Review exercise: Topic sentences

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Choose the best among the suggested topic sentences for each paragraph below.

1. I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")

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Question:
I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")
Answer:
The answer family farms are not productive is not correct.
Explanation:
Sevareid argues that farming is destructive as a way of life, no matter what romantic notions are attached to it. He is not writing about the productivity of farms, his own life story (I grew up on a family farm), nor is his main point that people left the cities in the late nineteenth century.

Oops!

Question:
I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")
Answer:
The answer I grew up on a family farm near a town called Velva is not correct.
Explanation:
Sevareid argues that farming is destructive as a way of life, no matter what romantic notions are attached to it. He is not writing about the productivity of farms, his own life story (I grew up on a family farm), nor is his main point that people left the cities in the late nineteenth century.

Good work!

Question:
I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")
Answer:
The answer many politicians deplore the passing of the old family farm, but I’m not so sure is correct.
Explanation:
Sevareid argues that farming is destructive as a way of life, no matter what romantic notions are attached to it. He is not writing about the productivity of farms, his own life story (I grew up on a family farm), nor is his main point that people left the cities in the late nineteenth century.

Oops!

Question:
I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have rejoined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (from Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")
Answer:
The answer people moved away from the cities in the late nineteenth century in search of fertile land for farming is not correct.
Explanation:
Sevareid argues that farming is destructive as a way of life, no matter what romantic notions are attached to it. He is not writing about the productivity of farms, his own life story (I grew up on a family farm), nor is his main point that people left the cities in the late nineteenth century.

2. The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock that is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited])

Good work!

Question:
The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock that is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited])
Answer:
The answer there are two broad theories on what triggers a human’s inevitable decline and death is correct.
Explanation:
This paragraph is a straightforward description of two possibilities, neither of which is preferred over the other. In this case, it would be wrong to mention only one of the possibilities (the internal time clock or the wear-and-tear theory) in the topic sentence, or to treat it as a philosophical discussion of death itself (we all must die). As for the biology professor, he or she might very well have given an interesting lecture, but that has nothing to do with the content of the paragraph.

Oops!

Question:
The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock that is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited])
Answer:
The answer some scientists believe humans have an internal time clock that determines lifespan is not correct.
Explanation:
This paragraph is a straightforward description of two possibilities, neither of which is preferred over the other. In this case, it would be wrong to mention only one of the possibilities (the internal time clock or the wear-and-tear theory) in the topic sentence, or to treat it as a philosophical discussion of death itself (we all must die). As for the biology professor, he or she might very well have given an interesting lecture, but that has nothing to do with the content of the paragraph.

Oops!

Question:
The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock that is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited])
Answer:
The answer we all must die some day is not correct.
Explanation:
This paragraph is a straightforward description of two possibilities, neither of which is preferred over the other. In this case, it would be wrong to mention only one of the possibilities (the internal time clock or the wear-and-tear theory) in the topic sentence, or to treat it as a philosophical discussion of death itself (we all must die). As for the biology professor, he or she might very well have given an interesting lecture, but that has nothing to do with the content of the paragraph.

Oops!

Question:
The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock that is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (from Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited])
Answer:
The answer my biology professor gave an interesting lecture Thursday is not correct.
Explanation:
This paragraph is a straightforward description of two possibilities, neither of which is preferred over the other. In this case, it would be wrong to mention only one of the possibilities (the internal time clock or the wear-and-tear theory) in the topic sentence, or to treat it as a philosophical discussion of death itself (we all must die). As for the biology professor, he or she might very well have given an interesting lecture, but that has nothing to do with the content of the paragraph.

3. The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom—that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited])

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Question:
The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom—that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited])
Answer:
The answer soldiers need discipline is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence must emphasize the comparative nature of the paragraph. Mencken does argue that soldiers need discipline, but this is not all he argues in this paragraph. Likewise, while soldiers may well serve an important function in wartime, and while they may well be able to compete well in peacetime, neither of these points is discussed in the paragraph.

Good work!

Question:
The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom—that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited])
Answer:
The answer we commonly look on the discipline of war as vastly more rigid than any discipline necessary in time of peace, but this is an error is correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence must emphasize the comparative nature of the paragraph. Mencken does argue that soldiers need discipline, but this is not all he argues in this paragraph. Likewise, while soldiers may well serve an important function in wartime, and while they may well be able to compete well in peacetime, neither of these points is discussed in the paragraph.

Oops!

Question:
The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom—that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited])
Answer:
The answer although soldiers are not always disciplined, they serve an important social function in wartime is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence must emphasize the comparative nature of the paragraph. Mencken does argue that soldiers need discipline, but this is not all he argues in this paragraph. Likewise, while soldiers may well serve an important function in wartime, and while they may well be able to compete well in peacetime, neither of these points is discussed in the paragraph.

Oops!

Question:
The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom—that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (from H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited])
Answer:
The answer in times of peace, soldiers often convert easily from wartime pursuits to the discipline necessary to successfully compete in even the most competitive marketplace is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence must emphasize the comparative nature of the paragraph. Mencken does argue that soldiers need discipline, but this is not all he argues in this paragraph. Likewise, while soldiers may well serve an important function in wartime, and while they may well be able to compete well in peacetime, neither of these points is discussed in the paragraph.

4. In Montréal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to screech to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 metres who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant alien dropped from a space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, it could almost certainly orient itself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.

Oops!

Question:
In Montréal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to screech to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 metres who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant alien dropped from a space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, it could almost certainly orient itself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.
Answer:
The answer people in Calgary are careful of pedestrians is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence should highlight the interpretative nature of driving habits and their regional variations. It is not enough simply to list all of the arguments in the paragraph (people in Montréal drive faster . . .), or to pick only one point to highlight (people in Calgary are careful of pedestrians). Since the paragraph stresses the differences among drivers in different parts of the country, it would be wrong to simply state in the topic sentence that Canadians do not follow traffic signals properly.

Good work!

Question:
In Montréal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to screech to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 metres who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant alien dropped from a space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, it could almost certainly orient itself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.
Answer:
The answer although the interpretation of traffic signals may seem highly standardized, close observation reveals regional variations, distinguishing the East Coast from Central Canada and the West as surely as dominant dialects or political inclinations is correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence should highlight the interpretative nature of driving habits and their regional variations. It is not enough simply to list all of the arguments in the paragraph (people in Montréal drive faster . . .), or to pick only one point to highlight (people in Calgary are careful of pedestrians). Since the paragraph stresses the differences among drivers in different parts of the country, it would be wrong to simply state in the topic sentence that Canadians do not follow traffic signals properly.

Oops!

Question:
In Montréal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to screech to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 metres who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant alien dropped from a space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, it could almost certainly orient hitself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.
Answer:
The answer people in Montréal drive faster than people in Alberta, and Maritimers generally don’t pay any attention to traffic signals at all is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence should highlight the interpretative nature of driving habits and their regional variations. It is not enough simply to list all of the arguments in the paragraph (people in Montréal drive faster . . .), or to pick only one point to highlight (people in Calgary are careful of pedestrians). Since the paragraph stresses the differences among drivers in different parts of the country, it would be wrong to simply state in the topic sentence that Canadians do not follow traffic signals properly.

Oops!

Question:
In Montréal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to screech to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 metres who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant alien dropped from a space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, it could almost certainly orient itself according to the surrounding traffic patterns.
Answer:
The answer Canadians do not follow traffic signals properly is not correct.
Explanation:
The topic sentence should highlight the interpretative nature of driving habits and their regional variations. It is not enough simply to list all of the arguments in the paragraph (people in Montréal drive faster . . .), or to pick only one point to highlight (people in Calgary are careful of pedestrians). Since the paragraph stresses the differences among drivers in different parts of the country, it would be wrong to simply state in the topic sentence that Canadians do not follow traffic signals properly.

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© Département d’anglais, Faculté des arts, Université d’Ottawa
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