 5.
This company was one that published magazines to promote sewing and the sale of
clothing patterns.
Choose the appropriate square [10A]/ [10B]/ [10C]/ [10D] to add the sentence to the
passage.
Answer : [10B]

B. Listening Skill 3 (4 Points)

Listen to each passage and the questions that follow. Then choose the best answers to the
questions.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-4)

Listen as a student talks to a librarian.

1. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Why does the librariansay this:

A. To show that he is busy with someone else
B. To indicate that he is ready to help
C. To question why the student is there
D. To demonstrate that he is bothered by the question
Answer : B

2. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

What does the librarian mean when he says this:

A. He does need to know the age of the magazine.
B. He does not know why the student asked the question.
C. He wants to know why the question was asked.
D. He is not sure why the student needs the magazine.
Answer : A

3. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Why does the student say this:

A. She does not remember what she just said.
B. She realizes that she had just interrupted the professor.
C. She recognizes that she has just said something incorrect.
D. She does not understand what the librarian just said.
Answer : C

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4. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

What does the librarian mean when he says this:

A. His services are free of charge.
B. He has a lot of free time.
C. He wants the student to feel relaxed.
D. He is always eager to help.
Answer : C

C. Listening Skill 4 (6 Points)

Listen to each passage and the questions that follow. Then choose the best answers to the
questions.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)

Listen as an advisor discusses a student’s course load with the student.

1. Listen again to part of the discussion. Then answer the question.

How does the student seem to feel about taking the maximum number of courses?
A. It is too much work.
B. It is the best thing to do.
C. It is only done when necessary.
D. It is required in graduate school.
Answer : B

2. Listen again to part of the discussion. Then answer the question.

Which sentence best expresses what the advisor might say to the student?
A. “You really need to work harder in your classes.”
B. “Graduate schools prefer students who take a lot of classes.”
C. “You should do better work in fewer classes.”
D. “It’s important for you to take more classes.”
Answer : C

PASSAGE TWO (Question 3-4)

Listen to a conversation between two students.

3. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

How does the man seem to feel about the assignment?
A. It will be interesting.
B. It will be worth the effort.

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 C. It wll be impossible to do.
D. It will take a lot of effort.
Answer : D

4. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Which sentence best expresses how the woman feels about the assignment?
A. This assignment will be enjoyable.
B. It will be so hard to do this assignment correctly.
C. The assignment will take too much time.
D. It will be enjoyable to respond to the survey questions.
Answer : A

PASSAGE THREE (Question 5-6)

Listen to a conversation between two students and lecturer.

5. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Then answer the question.

A. It is too simple.
B. It is remarkably effective.
C. It is overly embellished.
D. It is unnatural.
Answer : B

6. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question.

Which sentence best expresses how the student seems to feel about the assignment?
A. “This sounds like a very creative assignment.”
B. “It always helps to do your best.”
C. “This is too complicated to do.”
D. “This isn’t one of my specialities.”
Answer : D

D. Writing: Agree Disagree Essay (80 Points)

Write a minimum 300 words of agree or disagree essay based on the following case:

Due to the massive expansion of supermarkets recently, many small local businesses are unable
to compete. It causes the closure of the local ones. Some people think that the situation will bring
about the death of local community. Do you agree or disagree with it? Give reasons and
examples to support your essay.

Notes:

- Write it in Times New Roman 12 and 1.5 line spacing

- Mind the originality of your work, no copy-paste and no plagiarism
- Cover your essay with an introduction, a thesis statement, main ideas and closing.
Good Luck

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First of all , I do agree about the statement that said about the situation that will bring about the
death of local community and now I will give my reasons and examples to support my
agreement.

Nowadays a lot of large business such as supermarkets have been improved faster and have
become widespread in the world, therefore a lot of small business have affected and lost the
ability to rival. Large number of people believe that closing like these small business will impact
negatively and might destroy the local communities. We can't deny that supermarkets are
preferable for people to fulfill people's daily needs. As we see the expansion of the supermarkets
in some countries, many local outlets are losing business. Some people believe that this situation
becomes one of the highest factors in closing the local community or we can say a small shop. I
agree with the argument that the supermarkets are dangerous for local businesses and local
communities. It seems supermarkets are able to make a better offer and provide a wide range of
products to customers because they have stronger bargaining power and different source of
supplies. Another reason people tend to shop in supermarkets is that there are always some
rewards associated with the purchases, such as fuel voucher. That is, small businesses can never
have that privilege for their customers. For a variety of reasons, several families that do not want
to buy products from local shops on account of the inadequacy of variety, and some people think
supermarket product rates are cheaper as compare to a local shop. While a small number of
people get attracted to the different schemes of supermarkets.

There are few reasons why people choose supermalls over local markets. People prefer a
hygienic and sophisticated environment over crowdie and traditional places to shop. Due to this
change in preference, consumers turn to supermarkets where they could get all quality products
they want at one place. Some people argue that this causes closure of local shops and in turn
local community. There are some grounds to valid their thinking. The first point to make is that,
most of the malls sell international goods, so local goods would not be the first choice for the
citizens which causes severe harm to the local business. For example, the popularity of the labels
like Nike and Adidas has put locally made clothes on extinction. The second point to make is
that, this extinction of local business could increase unemployment. People would leave the
region and deport to seek the employment which might cause the death of local community.

This has caused traditional markets to reduce their income and gradually disappear and even go
bankrupt. inversely proportional to supermarkets whose income is increasingly growing. In
conclusion, although large supermarkets are important in our life since and they supply us with
our needs, however small supermarkets are also important and we have to support them.

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