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Identify the Topic Sentence

Review: The topic sentence is the most important sentence of a paragraph. It states the main idea and
introduces the reader to the topic.
Directions: Choose the best topic sentence for each group of supporting sentences and circle the answer.
Example: ___________b_____________. I
usually go skiing every weekend in the winter even
though it is expensive. I love the feeling of flying
down a mountain. The views are beautiful from the
top of a mountain and along the trails. Even the
danger of falling and getting hurt can’t keep me
away from the slopes on a winter day.
a) Skiing is expensive.
b) Skiing is my favorite sport.
c) Skiing is dangerous.

1) __a___. North Americans send cards for many
occasions. They send cards to family and friends
on birthdays and holidays. They also send
thank-you cards, get well cards, graduation
cards, and congratulation cards. It is very
common to buy cards in stores and send them
through the mail, but turning on the computer
and sending cards over the Internet is also
popular.
a) Sending cards is very popular in North America.
b) Birthday cards are the most popular kind of
card.
c) It is important to send thank-you cards.

2) __b___. I enjoy summer sports like water
skiing and baseball. The weather is usually sunny
and hot, so I can go to the beach almost every
day. Gardening is my hobby and I spend many
summer days working in my garden.
Unfortunately, the days pass too quickly in
summer.
a) I like to garden in summer.
b) Summer is my favorite season.
c) Summer is to short.

3) __a___. First of all, we need money to repair
old roads and build new roads. We also need
more to pay teachers’ salaries and to pay for
services such as trash collection. Finally, more
tax money is needed to give financial help to the
poor citizens of the city. It is clear that the
city will have serious problems if taxes are not
raised soon.
a) We should raise city taxes.
b) City taxes are too high.
c) City taxes pay for new roads.

4) __b___. For example, a person can have
breakfast in New York, board an airplane, and
have dinner in Paris. A businesswoman in London
can instantly place an order with a factory in
Hong Kong by sending a fax. Furthermore, a
schoolboy in Tokyo can turn on a TV and watch a
baseball game being played in Los Angeles.
a) Airplanes have changed our lives.
b) Advances in technology have made the world
seem smaller.
c) The fax machine was an important invention.

5) __b___. One thing you must consider is the
quality of the university’s educational program.
You also need to think about the school’s size
and location. Finally, you must be sure to
consider the university’s tuition to make sure you
can afford to go to school there.
a) It is expensive to attend a university in the
United States.
b) There are several factors to consider when you
choose a university to attend.
c) You should consider getting a good education.

Topic Sentences and Paragraphs

Directions: Read each question, and circle the correct answer.
1. Which sentence would be BEST to put at the
start of the paragraph below?
Jim likes to play football. His sister plays baseball.
His brother is on a basketball team. His parents like
to ski in the winter.
A. Jim has a large family.
B. Jim's family enjoys sports.
C. Playing sports is good exercise.

2. Which would be the BEST topic sentence for
this paragraph?
My school has recess every day. I like to play on the
swings and jungle gym with my friends. We like to
laugh and run. Recess is my favorite time of the day.
A. Recess is when I can have fun with my friends.
B. Some kids bring their toys from home for recess.
C. Parents sometimes bring their small children
during recess for a visit.

3. Which is the BEST topic sentence that could
be put at the beginning of this paragraph?
I play basketball every weekend. My friends and I
play it at recess and after school. My mom took me
to a basketball game. I got to see Michael Jordan
play. That was the greatest because basketball is
my favorite game.
A. Basketball is my favorite game.
B. Michael Jordan was a great basketball player.
C. Some people play both football and basketball.

4. Which would make the BEST topic sentence
for the paragraph below?
Matt likes dogs and playing soccer. Claire likes cats
and playing tennis. Matt likes to eat pizza. Claire's
favorite food is spaghetti.
A. Matt and Claire like animals.
B. Pizza and spaghetti taste good.
C. Matt and Claire like different things.

5. Which sentence below would be the best
starting sentence for the following paragraph?
It took our bus four hours to get to Sea World. We
saw whales, seals, and sharks. There were also many
fish in tanks.
A. Our class took a trip.
B. One of my favorite things was the whale.
C. I ate lunch outside with my class.

6. What sentence below tells what this paragraph
is about?
A. I made dinner for my family.
B. I stirred the rice.
C. I peeled the carrots.

7. Which would be the BEST sentence to put at
the beginning of the following paragraph?
Georgia has a new flag. The flag has the state seal.
South Carolina's flag has a tree and the moon. The
flag of Wyoming has a buffalo.
A. California's flag has a bear.
B. Every state has a different flag.
C. Georgia's flag is very interesting.

8. Which sentence tells what the paragraph is
about?
Our family spent the vacation at the beach. It was
sunny and breezy. The sand felt warm under our
feet. We made sand castles and had lunch on our
blanket. It was a fun time.
A. Our family spent the vacation at the beach.
B. It was sunny and breezy.
C. We made sand castles and had lunch on our
blanket.

Practice: Write topic sentence for the following paragraphs
1.

During the 1990s, I really enjoyed watching Friends on television every Thursday night. I really wanted Rachel’s haircut - I think every girl wanted Rachel’s haircut back
then! Rachel’s haircut went really well with the Guess Jeans that were so popular in the 1990s. I remember all the advertisements for Guess and Calvin Klein Jeans that
were in each month’s Sassy magazine. I don’t think Sassy magazine exists anymore, but it was one of the most popular magazines for young women in the 1990s.
2.
For example, recently I began taking my two-year-old dog to obedience school. After four weeks of lessons and practice, she has learned to follow only three commands-sit,
stand, and lie down-and even those she often gets confused. Frustrating (and costly) as this is, I continue to work with her every day. After dog school, my grandmother
and I sometimes go grocery shopping. Inching along those aisles, elbowed by hundreds of fellow customers, backtracking to pick up forgotten items, and standing
in the endless line at the checkout, I could easily grow frustrated and cranky. But through years of trying times, I have learned to keep my temper in check. Finally, after
putting away the groceries, I might go out to a movie with my fiance, to whom I have been engaged for three years. Layoffs, extra jobs, and problems at home have forced
us to postpone our wedding date several times. Still, my patience has enabled me to cancel and reschedule our wedding plans again and again without fuss, fights, or tears.
3.
For instance, when I was in kindergarten, I dreamed that my sister killed people with a television antenna and disposed of their bodies in the woods across the street from my house. For three weeks after that dream, I stayed with my grandparents until they finally convinced me that my sister was harmless. Not long afterward, my grandfather died, and that sparked new fears. I was so terrified that his ghost would visit me that I put two brooms across the doorway of my bedroom at night. Fortunately, my little trick worked. He never came back. More recently, I was terribly frightened after staying up late one night to watch The Ring. I lay awake until dawn clutching my cell phone, ready to ring 911 the moment that spooky little girl stepped out of my TV. Just
thinking about it now gives me goosebumps.
4.
When I was a young girl, I would make a tent out of my blankets and read Nancy Drew mysteries late into the night. I still read cereal boxes at the breakfast table, newspapers while I am stopped at red lights, and gossip magazines while waiting in line at the supermarket. In fact, I&#39;m a very talented reader. For example, I&#39;ve mastered
the art of talking on the phone while simultaneously reading Dean Koontz or Stephen King. But what I read doesn&#39;t matter all that much. In a pinch, I&#39;ll read junk mail, an old warranty, a furniture tag (&quot;DO NOT REMOVE UNDER PENALTY OF LAW&quot;), or even, if I&#39;m extremely desperate, a chapter or two in a textbook.
5.
Firstly, the journey to our hotel was long, hot and boring. Secondly, we spent all our time in museums doing boring worksheets. And thirdly, we had to go to bed really
early.
6.
They can join an after-school club, which will give them the chance to practise spoken English while doing an activity that they enjoy. They can also watch films, particularly
DVDs with the English subtitles turned on. Best of all, however, is to do plenty of reading for pleasure. Non-fiction in particular is an excellent way of acquiring a strong
academic vocabulary.
7.
My family drove into the Scottish mountains in a rented caravan, and we spent the whole time walking in the wonderful nature in that part of the world. We were very
lucky with the weather.
8.
I don&#39;t understand, for example, why we cannot use metal cutlery instead of plastic ones that just get thrown away after the meal. We could also have different trashcans
to recycle paper and cola cans. We could also limit the number of copies that teachers and students are allowed to make on the photocopier machine.
7.
My family drove into the Scottish mountains in a rented caravan, and we spent the whole time walking in the wonderful nature in that part of the world. We were very
lucky with the weather.
8.
I don&#39;t understand, for example, why we cannot use metal cutlery instead of plastic ones that just get thrown away after the meal. We could also have different trashcans
to recycle paper and cola cans. We could also limit the number of copies that teachers and students are allowed to make on the photocopier machine.
9.
It is important to get some fresh air and exercise every day. Furthermore, it is essential that you give your body the right nutrition like fruit and vegetables. Too much junk food is certainly not advisable. Of course, it is vital also not to start
addictive habits such as smoking or the taking of other drugs.
10.
You never have to travel very far to buy anything you could need. Entertainment such as discos, cinemas and theaters are not far away. And you have a good choice of doctors and hospitals if you get sick. A further advantage is that you can live anonymously if you choose.
11.
Of course, the universities look at the grades that the students have got in their IB exams, but they also want to see if the students can express themselves well and talk
enthusiastically about their future plans. They also want to see evidence that the students are healthy and will not drop out quickly.
12.
In Berlin, for example, the fine dust that is emitted from exhausts has been shown to exacerbate asthma in young children living near busy roads. In Hamburg, with its
large factories and oil refineries, the industrial smoke can mix with fog to cause a low-lying smog that is slow to disappear.