4. The cause(s) of a current problem in our country.

PRACTICE 4: Writing concluding sentences

Step 1 Underline the topic sentence in each paragraph. Step 2 Determine the main idea of each paragraph.

Step 3 Add a good concluding sentence to each. You may either paraphrase the

topic sentence or summarize the main points.

Step 4: Begin each concluding sentence with an end-of-paragraph signal.

Paragraph 1

You can reduce gas consumption in your car by careful driving and good maintenance. Don’t speed. Gas consumption is about 10 percent higher at 60 miles per hour than at 50 miles per hour and even greater at higher speeds. Avoid fast stops and starts because they wear your tires out in addition to using a lot of gas. Check your tire pressure often because underinflated tires reduce gas mileage considerably. Get your car tuned up regularly because an inefficiently operating engine results in inefficient fuel consumption___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Paragraph 2

Alternative energy resources are becoming increasingly attractive as the energy crisis becomes more severe. Solar heating systems, which use the sun’s radiation as a source of energy, are a promising alternative energy source. Nuclear power plants are already in operation in several parts of the country. Government and private industry are even investigating the possibility of capturing the power of ocean waves and tides for conversion into usable energy. Coal is once again becoming an acceptable fuel as the nation searches for solutions to the energy shortage. Even garbage is seen as a potential source of energy. In some communities, garbage is burned to heat buildings and light city.__________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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Paragraph 3

House construction in various parts of the world depends mainly on the availability of building materials. For example, the Eskimos, living in a treeless region of snow and ice, sometimes build temporary homes out of thick blocks of ice. People who live in deserts, on the other hand, use the most available material, mud or clay, which provides good insulation from the heat. In Northern Europe, Russia, and other areas of the world where forests are plentiful, people usually construct their homes out of wood, In the islands of the South Pacific, where there is a plentiful supply of bamboo and palm, people use these tough, fibrous plants to build their homes.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Paragraph 4

There are numerous everyday words in English that have come from other languages. Americans relaxing at home, for example, may put on kimonos, which is s Japanese word. Americans who live in a temperate climate may take an afternoon siesta on an outdoor patio, without even realizing that these are Spanish words. In their garden, they may enjoy the fragrance of jasmine flowers, a word that came into English from Persian. They may even relax on a chaise lounge while sipping a drink made with vodka, words of French and Russian origin, respectively. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Paragraph 5

There are two major differences between the European and American university systems. In European universities, students are not required to attend classes. In fact, professors in Germany generally do not know the names of the students enrolled in their courses. In the United States, however, students are required to attend all classes and may be penalized if they don’t. Furthermore, in the European system, there is usually just one comprehensive examination at the end of the students’ entire four or five years of study. In the American system, on the other hand, there are usually numerous quizzes, tests, and homework assignments, and there is almost always a final examination in each course at the end of the semester. _____________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

***********Writing Practice

A. Choose a topic from the list below and write a paragraph six to ten sentences in length

Step 1 Begin your paragraph with a good topic sentence and underline it. Step 2 Write several supporting sentences that explain or support the topic sentence

Step 3 Write a good concluding sentence and underline it Step 4 Check your paragraph before you hand it in

Topic Suggestions

Arranged marriages /Uncontrolled population growth/Computers, calculators, or machines in general/Left-handed people/The advantage of having a college education/Owning a car

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. B. Writing Under Pressure

Choose one of your best topics from Practice 3 and write a paragraph six to ten

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sentences long on the subject of that sentence. Suggested Time Limits:

Writing Time------- 13 minutes Checking Time------ 2 minutes Total---15 minutes

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