SKILL 2 – RECOGNIZING THE ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS

SKILL 3 – ANSWER STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS

Reading Comprehension

Knowing your paragraph

There are several types of paragraphs for writing.

Some describe something or someone; present processes, make comparisons or establish contrasts between ideas; define concepts; or explain something through a logical division of ideas.

Knowing your paragraph (2)

Each of these types of paragraphs has the standard composition: Topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding sentence.

Knowing your paragraph (3)

What makes these paragraphs different is their

contents. In a descriptive paragraph, you can

picture what the author wants you to see or

imagine. In a process paragraph you will find step-

by-step instructions. A comparison and contrast

paragraph will find differences and/or similarities

between, well, whatever it is being compared.

Knowing your paragraph (4)

Now, why is this important for you? Why would you care about the types of paragraphs? One word, TOEFL!

In your TOEFL exam you will find questions related to the objective of a certain text.

Hey, here’s an example!

Now, let’s get into business!

Descriptive Paragraph

My Mother’s KitchenMy Mother’s Kitchen is not big but it is warm

and comfortable. My mother cooks a lot and it smells spicy and sweet. Sometimes she taught my brother and me how to cook. We liked learning new things, working together and making delicious foods. Now I live far away, but I often think of my mother’s kitchen. (From: Paragraph Writing by Zemach, D.E. and Islam C.)

Process Paragraph

If you have a guinea pig, you have to clean its cage or else it will get sick, it will

get

dirty, and it will stink! You will need two towels, the cage, guinea pig bedding, a

hose,and a garbage can. First, you put one of the towels onto the floor out of the

way, and then you put your guinea pig on the towel, and the top of the cage over

the guinea pig so he will be safe. Next, you get the bottom part of the cage and

dump the dirty bedding into the garbage can.

Continues!

Process Paragraph (2)

If all the junk does not come off, get a stick and scrape it off. After that, lean the

cage on something and spray it with the hose.

Next, wipe it with the other towel until it is dry. Then put clean bedding on top,

just enough so you can’t see the bottom of the cage. Put your guinea pig in the

cage, put the top part on, make sure he has plenty of fresh food and water, and

since he’s probably been such a good pig, give him a carrot and he will love you

for

the rest of his life.

Comparison and Contrast Paragraph

Miller Medical Labs

Memorandum

To: Director of Human Resources

From: Barbara Johnson, Interviewer

From the fourteen applications received for the job of receptionist, two applicants stand out. Following is a

summary of their qualifications. Educationally, the two applicants are quite similar. JZ has completed two years

of college, just as SW has, and their grade point averages are approximately equal. JZ’s one past employer was

very positive. Similarly, SW’s past employers gave very high recommendations. Finally, both applicants can start

work on the same date (June 1). There are two differences between the job applicants that may influence

the hiring decision…

Continues!

Comparison and Contrast Paragraph (2)

…The first difference is that JZ’s job in a medical office included some contact

with patients, whereas SW’s volunteer work in the library and gift

shop of a local hospital included no patient contact. Second, JZ likes to be part

of a team, while SW prefers to work independently. 11The hiring decision is

difficult because both applicants are equally well qualified. 12However, JZ

would be the better choice for the receptionist job because of her experience

with patient contact and preference for working with other staff. 13If there is a

future opening for a lab assistant, SW would be an excellent choice for that

position.

Definition Paragraph

CourageCourage is the quality of being brave when you are facing something dangerous or that you fear. For example, a soldier who goes into battle shows courage. A paramedic who crawls into a collapsed building to help an injured person also shows courage. However, you don’t have to be a soldier or a paramedic to be courageous. You can display courage in everyday situations, too.

Continues!

Definition Paragraph (2)

For example, a shy person who is afraid of speaking in public shows courage when she or he gives a speech at school or at work. A teenager who resists peer pressure to smoke, drink, or try drugs shows courage. To give another example, my friend Angela, who is terrified of flying, recently took her first airplane flight. As she walked onto the plane, she was trembling with fear, but she didn’t give in to her fright. To me, Angela entering that airplane was as brave as a soldier entering battle.

Logical Division of Ideas

Why I don’t have a credit card

There are three reasons I don’t have a credit

card. The first reason is that using a piece of

plastic instead of cash makes it too easy for me to

buy things I can’t afford. For instance, last week I

saw a $75.00 pair of pink sandals in my favourite

shoe store. Of course, I don’t need pink sandals,

nor can I afford them.

Logical Division of Ideas

With a credit card, however, I would now own

those sandals and be worrying about how to pay

for them. The second reason I don’t have a credit

card is that I would end up in debt like my friend

Sara the Shopaholic. Sara got a credit card last

year, and she already owes $4000. She buys

things that she doesn’t really need, such as

jewelry and designer sunglasses.

Logical Division of Ideas (3)

Sara makes only minimum payments each

month. Her monthly interest charges are

more than her payments, so her balance

never decreases. She will be in debt for

years. The third reason I don’t have a credit

card is the difficulty in understanding the fine

print in the credit card contract.

Logical Division of Ideas (4)

If I don’t read the fine print, I can be

surprised.

For example, some credit card companies will

raise my interest rate if I make a payment

one day late. To sum up, credit cards may be

a convenience for some people, but for me,

they are a plastic ticket to financial disaster.