Site MapHelpFeedbackWriting Patterns, Exercise 3
Writing Patterns, Exercise 3
(See related pages)

1

Nicotine affects the same brain system that morphine and heroin do. It causes the release of opiods, brain chemicals that help suppress pain and produce pleasurable feelings. These findings explain in part why it is so difficult for smokers to give up cigarettes.

Source: Based on "Why Nicotine Is So Insidious," Dallas Morning News, November 9, 2004, p. 6E.

A)list
B)comparison-contrast
C)definition
D)cause-effect
2
Chinese and English are similar in that they are the two most dominant languages in the world. English is spoken in more countries than Chinese, though. Another difference is that Chinese has no alphabet while English has a 26-letter alphabet that is based on sounds. In contrast, Chinese is written with 50,000 characters, or signs that represent words.
A)list
B)comparison-contrast
C)definition
D)cause-effect
3

Parents and schools need to do a better job of educating teens about money matters. According to Parade magazine (June 27, 2004), a survey by the Charles Schwab Foundation revealed that American teenagers have shocking misperceptions about fiscal matters.

  • One in five teens does not know that if you take out a loan, you must pay interest in addition to repaying the loan.
  • One teen in four has the mistaken notion that financial aid will take care of all their college expenses.
  • And one teen in three thinks that Social Security payments will provide all the money they need when they retire.
A)list
B)comparison-contrast
C)definition
D)cause-effect
4
For at least 4,000 years, the wind has been used as an energy source. Unlike fossil fuel energy (such as diesel oil or gasoline), wind energy is unlimited. Another difference is that wind energy produces no pollution when it is used to create electricity. Large windmills or wind turbines capture the wind; the energy from the turning blades produces electricity. Another distinction is that wind is the fastest growing energy source in the world.
A)sequence
B)comparison-contrast
C)cause-effect
D)definition
5

The Development of Currency The history of money is interesting. Bronze coins were probably invented in ancient China, but they were not round in shape. The Lydians in 600 BC were the first to produce those. They stamped special images and marks on the sides of the coins. As time went on, trade among countries increased, and coins came into even wider use. It is likely that the ancient Chinese also developed some form of paper money, but it was not until 1661 that a Swedish bank issued paper bank notes. In 1988 Australia introduced durable, recyclable plastic bank notes.

A)sequence
B)comparison-contrast
C)cause-effect
D)definition
6
Braille is a system of writing that uses patterns of raised dots to represent letters and numbers. It was named for its inventor, Louis Braille, a French educator who lost his sight in an accident at the age of three. When he was a teenager he developed the system for soldiers so that they could read orders in darkness. Readers run their fingertips over the dots. Eventually the method became the one sightless people use for reading and writing. There are Braille typewriters, and today there are Braille embossers that attach to computers.
A)sequence
B)comparison-contrast
C)cause-effect
D)definition
7

The term oratory refers to the art of speaking in public with great skill and eloquence. It involves the ability to use language effectively and persuasively. It has been valued throughout history. The Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero was renowned for his oratory. British prime minister Winston Churchill was a superb orator who was able to inspire British citizens during the darkest days of World War II. In the U.S., civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is viewed as one of the nation's most gifted orators.

A)cause-effect
B)definition
C)comparison-contrast
D)list
8
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) attorneys warn consumers that there is no "National Do Not Email Registry." Bogus radio ads and websites claim that consumers can reduce spam (unsolicited email) by registering. Ironically, the result could be more email clutter. Illegal spammers use the lists as "do spam" lists. Fake registries sell spammers the email addresses they collect. There can be another very unpleasant consequence: registering could lead to identity theft. Some fake registries collect personal and financial data that are then used to steal victims' identities. The bottom line is that consumers should not register with any "Do Not Email Registry."
A)cause-effect
B)definition
C)comparison-contrast
D)sequence
9
A strange series of events is associated with the creation of the Nobel Prize. Alfred Nobel invented dynamite in 1867. His goal was create a safer substance that would reduce accidental deaths among workers who used explosives. It was soon used in war to kill and destroy. His invention had made him wealthy, and to make up for the devastation unleashed by his creation, Nobel sought a way to help humankind. He then decided to use his fortune to fund the Nobel Prizes, six international awards given annually for outstanding achievement in chemistry, literature, physics, physiology or medicine, economics, and promoting world peace.
A)sequence
B)comparison-contrast
C)list
D)definition
10
There are several research findings about hyponatremia, or water intoxication. Three important ones are:
  1. Hyponatremia is not common, but it can occur in athletes who drink too much water during prolonged periods of exertion.
  2. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and weakness.
  3. In severe cases seizures, coma, and death can occur.
A)cause-effect
B)sequence
C)comparison-contrast
D)list





To learn more about the book this website supports, please visit its Information Center.
(c)2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of The McGraw-Hill Companies.


Entryways into College ReadingOnline Learning Center

Home > Chapter 11 > Writing Patterns, Exercise 3