Practice 1

Look at the following groups of words. Underline the broadest topic in each
line.
1. notebook pen school supplies highlighter eraser pencil
2. California Pennsylvania New York United States Texas
3. tennis racket basketball hoop sports equipment basketball net
4. entertainer film actors Brad Pittcomedian actors
5. bushes bushes with flowers roses white roses red roses
6. whales dolphins sharks sea creatures octopus
7. pistachios cashews nuts almonds pecans
8. physiology anatomy kinesiology neurology medical subjects
biochemistry
9. flippers water sports face mask surf board goggles
10. The Pearl Reading for Pleasure Night The Chocolate War
The Old Man and the Sea
Practice 2
Identify these groups of sentences below, which one is paragraph and not
paragraph.

Paragraph 1
Iceland is not a place for the ordinary tourist. The landscape, first of
all, is bare and strange— though many consider it beautiful, too. Then, too the
far northern climate is not ideal for tourism. The winter weather is extremely
severe and the summers are short and cool, with constant strong winds. The
remote location also means that many products have to be imported and so they
are expensive. However, the few tourists who do put up with these difficulties
are warmly welcomed by the Icelanders.
Is this a paragraph? If yes, what is the topic?
- Yes, the given text is a paragraph. The topic of the paragraph appears to be
tourism in Iceland, highlighting some of the challenges and unique characteristics
of the destination.

Paragraph 2
The two peoples of Belgium— the Flemish and the Walloons— are
divided by language, culture, and economics. Hotels in Brussels are expensive,
so most young travelers stay in youth hostels or student hotels. In Antwerp, the
home of Rubens, you can visit the house where he lived and worked.
Throughout the centuries, Belgium has been the scene of many terrible battles
between world powers. In many parts of the world, the Belgians are best
known for their chocolate and their beer. Ships to England leave either from
Oostende or from Zeebrugge.
Is this a paragraph? If yes, what is the topic?
- No, because all the sentences are not related to each other. every sentences are
talking about different topic.

Paragraph 3
If you are a first-time borrower and have no credit history, it may be
difficult to get a bank loan. Another way to raise the money is to sell bonds. A
bond is just a loan from investors. One way to find out about your credit history
is to get a credit report. Your bank can direct you where to get one, or you can
look online for credit reports. In the United States, credit unions typically
charge lower interest rates on loans and pay higher interest dividends on
savings accounts than most banks. It is recommended that consumers check
their credit history once every two or three years.
Is this a paragraph? If yes, what is the topic?
- Yes, the paragraph is talking about bank loan and credit history.
Practice 3
Read each of the following paragraphs and define the main idea.

Modern Trends in Management

The “idea box is a useful concept in management. It was first introduced in
the early 20th century by Kodak in the United States and Michelin in France.
The managers of these companies used idea boxes to collect suggestions from
employees about improving production. Today the idea box is not used much in
the United States or Europe. However, it is used a lot in Japan. Japanese
managers have found it to be a very valuable resource. Employees often know
more than managers about the details of production. In the long run, their
suggestions can make a real difference to the company. Employees who offer
useful ideas may receive extra money in their paychecks.
In a recent study, researchers
interviewed 1,500 business managers
in the United States. They asked all
kinds of questions about the managers’
habits and opinions regarding their
work. The researchers learned that only
33% of the managers worked 4-45
hours. The majority of them (57%)
worked from 46-60 hours a week and
6% worked over 60 hours. Only 2% of
the managers said they felt satisfied
and had enough time to do everything.
The rest of the managers felt they did
not have enough time for their families
or their hobbies. The study showed that
American managers are generally not
happy with their working schedules.
At present, some managers spend
much of their working time at home,
especially those who work a lot on
computers. They can send their work to the company by fax or by direct
computer connections. There are many advantages to working at home,
including more flexible hours and better productivity. “Home managers” also
save time and money they would have spent on transportation. The
disadvantages may be the difficulty in organizing work and the loss of direct
contact with colleagues. In the future, many more managers will be able to
work at home, thanks to modern technology and telecommunication.

Source: More Reading Power. 1996. Mikulecky & Jeffries

s
1. Main idea of paragraph 1: The idea box is a useful concept in management.
2. Main idea of paragraph 2: They study showed that american managers are generally not happy with
their working schedule.
3. Main idea of paragraph 3: There are many advantages to working at home, including more flexible
hours and better productivity.