Topics

4
What is a topic?

When you read for the meaning, you should begin by looking for the topic. This helps you
connect what you read to what you already know. In order to find the topic, ask yourself:
“What is this about? What is the general idea?”
Example a:
In the group of words below, one of the words is the topic for all the other words. Circle the topic.
blue pink black green color red
The topic is color. All of the other words are examples of the topic.

Example b:
In the group of words below, one of the words is the topic for all the other words. Circle the topic.
foundation building walls doors windows floors roofs
The topic is building. All of the other words are part of a building.

Exercise 1

In each group of words, circle the word which is the best topic for all the other words. Work
as fast as you can.

1. concrete ✔ cement water gravel

2. basalt granite marble stone ✔

3. aluminium metals ✔ copper stainless steel

4. rectangle shape ✔ circle triangle

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 Exercise 2

In this exercise, the topic is not included in each group of words. Write the topic above the
words.

tools
1. Topic: _____________________
rivet splice screw nail

room
2. Topic: _____________________
Living room kitchen bedroom bathroom

shape
3. Topic: _____________________
cube dome cone pyramid

building
4. Topic: _____________________
bridges dams buildings highways

material
5. Topic: _____________________
sand water cement lime

Exercise 3

In this exercise, the topics are given. Write a list of things that fit the topic.

Topic 1: non-metals
sand wood
dirt stone

Topic 2: structural materials

water cement

sand steel

Topic 3: water sources

river lake
well water springs

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 Topic 4: additives
caffeine MSG
saccharin marijuana

Topic 5: recyclable materials

plastic steel

paper rubber

Exercise 4

Which term does not belong in the list? Think of a topic for each group of words. Note that
one of the words in each group must be crossed out because it does not fit in the topic.

vehicle. traffic(X)
1. Topic: _____________________
traffic motorcycle truck plane train car

contruction tools. bicycle(X)

2. Topic: _____________________
digger back hoe crane bicycle bulldozer truck

3. Topic: building. river(X)

_____________________
hotel river house station tower museum

nature. garbage(X)
4. Topic: _____________________
rain evaporation sun garbage water condensation

land vehicle. plane(X)

5. Topic: _____________________

truck bus plane car motorcycle

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 Topics of Paragraphs
5
What is a paragraph?

Here are two groups of sentences that look like paragraphs. Read both of them carefully.
Are they both paragraphs?

Example a:
Robot is a mechanical or artificial agent that uses electromechanical machine and is guided
by a computer program. Robot may vary in size and price and can be found nearly in all sectors.
Children are not allowed to play with harmful toys since they can lead to unexpected accident.
Parents’ supervision is essential to keep out their children from any dangerous toys.
Is this a paragraph?

Example b:
Robot is a mechanical or artificial agent that uses electromechanical machine and is guided by a
computer program. The word ‘robot’ itself was used to indicate a fictional humanoid in 1920 play
by Karel Capek, R.U.R. However, Karel Capek’s brother was the first who coined the word. Robots
are generally used to replace humans in performing several tasks due to several factors, such as
extreme workplace and hazardous tasks which are beyond humans’ capability.
Is this a paragraph?
What is the difference between Example a and Example b?

A paragraph is a group of sentences that are all about the same thing. That is, they all have the same
topic. Example a is not a paragraph because the sentences are about robot and children toys.
Together, the sentences make no sense.
Example b is a paragraph because all the sentences are about the explanation of robot in general.

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 Recognizing the topic of a paragraph

When you read a paragraph, you should always ask yourself, “What is this about?” That question
will lead you to the topic of the paragraph.

Example a:
What is this paragraph about?
Nowadays, drone has been widely known and considered as a cutting-edge technology that
comes in handy for several applications. Its small shape and unique design has made many people
rely on it. Although drone is firstly used in military usage, some people now operate it to perform
other tasks, like delivering some objects, such as food, letters, or packages efficiently without being
stuck at traffic, taking aerial photograph, and many more.
Which is the most suitable topic for the paragraph above?
a. Drone in military usage
b. The applications of drone
c. The drone technology

Explanation: the best topic is b. It tells best the paragraph is about. Choice a, drone in military
usage is too specific. This idea is only a part of the paragraph. Choice c, is too general. It includes
many possible ideas that are not in the paragraph.

Stating the topic of a paragraph

Example:
The decimation of indigenous people around the world has been triggered by multiple
factors. One of which is European colonialism in which many indigenous people were enforced to
assimilate with western culture. These people were isolated from the outside world and even given
disease to decrease the population. Another factor is the desire to take over their land and natural
resources. Brazilian government, for example, decides to build mega project of five dams in Xingu
River. This decision is likely to affect the life of tribal people surrounding it by flooding and
demolishing their land.

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Explanation: A good topic for this paragraph would be “Factors of the decimation of indigenous
people”. If you wrote something similar, that is okay, too. “Indigenous people” is too general.
“European colonialism as a factor of the decimation of indigenous people” is too specific.

Finding the Topic Sentence

Many paragraphs include a topic sentence that tells the topic of the paragraph. Read this
paragraph and underline the topic.
Most of us think that railways are a modern invention; however, it is not true. People have
used rails to transport things and people for a long time. In the past, rails were made of wood, stone
or metal, and railway wagons were pulled by horses, some were even wind powered and had sails.
At the start of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, people needed to transport raw materials such as
coal, so created a network of canals and rail links between towns. However, canals and horsepower
were a very slow way to move things around the country, so the speed of railway wagons needed
to be increased.

The topic is stated in the topic sentence: Most of us think that railways are a modern invention;
however, it is not true. The other sentences in the paragraph explain and give details about the topic.

Exercise 1

Read the paragraphs. Underline the topic sentence that fits the paragraph best. Then, write
the topic. (the topic is in the form of phrases only)

A
A bridge design that best serves the public interest should achieve three goals: to be as
efficient, as economical, and as elegant as is safely possible. Efficiency is a scientific principle that
puts a value on reducing materials while increasing performance. Economy is a social principle that
puts value on reducing the costs of construction and maintenance while retaining efficiency. Finally,
elegance is a symbolic or visual principle that puts value on the personal expression of the designer
without compromising performance or economy. There is little disagreement over
what constitutes efficiency and economy, but the definition of elegance has always been
controversial. (https://www.britannica.com/technology/bridge-engineering)
Topic: A bridge design that best serves the public interest should achieve three goals: to
be as efficient, as economical, and as elegant as is safely possible

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B
New techniques in tunneling were introduced in 1995. The techniques aim to help more
efficiently with difficult ground conditions or difficult projects. Foam was injected into the
excavation chamber of soft-ground earth pressure balance (EPB) pressurized tunnel-boring
machines (TBMs) to balance the pressure within the water-bearing soils. The purpose behind this
operation was to decrease the permeability of the soil and to give it same consistency for better
extrusion through the screw conveyor of the EPB technique. Consisting mostly of air, the foam
bubbles eventually would disappear, leaving a slightly moist, easily handled soil.
( https://www.britannica.com )
Topic: New techniques in tunneling aim to help more efficiently with difficult ground
conditions or difficult projects.

C
There is a lively architectural debate about who invented the skyscraper. William Le Baron
Jenney’s 138-foot Home Insurance Building, built in Chicago in 1885, is often seen as the first true
skyscraper. However, Jenney’s skyscraper didn’t have a complete steel skeleton. It just had two
iron-reinforced walls. Another tall building in Chicago, such as the Montauk Building by Daniel
Burnham and John Root, had already used steel reinforcement. Industrial structures, like the
McCullough Shot and Lead Tower in New York and the St. Ouen dock warehouse near Paris, had
used iron frames decades before. ( https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine )
Topic: William Le Baron Jenney’s 138-foot Home Insurance Building, built in Chicago in
1885, is often seen as the first true skyscraper

D
Motor generator, also called Motor-generator Set, is an electric motor coupled to an electric
generator to change electric power from one form to another. The motor operates from the available
electric power source, and the generator provides power of the characteristics desired for the load.
For example, a set may be designed to change commercially available alternating current to direct
current, as in some welding applications; or it may provide high-frequency alternating current power
for induction heating. Such a combination has been termed a dynamotor. In some sets, there may
be more than one coupled generator. Motor generator is also used to denote an electric generator
and a driving motor, such as a gasoline or diesel engine.
Topic: Motor generator, also called Motor-generator Set, is an electric motor coupled to
an electric generator to change electric power from one form to another.

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E
The costs of providing mass transportation services are of two types, capital and operating.
Capital costs include the costs of land, guideways, structures, stations, and rolling stock (vehicles);
operating costs include labour to operate the vehicles, maintain the system, and manage the
enterprise; energy; replacement parts; and liability costs (or insurance). The principal factors
affecting the cost of providing mass transportation service are the type of technology used,
particularly the nature of the guideway; the extent or size of the system, measured in terms of the
length of the routes; and the peak passenger demand.
Topic: The costs of providing mass transportation services are of two types, capital and
operating.

F
Sanitary landfill is a method of controlled disposal of municipal solid waste on land. The
method was introduced in England in 1912. Waste is deposited in thin layers and compacted by
heavy machinery (e.g., bulldozers). Then several layers are placed and compacted on top of each
other to form a refuse cell. At the end of each day, the compacted refuse cell is covered with a layer
of compacted soil to prevent odours and windblown debris. All modern landfill sites are carefully
selected and prepared to prevent pollution of groundwater or other environmental problems. When
the landfill is completed, it is capped with a layer of clay or a synthetic liner in order to prevent
water from entering.
Topic: Sanitary landfill is a method of controlled disposal of municipal solid waste on
land.

G
Highways in polar areas have certain characteristics. They are relatively few and mainly
unpaved. They are subject to subsidence by thawing of permafrost in summer, frost heaving in
winter, and loss of bearing strength on fine-grained sediments in summer. Constant grading of
gravel roads permits maintenance of a relatively smooth highway. Where the road is paved over
ice-rich permafrost, the roadway becomes rough and is much more costly to maintain than are
unpaved roads. Many of the paved roads in polar areas have required resurfacing two or three times
in a 10-year period.
Topic:
Many of the paved roads in polar areas have required resurfacing two or three
times in a 10-year period.

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 Exercise 2

Write the paragraph based on the topics below.

1. Effects of Littering

Littering implies careless and improper disposal of trash. It can be any rubbish carelessly
thrown away such as candy wrappers, plastic wrappers, plastic bottles, chewed gum,
cigarette butt, and the list is endless. Littering can also be referred to as a thoughtless
action done by an individual who is more self-centered and doing only what is
convenient for him/herself without regard for the people around him or the environment.

2. Advantages of Exercise

Exercise is a train-program to help us reach what we want to be. it can be like

weightlifting in the gym or swimming in the pool. exercise not only train muscle but also
brain as well like train reflects or problems-solving

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3. Benefits of Reading Books
reading books can make us smart and full of knowledge. if you reading at the library, it
not just improves your intelligence buat also improves your social skills, because you
met a lot of people with the same or no idea. reading books also can make you feel
more comfortable or more relaxing.

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