144 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

PART TWO READING, WRITING, AND ORGANIZING PARAGRAPHS

Topics, Main Ideas, and

Topic Sentences
5 Reading and Writing Connections
EVERYDAY CONNECTIONS

• Writing You are sending an e-mail to the technical support

personnel of a computer manufacturer asking for help with a
problem. Your topic sentence should directly state the problem.
• Reading As a support technician, you need to read an e-mail
LEARNING complaint or question and identify the customer’s problem before
GOALS you can provide assistance.
Learn how to . . .
ACADEMIC CONNECTIONS
■ GOAL 1 • Reading You are reading a section of a sociology text titled
Structure a paragraph “Communities: Goals and Structures.” You try to find a paragraph
■ GOAL 2 that defines what a community is.
Identify the topic of a • Writing When answering an essay exam question for the same
paragraph class, you are asked to briefly define and provide examples of a
community. Your topic sentence should give a brief definition of
■ GOAL 3 community.
Locate main ideas
■ GOAL 4 WORKPLACE CONNECTIONS
Think critically about
main ideas • Writing You are the manager of a chain restaurant and must
write an incident report for corporate headquarters about a theft
■ GOAL 5 that occurred on the premises. Your topic sentence should state
Write effective topic the time, location, date, and item stolen.
sentences • Reading As a director at corporate headquarters, you begin
reading the report by looking for a sentence in the first paragraph
that concisely states what happened.

FOCUSING ON READING AND WRITING

What Is a Paragraph?
THINK About It! ■ GOAL 1 A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develop a main thought, or
Look at the photograph on this page. What do think is happening? Cre- Structure a paragraph idea, about a single topic. The structure of a paragraph is not complex. There are
ate a story or scenario in your mind. Then write a sentence describing usually three basic elements: (1) a topic, (2) a main idea, or topic sentence, and
what you think is happening. (3) supporting details. The topic sentence states the main point or controlling
The sentence you have written states the main idea—or main idea. The sentences that explain this main point are called supporting details.
point—the photograph conveys. It expresses your view of what is These details may be facts, reasons, or examples that provide further information
happening. When others read the sentence you wrote, they under- about the topic sentence.
stand your interpretation of the situation. They may agree or dis- As a writer, these paragraph elements provide you with an easy-to-follow
agree with your view, but they will understand it. Both readers and structure for expressing your ideas clearly and effectively. As a reader, these
writers, then, communicate and exchange ideas through the effec- same elements help you know what to look for and ensure that you will under-
tive use of sentences that state a main point, which are called topic stand and remember what you read. This chapter will show you how to identify
sentences. main ideas as you read and how to write clear and concise topic sentences.
Chapters 6–8 will show you how to recognize key details as you read and how to
provide and organize details as you write.
143
 What Is a Paragraph? 145 146 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

Read the following paragraph, noticing how all the details relate to one Notice how well the topic sentence and details in the above paragraph work
point, and explain the topic sentence, which is highlighted and labeled: together to develop a main idea. The more general topic sentence is explained
by the more specific details. You might ask, “How can I tell what is ‘general’
Topic sentence There is some evidence that colors affect you physiologically. For example, and what is ‘specific’ when I am reading?” Here are a few examples. The first
when subjects are exposed to red light, respiratory movements increase; exposure three use one-word topics and details; the last two use topic sentences and detail
to blue decreases respiratory movements. Similarly, eye blinks increase in frequency sentences.
when eyes are exposed to red light and decrease when exposed to blue. This
seems consistent with the intuitive feelings about blue being more soothing and GENERAL emotions
red being more arousing. After changing a school’s walls from orange and white
SPECIFIC love, fear, anger
to blue, the blood pressure of the students decreased while their academic
performance improved.
GENERAL pollution
—DeVito, Human Communication: The Basic Course, p. 182
SPECIFIC air pollution, water pollution, solid waste
In this paragraph, look at the highlighted topic sentence. It identifies the
topic as color and states that colors affect people physiologically. The remaining GENERAL house building materials
sentences provide further information about the effects of color. SPECIFIC lumber, bricks, wall board
You can think about and visualize a paragraph this way:
GENERAL Our insurance agent is very professional.
Idea Map SPECIFIC She returns calls promptly.
She reviews our needs every year.
Topic sentence
She explains insurance policies in plain language.
VISUALIZE IT!
Detail GENERAL Newspapers include a wide variety of different types of information.
SPECIFIC Newspapers report world and local news events.
Detail Newspapers publish human interest stories.
Newspapers advertise products and services.
Detail
Notice that in each of these examples, the specific points explain the gen-
eral by giving examples, reasons, or further information. In the same way, sup-
Here’s how you might visualize the paragraph on color: porting details in a paragraph explain or support a topic sentence.

Idea Map

Colors affect people physiologically. EXERCISE 5-1 Using General and Specific Terms
Directions: For each list of items, select the choice that best describes that
Respiratory movements increase
in red light and decrease in
grouping.
blue light.
b 1. for money, for experience, to meet people
a. reasons to attend a party
Eye blinks increase in red light b. reasons to get a part-time job
and decrease in blue light. c. reasons to apply for loans
d. reasons to date
Findings are consistent with the c 2. U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, Twenty-fifth
idea that blue is soothing and red
Amendment
is arousing.
a. policies c. historical documents
b. historical events d. party politics
A change in a school’s walls from d
orange and white to blue decreased
3. Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury
students’ blood pressure and a. asteroids c. galaxies
improved academic performance. b. solar systems d. planets
 What Is a Paragraph? 147 148 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

EXERCISE 5-2 Adding Specific Details READING

Directions: Complete the following sets by supplying the missing information.
Answers will vary. Possible answers are shown. Locate the Topic
1. GENERAL Advertisements are often misleading.
■ GOAL 2 You already know that the topic is the general subject of an entire paragraph.
SPECIFIC a. Products often appear larger than they really are. Identify the topic of a Every sentence in a paragraph in some way discusses or explains this topic. To
b. Claims of a product’s effectiveness are often exaggerated. paragraph find the topic of a paragraph, ask yourself: What is the one idea the author is
discussing throughout the paragraph? Read the following paragraph with that
c. Ads often make products seem simple to use when they are not.
question in mind:
2. GENERAL Television provides several types of entertainment.
The major motive for excuse making seems to be to maintain our self-esteem,
SPECIFIC a. Television offers reality TV shows.
to project a positive image to ourselves and to others. Excuses are also offered to
b. Television offers movie reruns. reduce stress that may be created by a bad performance. We feel that if we can
c. Television shows sporting events. offer an excuse—especially a good one that is accepted by those around us—it
will lessen the negative reaction and the subsequent stress that accompanies
3. GENERAL Flexible work hours have numerous advantages. poor performance.
SPECIFIC a. Flexible work hours permit employees to work at their peak —DeVito, Human Communication: The Basic Course, p. 178
times of efficiency.
In this example, the author is discussing one topic—making excuses—throughout
b. Flexible work hours help reduce line-ups at equipment the paragraph. Notice that the word excuse is used several times. As you can see,
(fax machine and copier, for example). the repeated use of a word often serves as a clue to the topic.
c. Flexible work hours help reduce rush hour traffic near the
office.
4. GENERAL Many careers require specialized training. EXERCISE 5-3 Locating Topics
SPECIFIC a. Nurses must learn anatomy and physiology.
Directions: After reading each of the following paragraphs, select the choice
b. Criminal justice majors study criminal behavior.
that best represents the topic of the paragraph.
c. Auto mechanics must learn computerized diagnostic systems.
d 1. You’ve probably heard that older men die before older women virtu-
5. GENERAL Commercials use numerous appeals to sell products.
ally everywhere in the world. In the United States, women are expected
SPECIFIC a. Some television commercials use humor to sell their product. to live an average of 80.4 years, while men live only 75.2 years. Sociolo-
b. Other commercials use famous people to persuade their audience gists attribute many factors to this trend. For example, men have higher
to buy their product. testosterone levels than women, which may make men more likely to
abuse alcohol and tobacco, drive aggressively, and engage in other
c. Some commercials use the message “Everyone’s buying it, so
life-threatening behaviors. Men also choose riskier types of work and be-
why don’t you?”
come involved in wartime aggression, which are connected to men’s de-
creased life expectancy. Studies also show that women are less likely to
experience life-threatening illnesses and health problems than men are.
—Carl, Think Sociology, p. 211
a. women’s health
NEED TO KNOW b. men and risky behaviors
c. testosterone and age
Important Terms d. men’s life expectancy
Paragraph: a group of sentences that focus on a single idea
c 2. Many people look back to the 1950s as the golden age of the tradi-
Topic: the one thing a paragraph is about tional family, but was it really? Teenage pregnancy rates were higher in
Main idea: the point the paragraph makes about a topic the 1950s than they are today, although a higher proportion of teenage
Topic sentence: the sentence that states the paragraph’s main idea mothers were married (primarily due to “shotgun weddings,” a colloqui-
alism that developed from the idea that many fathers of pregnant girls
Supporting details: those sentences that explain the topic sentence
 Locate the Topic 149 150 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

had to force, possibly with a weapon, a man to marry his daughter once a 5. Compared with the technical resources of a theater of today, those
she became pregnant). Many families were unable to survive the trau- of a London public theater in the time of Queen Elizabeth I seem hope-
mas of war and its aftermath, and the divorce rate rose from one in six in lessly limited. Plays had to be performed by daylight, and scenery had to
1940 to one in four marriages in 1946. Although many families prospered be kept simple: a table, a chair, a throne, perhaps an artificial tree or two
in the years following World War II, many others suffered from economic to suggest a forest. But these limitations were, in a sense, advantages.
hardship. In 1948, Newsweek reported that most of the 27 million school- What the theater of today can spell out for us realistically, with massive
children in the United States were badly in need of medical or dental scenery and electric lighting, Elizabethan playgoers had to imagine
care, while more than 900 thousand children were malnourished. and the playwright had to make vivid for them by means of language.
—Kunz, Think Marriages & Families, p. 8 Not having a lighting technician to work a panel, Shakespeare had to
a. teenage pregnancy rates indicate the dawn by having Horatio, in Hamlet, say in a speech rich in
b. the effect of war on divorce metaphor and descriptive detail:
c. family problems in the 1950s But look, the morn in russet mantle clad
d. golden age Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.

a —Kennedy, Literature, p. 1243

3. In the past few years, social networking sites such as MySpace, Face-
book, and Twitter have become hugely popular across all ages. Despite a. impact of technological limitations on Elizabethan theater
the opinions of some that young people are in danger of turning into b. benefits of modern technology in theater performances
crouching androids glued to their computers, research shows that the c. effects of Shakespeare’s writing style
majority of friendships are still maintained offline. Offline friendships are d. the use of language to make ideas vivid
characterized by more interdependence, depth, understanding, and
commitment, but online friendships can gain some of these qualities
with time. Most online friends tend to be rather cautious about disclos-
ing personal information. However, this does not apply to people with Locate the Main Idea
a negative view of themselves and others; they instead seem to share
■ GOAL 3 You learned earlier that the main idea of a paragraph is its most important point.
more information, possibly in an attempt to become more self-confident
Locate main ideas The main idea is also the most general statement the writer makes about the
in their interactions. Interestingly, even in online friendships people seem
topic. Pick out the most general statement among the following sentences.
to gain more satisfaction when befriending people of a similar age and
place of residence. 1. Animals differ according to when they sleep.
—Kunz, Think Marriages & Families, p. 82
2. Some animals sleep during daylight while others sleep during darkness.
a. offline vs. online friendships 3. Animals’ sleeping habits differ in a number of ways.
b. technology and self-image
c. personal information sharing online 4. Hibernation is another kind of sleep for some animals.
d. satisfaction in online friendships Did you choose sentence 3 as the most general statement? Now we will
change this list into a paragraph by rearranging the sentences and adding a few
b 4. A century ago politicians used to say, “Vote early and often.” Cases facts.
such as West Virginia’s 159,000 votes being cast by 147,000 eligible vot-
ers in 1888 were not that unusual. Largely to prevent corruption associ- 1Animals’ sleeping habits differ in a number of ways. 2They differ according
ated with stuffing ballot boxes, states adopted voter registration laws
to what time of day they sleep. 3Some animals sleep during daylight hours while
around the turn of the century, which require individuals to first place
others sleep during darkness. 4They also differ in the length of time they sleep.
their name on an electoral roll in order to be allowed to vote. Although 5Other animals sleep for weeks or months at a time when they hibernate.
these laws have made it more difficult to vote more than once, they
have also discouraged some people from voting at all. Voter registra- In this brief paragraph, the main idea is expressed in the first sentence. This
tion requirements in the United States are, in part, to blame for why sentence, known as the topic sentence, is the most general statement in the
Americans are significantly less likely to go to the polls than citizens of paragraph. All the other sentences are specific details that explain this main idea.
other democratic nations.
—Edwards, Government in America, p. 313
a. voter turnout
Tips for Finding the Main Idea
b. voter registration Here are some tips that will help you find the main idea.
c. voter eligibility
1. Identify the topic. As you did earlier, figure out the general subject of the
d. voter fraud
entire paragraph. In the preceding sample paragraph, “animals’ sleeping
habits” is the topic.
 Locate the Main Idea 151 152 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

2. Locate the most general sentence (the topic sentence). This sentence displaced to make room for reservoirs, groundwater aquifers are being pumped
must be broad enough to include all of the other ideas in the paragraph. down, and disputes over water have raised tensions from local to international
The topic sentence in the sample paragraph (“Animals’ sleeping habits dif- levels. Fresh water is a limiting resource in many parts of the world and is certain to
fer in a number of ways.”) covers all of the other details in that paragraph. become even more so as the 21st century unfolds.
The tips in the next section will help you locate topic sentences. —Wright, Environmental Science, p. 247
3. Study the rest of the paragraph. The main idea must make the rest of the
paragraph meaningful. It is the one idea that ties all of the other details In this paragraph, the author discusses water as a limiting resource and con-
together. In the sample paragraph, sentences 2, 3, 4, and 5 all give specific cludes that water will become more limited throughout the 21st century.
details about how animals’ sleeping habits differ.
Topic Sentence in the Middle
If a topic sentence is placed neither first nor last, then it may appear some-
Tips for Locating the Topic Sentence where in the middle of a paragraph. In this arrangement, the sentences before
Although a topic sentence can be located anywhere in a paragraph, it is usually the topic sentence lead up to or introduce the main idea. Those that follow the
first or last. main idea explain or describe it.

In colonial days, huge flocks of snowy egrets inhabited the coastal wetlands
Topic Sentence First Specific Detail
Detail and marshes of the southeastern United States. In the 1800s, when fashion
In most paragraphs, the topic sentence comes first. The author states his or her General Topic Sentence dictated fancy hats adorned with feathers, egrets and other birds were hunted
main point and then explains it. Detail
Specific Detail for their plumage. By the late 1800s, egrets were almost extinct. In 1886, the newly

General Topic Sentence

formed National Audubon Society began a press campaign to shame “feather
A focus group is a small group, usually consisting of about seven to ten
Detail wearers” and end the practice. The campaign caught on, and gradually, attitudes
Specific Detail people who are brought together to discuss a subject of interest to the researcher.
Detail changed; new laws followed. Government policies that protect animals from
Focus groups are commonly used today in business and politics; that flashy slogan
overharvesting are essential to keep species from the brink of extinction. Even
you heard for a political campaign or a new toothpaste was almost certainly
when cultural standards change due to the efforts of individual groups (such as
tested in a focus group to gauge people’s reactions. Social researchers may use
the National Audubon Society), laws and policy measures must follow to ensure
a focus group to help design questions or instruments for quantitative research or
that endangered populations remain protected. Since the 1800s, several important
to study the interactions among group members on a particular subject. In most
laws have been passed to protect a wide variety of species.
cases, researchers ask predetermined questions, but the discussion is unstructured. —Wright and Boorse, Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future, p. 150
Focus groups are a relatively cheap method of research and can be completed
quickly. They also allow for the flexible discussions and answers that are desirable In this paragraph, the author discusses how one species nearly became extinct
in qualitative research. However, they definitely require a skilled leader to avoid and concludes that government regulations are necessary to prevent this from
leading participants in a predetermined direction, to establish an atmosphere happening again.
in which all participants feel comfortable speaking, and to allow discussion of
uncomfortable or challenging topics. It is also possible for two different researchers Topic Sentence First and Last
to analyze the discussion in different ways.
Occasionally writers put the main idea at the beginning of a paragraph and again
—Kunz, THINK Marriages & Families, p. 36
at the end. Writers may do this to emphasize the main point or to clarify it.
Here, the writer first defines a focus group. The rest of the paragraph provides General Topic Sentence The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has taken a brute-force approach to
more details about focus groups. Specific Detail
screening species for cancer-suppressing chemicals. NCI scientists receive frozen
Detail
samples of organisms from around the world, chop them up, and separate them
Topic Sentence Last
into a number of extracts, each probably containing hundreds of components.
The second most likely place for a topic sentence to appear is last in a para- These extracts are tested against up to 60 different types of cancer cells for their
graph. When using this arrangement, a writer leads up to the main point and efficacy in stopping or slowing growth of the cancer. Promising extracts are then
then states it at the end. Specific Detail further analyzed to determine their chemical nature, and chemicals in the extract
Detail are tested singly to find the effective compound. This approach is often referred to
General Topic Sentence
In the developing world 1.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking as the “grind ‘em and find ‘em” strategy.
Detail
water, 2.6 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation services, and more —Belk, Biology, p. 334
Specific Detail than 1.6 million deaths each year are traced to waterborne diseases (mostly
Detail
General Topic Sentence in children under five). All too often in developing countries, water is costly or The first and last sentences together explain that the NCI takes an aggressive
inaccessible to the poorest in society, while the wealthy have it piped into their strategy to finding and testing samples for cancer-suppression.
homes. In addition, because of the infrastructure that is used to control water,
whole seas are being lost, rivers are running dry, millions of people have been
 Locate the Main Idea 153 154 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

factor (IF) before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Deficiency is a very serious
problem, ultimately leading to irreversible nerve damage signified by numbness
EXERCISE 5-4 Locating Topic Sentences and tingling in the hands and feet. Signs and symptoms include fatigue, weak-
ness, nausea, constipation, flatulence, loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty in
Directions: Underline the topic sentence in each of the following paragraphs.
maintaining balance, depression, confusion, poor memory, and soreness of the
1. Crime is a major concern in the United States. The possibility of becoming a mouth or tongue. The RDI is 2.4 mg/day for both males and females.
victim of crime, particularly of a violent assault, is the number one fear of millions —Johnson, Pharmacy Technician, p. 455
of Americans. This concern is well founded, as 5.3 million people over the age
of 12 annually will be victimized by violent crimes. That nearly 14 million serious
5. The star system has been the backbone of the American film industry since
crimes are reported yearly to the police indicates only part of the situation. An
the mid 1910s. Stars are the creation of the public, its reigning favorities. Their in-
annual study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics surveys American households to
fluence in the fields of fashion, values, and public behavior has been enormous.
determine the extent of serious crime not being reported to law-enforment author-
“The social history of a nation can be written in terms of its film stars,” Raymond
ities. Initiated in 1973, the National Crime Survey measures the number of crimes
Durgnat has observed. Stars confer instant consequence to any film they appear
unreported to the police as opposed to reported crime, which is documented an-
in. Their fees have staggered the public. In the 1920s, Mary Pickford and Charles
nually by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports Bulletin. The results of the National Crime
Chaplin were the two highest paid employees in the world. Contemporary stars
Survey are disturbing to the entire criminal justice system, indicating that people
such as Julia Roberts and Tom Cruise command salaries of many millions per film,
and households in the United States face 49 million crime attempts a year when
so popular are these box-office giants. Some stars had careers that spanned five
unreported and reported crime occurences are combined.
decades: Bette Davis and John Wayne, to name just two.
—Gilbert et al., Criminal Investigation, p. 33
—Giannetti, Understanding Movies, p. 251

2. A living will is a legal document prepared by a patient. This document gives

6. For decades, we have looked at our steadily increasing life expectancy rates
instructions about the health care to be provided if the patient becomes termi-
and proudly proclaimed that Americans health has never been better. Recently,
nally ill or falls into a permanent coma or persistent vegetative state. A living will is
however, health organizations and international groups have attempted to quan-
a way for the patient to make health-care decisions before experiencing a health-
tify the number of years a person lives with a disability or illness, compared with
care emergency. A living will specifies whether the patient wants to be kept on
the number of healthy years. The World Health Organization summarizes this con-
life-support machines. It specifies whether the patient wants tube feedings or arti-
cept as healthy life expectancy. Simply stated, healthy life expectancy refers to
ficial (IV) hydration when the patient is in a coma or persistent vegetative state. It
the number of years a newborn can expect to live in full health, based on current
may also contain other instructions related to health care. For example, the living
rates of illness and mortality and also on the quality of their lives. For example, if
will may contain a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. This order instructs any health-
we could delay the onset of diabetes so that a person didn’t develop the disease
care worker not to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the comatose or termi-
until he or she was 60 years old, rather than developing it at 30, there would be a
nally ill patient experiences a life threatening event, such as heart attack or stroke.
dramatic increase in this individual’s healthy life expectancy.
—adapted from Badasch, Health Science Fundamentals, p. 88
— Donatelle, Health: The Basics, p. 6

3. The United States has a severe fire problem that if not addressed, will continue
7. The functions of desktop publishing software are similar to those of word pro-
to worsen drastically. Fire statistics show that our nation, one of the richest and
cessing programs, except that some capabilities are more sophisticated. A user
most technologically sophisticated countries in the world, lags behind its peer
can enter text using the desktop publishing program in the same way that he
nations in fire security. Nationally, there are millions of fires, thousands of deaths,
or she can enter text with a word processing program. In addition, the user can
tens of thousands of injuries, and billions of dollars lost each year—figures which
retrieve text from a file created by another program. For example, the user may
far exceed comparable statistics for other industrialized countries. In 2001, for ex-
enter, edit, and save text using a word processing program and then retrieve the
ample, the direct value of property destroyed in fires was $11 billion ($44 billion
saved text using the desktop publishing program.
if the World Trade Center loss is included). More recently in 2004, direct property
—Nickerson, Business and Information Systems, p. 249
losses from fires were estimated at over $9.8 billion.
—Loyd and Richardson, Fundamentals of Fire and Emergency Services, p. 12
8. Are you “twittered out”? Is all that texting causing your thumbs to seize up in
protest? If so, you’re not alone. Like millions of others, you may find that all of the
4. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is found in mollusks, clams, beef liver, rainbow
pressure for contact is more than enough stress for you! Known as technostress,
trout, and fortified cereals. Vitamin B12 is needed for healthy nerve cells, to make
the bombardment is defined as stress created by a dependence on technology
DNA, and for the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is bound to the pro-
and the constant state of being plugged in or wirelessly connected, which can
tein in food, and hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases B12 from the protein
include a perceived obligation to respond, chat, or tweet.
during digestion. Once released, B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic
—Donatelle, Health: The Basics, p. 66
 Think Critically About Main Ideas 155 156 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

9. In the past, exposure to liability made many doctors, nurses, and other medi- The main idea of the first paragraph is a statement of fact; the author can
cal professionals reluctant to stop and render aid to victims in emergency sit- prove without a doubt that “lobbying is a growth industry.” The main idea of
uations, such as highway accidents. Almost all states have enacted a Good the second paragraph is: “Lobbyists are expediters.” That is, lobbyists help their
Samaritan law that relieves medical professionals from liability for injury caused clients influence the government in their favor. But this main idea presents
by their ordinary negligence in such circumstances. Good Samaritan laws pro- only “one sense” of the topic. What is the other sense or view? Lobbying is actu-
tect medical professionals only from liability for their ordinary negligence, not for ally a controversial activity, and many people believe that lobbyists spend large
injuries caused by their gross negligence or reckless or intentional conduct. Most amounts of money influencing government employees in unethical or illegal
Good Samaritan laws protect licensed doctors and nurses and laypersons who ways. However, that belief is not reflected in the main idea of this passage.
have been certified in CPR. Good Samaritan statutes generally do not protect lay-
persons who are not trained in CPR—that is, they are liable for injuries caused by
their ordinary negligence in rendering aid.
—Goldman, Paralegal Professional, p. 459 EXERCISE 5-5 Identifying Topics
Directions: For each of the following sets of topic sentences, specify the topic
10. At some time or another, many close relationships go through a conflict that is being discussed. Note that each topic sentence presents a different facet
phase. “We’re always fighting,” complains a newlywed. But if she were to analyze of (or opinion about) the topic.
these fights, she would discover important differences among them. According to
communication researchers Miller and Steinberg, most conflicts fit into three differ- 1. ■ “The continued flow of immigrants into the United States has created a
ent categories. There is (1) pseudoconflict—triggered by a lack of understanding. rich, diverse society that has been beneficial to the country.”
There is (2) simple conflict—stemming from different ideas, definitions, percep- ■ “The presence of guest workers from South America in states like Arizona
tions, or goals. Finally there is (3) ego conflict—which occurs when conflict gets and California has a positive effect on the U.S. economy.”
personal.
■ “Because the country is suffering from high unemployment, we must
—adapted from Beebe, Beebe, and Redmond, Interpersonal
reduce the number of people who come here looking for jobs.”
Communication, pp. 243, 248
Topic: immigration
2. ■ “Most scientists agree that temperatures now are warmer than they were

Think Critically About Main Ideas ■

20 years ago.”
“It is hard to draw any definite conclusions from the hundreds of studies
■ GOAL 4 A main idea is the most general statement a writer makes about a topic. Often, that have considered whether climate change is occurring or not.”
Think critically about main ideas are simple statements of fact that cannot be disputed. However, not ■ “People who claim that the Earth is now hotter miss the point that the
main ideas all main ideas and topic sentences are completely factual. Sometimes a main Earth has been getting warmer over the last several thousand years, not
idea presents an opinion about a topic, and that statement may not offer all just the last 50 years.”
sides of the story. (To learn more about distinguishing fact and opinion, refer to
Topic: climate change, or global warming
Chapter 13.) Look at the following passage:

No doubt about it, lobbying is a growth industry. Every state has hundreds
of public relations practitioners whose specialty is representing their clients to
legislative bodies and government agencies. In North Dakota, hardly a populous EXERCISE 5-6 Expressing Viewpoints About a Topic
state, more than 300 people are registered as lobbyists in the capital city of
Bismarck. The number of registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C., exceeds 10,000
Directions: For each of the following topic sentences, write another topic sen-
today. In addition, there are an estimated 20,000 other people who have slipped
tence that expresses a different opinion or point of view about the topic. Answers
through registration requirements but who nonetheless ply the halls of government
will vary. Possible answers are shown.
1. It is better to live in a city than in the country because the city offers many
to plead their clients’ interests.
more activities and opportunities to its residents.
In one sense, lobbyists are expediters. They know local traditions and
customs, and they know who is in a position to affect policy. Lobbyists advise their It is better to live in the country than in a city because the country offers more fresh air,
clients, which include trade associations, corporations, public interest groups
and regulated utilities and industries, on how to achieve their goals by working
more open space, and a lower crime rate.
with legislators and government regulators. Many lobbyists call themselves
2. Because tobacco products harm people’s health, all tobacco products should
“government relations specialists.”
be banned.
—Vivian, The Media of Mass Communication, pp. 278–279
Because many products harm people’s health, it would not be fair to single out tobacco.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 157 158 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

3. Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace create communities of 3. Monday morning is a time to get organized for the week. Monday morning is the
close-knit friends.
hardest day of the week because it means the pleasures of the weekend are over.
Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace can be a substitute for real human
4. Violence on television may promote physical aggressiveness among young children.
interaction.
Violence on television is necessary to portray events and stories in an accurate,
4. Dancing with the Stars entertains us by allowing celebrities to exhibit their
unknown dance talents. true-to-life fashion.

Dancing with the Stars is a rigged contest that exhibits celebrities whose lack of dance 5. College professors make sincere efforts to understand their students’ needs. College
talent is covered up by their dance professional partners. professors are not only experts in their disciplines but also experts in explaining it to others.

Choosing a Manageable Topic

WRITING
To write a good paragraph, you need a manageable topic, one that is the right
size. Your topic must be general enough to allow you to add interesting details
Write Effective Topic Sentences that will engage your reader. It must also be specific or narrow enough that
you can cover it adequately in a few sentences. If your topic is too general,
■ GOAL 5 As a writer, it is important to develop clear and concise topic sentences that you’ll end up with a few unrelated details that do not add up to a specific point.
Write effective topic help your readers understand your main ideas and guide them through your If your topic is too narrow, you will not have enough to say.
sentences paragraphs. Suppose you have decided to write a paragraph about sports. You write the
following topic sentence:
The Function of Topic Sentences
Sports are a favorite activity for many people.
A good topic sentence does two things:
■ It makes clear what the paragraph is about—the topic. This topic is much too broad to cover in one paragraph. Think of all the differ-
ent aspects you could write about. Which sports would you consider? Would
■ It expresses a view or makes a point about the topic.
you write about both playing sports and watching them? Would you write
In the following examples, the topic is circled and the point about the topic is about both professional and amateur sports? Would you write about the reasons
underlined. people enjoy sports? The topic sentence must be more specific:

1. The first week of college is a frustrating experience. My whole family likes to watch professional football on Sunday afternoons.
2. State-operated lotteries are growing in popularity.
3. Time management is a vital skill in college and on the job. Here you have limited your topic to a specific sport (football), a specific time
(Sunday afternoon), and some specific fans (your family).
Here are other examples of sentences that are too general. Each has been
revised to be more specific.

EXERCISE 5-7 Expressing Viewpoints About a Topic TOO GENERAL My parents have greatly influenced my life.

Directions: Working with a classmate, create two topic sentences that offer dif- REVISED My parents helped me make the decision to attend college.

fering or opposing points of view about each of the following topics. Answers will
TOO GENERAL Sex education is worthwhile.
vary. Possible answers are shown.
1. Shopping malls are often appealing to teenagers. Shopping malls are crowded, REVISED Sex-education courses in high school allow students to discuss
sex openly.
inconvenient, and expensive places to shop.
If your topic is too specific (narrow), you will not have enough details to use
2. Most fast-food restaurants are not concerned with their customers’ health or in the paragraph, or you may end up including details that do not relate directly
nutrition. Most fast-food restaurants provide inexpensive and convenient food sources to the topic. Suppose you decide to write a paragraph about the Internet and
come up with this topic sentence:
for busy people.
The Internet allows me to stay in touch with friends in other parts of the country.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 159 160 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

What else would your paragraph say? You might name some specific friends and Tips for Writing Effective Topic Sentences
where they are, but this list wouldn’t be very interesting. This topic sentence
is too specific. It might work as a detail, but not as a main idea. To correct the Use the following suggestions to write clear topic sentences:
problem, ask, “What else does the Internet allow me to do?” You might say that 1. Your topic sentence should state the main point of your paragraph. It
it allows you to stay in touch with friends by e-mail, that it makes doing research should identify your topic and express a view toward it.
for college papers easier, and that the World Wide Web has information on
2. Be sure to choose a manageable topic—one that is neither too general
careers and even specific job openings. Here is a possible revised topic sentence:
nor too specific.
The Internet is an important part of my personal, college, and work life. 3. Make sure your topic sentence is a complete thought. Be sure your topic
sentence is not a fragment or run-on sentence (see p. xxx).
Here are a few other examples of topic sentences that are too narrow, along 4. Place your topic sentence first in the paragraph. Topic sentences often
with revisions for each one: appear in other places in paragraphs, as described earlier, or their control-
ling idea is implied, not stated. For now, it will be easier for you to put yours
TOO NARROW Only 36 percent of Americans voted in the last election. at the beginning. That way, as you write, you can make sure you stick to
REVISED Many Americans do not exercise their right to vote. your point, and your readers will immediately be alerted to that point.
5. Avoid announcing your topic. Sentences that sound like announcements
TOO NARROW Markel Carpet Company offers child-care leave to both men and
are usually unnecessary. Avoid such sentences as “This paragraph will dis-
women.
cuss how to change a flat tire,” or “I will explain why I object to legalized
REVISED The child-care leave policy at Markel Carpet Company is very flexible.
abortion.” Instead, directly state your main point: “Changing a flat tire
TOO NARROW A yearly subscription to Appalachian Voice costs $25.
involves many steps,” or “I object to abortion on religious grounds.”

REVISED Appalachian Voice, a magazine devoted to environmental issues, is a Not all expert or professional writers follow all of these suggestions. Some-
bargain, considering the information it provides. times, a writer may use one-sentence paragraphs or include topic sentences that
are fragments to achieve a special effect. You will find these paragraphs in news and
How can you tell if your topic sentence is too general or too specific? Try magazine articles and other sources. Although professional writers can use these
brainstorming or branching to generate ideas. If you find you can develop the variations effectively, you probably should not experiment with them too early. It is
topic in many different directions, or if you have trouble choosing details from best while you are polishing your skills to use a more standard style of writing.
a wide range of choices, your topic is probably too general. If you cannot think
of anything to explain or support it, your topic sentence is too specific.

EXERCISE 5-9 Evaluating Topic Sentences

EXERCISE 5-8 Evaluating Topic Sentences Directions: Evaluate each of the following topic sentences and mark them as
follows:
Directions: Evaluate the following topic sentences. Label each “G” for too general E = effective G = too general
or “S” for too specific. Then rewrite each to create an effective topic sentence. A = announcement N = not complete thought
Corrected sentences will vary.
G S = too specific
1. Learning a new sport is challenging.
A 1. This paper will discuss the life and politics of Simón Bolívar.
G 2. Japanese culture is fascinating to study because its family traditions
S 2. Dinner for two at my favorite Italian restaurant costs $25.
are so different from American traditions.
S 3. The admission test for the police academy includes vocabulary
S 3. The new day-care center opens earlier than most. questions.
E 4. The discovery of penicillin was a great step in the advancement of
modern medicine.
G 4. Many rules of etiquette have changed over the past 25 years. A 5. I will talk about the reasons for the popularity of reality television
shows.
S 5. Passive cigarette smoke makes me feel sick. N 6. A habit leading to weight gain.
S 7. Each year Americans are the victims of more than 1 million auto
thefts.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 161 162 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

G 8. The White House has many famous rooms and an exciting history.
E 9. There are three factors to consider when buying a flat screen TV. EXERCISE 5-12 Writing a Paragraph
G 10. Iraq has a long and interesting history. Directions: Suppose you are taking a sociology course this semester. In prep-
aration for class discussions that will focus on issues, your instructor has as-
signed the following topics. Choose one of the following topics and write a
one-paragraph response to it.
EXERCISE 5-10 Revising Topic Sentences
1. Educational reform: If you could make one significant change in the public
Directions: Analyze the following topic sentences. If a sentence is too general or education system, what would it be?
too specific, or if it makes a direct announcement or is not a complete thought,
revise it to make it more effective. Answers will vary. 2. Gender differences: Describe one way in which the behavior of men is dif-
ferent from that of women.
1. World hunger is a crime.
3. The family: What do you think is the most important function of a family?
REVISED too general That is, why do we live in family groups? What is one key advantage? Sup-
port your answer with examples from your own experience.

2. E-mail is used by a great many people. 4. Discrimination: Describe one instance of discrimination (sexual, racial, reli-
gious, class, or age) that you have witnessed or experienced.
REVISED too general

3. I will point out the many ways energy can be saved in the home.
REVISED makes an announcement
INTEGRATING READING AND WRITING

4. Because Congress is very important in the United States. READ AND RESPOND: A Student Essay
REVISED incomplete thought

Kate Atkinson is a freshman at Beloit College in Wisconsin where she is

5. In 2010, over 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. studying Russian language and psychology.
REVISED too specific
Atkinson wrote this essay for her writing class in response to the article “School
of Hard Knocks.” Atkinson studied in Russia during high school and used her
study abroad experience in responding to the article.

EXERCISE 5-11 Writing a Paragraph

Directions: Write a topic sentence for four of the following topics, using the tips Title straightforwardly
given on page 160. Then select one of your topic sentences and use it to develop announces the subjects of
the essay
The Russian and U.S. School Systems
a paragraph.
Kate Atkinson
1. Should suicide be legal under certain circumstances?
2. Who deserves college scholarships? 1 Russia and the U.S. share a complex history riddled with conflict and mutual
3. Why do children need parental supervision when using the Internet? mistrust. In the years since the Cold War and collapse of the Soviet Union, the
4. Why are baseball games fun to watch? Introduction draws the reader two countries have worked to set aside their differences but tension still simmers
in through discussing the ways
5. Is space exploration valuable or a waste of money? beneath the surface. Russia is still viewed by many Americans as remote, mysteri-
Russia and the United States
6. Does the news coverage of presidential campaigns unfairly influence voters? view each other ous, and even dangerous. Similarly, Russians harbor both admiration and con-
tempt for America’s economic prowess and superpower status. One thing both
countries have in common, however, is an excellent system of education and
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 163 164 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

impressive literacy rates (both above ninety-nine percent). Writes Mark H. Teeter for Conclusion: a final discussion 8 The similarities and differences in these two systems of education closely
about the two different
The Moscow News, “Russians and Americans share a long tradition of dimly per- mirror the history and values of the countries themselves. Russia still clings to rigid
systems
ceiving each other’s societies, and recent developments on both countries’ school national control and standards while the U.S. allows for more freedom in the learn-
Thesis statement fronts neatly illustrate this through-a-glass-darkly effect.” Though both systems are ing exchange. Both countries could learn from the other and work to smooth out
highly-acclaimed, they are each as different as the countries they belong to. the wrinkles in their acclaimed systems. In order for this to happen however, the
First subject is introduced: 2 In Russia, primary and secondary school education is compulsory from two super powers would have to put the past aside and work to perceive each
Russia
around age seven to age fifteen. At fifteen, students either go on to vocational another through less biased lenses.
Topic sentence: attendance school, join the work force, or remain in secondary school for two more years in
in Russia
order to graduate and go on to higher education. This decision is usually not Works Cited
made by the student, but by a combination of factors including family standards
Teeter, Mark H. “School of Hard Knocks.” themoscownews. The Moscow News, 29
and expectations, class, and location. Students who come from a family of indus-
Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2011.
trial workers, for example, will usually go on to become one themselves. Russian
students specialize early on in school, and as a result they know from a young
age what type of career they are headed for. In recent years, specialized schools
Examining Writing
called “gymnasia” have become increasingly common in which students can fo-
cus on subjects such as music and foreign languages. 1. How does Atkinson indicate to her readers that she will be addressing
Topic sentence: curriculum 3 The Russian Ministry of Education determines the curriculum and as a result, two topics in her essay?
in Russia 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of her topic sentences.
all schools meet a certain national standard of education (Teeter). Along with
the usual requirements, the Russian curriculum emphasizes oral communication, 3. In each paragraph, does Atkinson provide enough details to explain
memorization, and recitation. Russian school children are well-versed in the poetry and support the topic sentence?
of the beloved poet Pushkin, and can recite famous lines without hesitation. 4. What overall attitude toward education in the two countries does
Topic sentence: classroom 4 In the classroom, the code of conduct between students and teachers is Atkinson reveal throughout the essay?
conduct in Russia
formal and respectful. When a teacher enters the room at the beginning of class,
all students hastily rise and wait for the teacher’s greeting. Personal relationships
are discouraged and the teacher’s sole responsibility is to relay information to be Writing Assignments
memorized by the students.
1. In her essay Atkinson compares and contrasts two different but highly
Author switches to second 5 In the U.S., students must attend school between the ages of six and seventeen.
successful systems of education. Create a summary of the main points
topic: U.S.
After passing all required courses, students graduate and either go on to higher of comparison she addresses in the essay.
Topic sentence: attendance education or join the military or work force. The number of students who go on to
in U.S.
2. After reading the essay, what is your opinion of the Russian school
higher education has increased dramatically in the past decade as job opportuni- system? What were you most surprised to learn? What aspects of
ties have become more competitive and college degrees more accessible to peo- the Russian system were most and least appealing to you? Do you
ple of all ages and backgrounds. U.S. students have a vast network of private and think you would have flourished in a similar system of education?
public universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges at their fingertips Why or why not? Write an essay exploring your answers to these
and therefore, a great deal of choice in the course of their education. questions.
Topic sentence: U.S. curriculum 6 Unlike Russia, the United States does not have a country-level curriculum.
Instead, independent city, state, and community boards determine curriculums
and each state has its own Department of Education (Teeter). The boards work
closely with the schools they monitor and can work to tackle problems such
as bullying more effectively than a national ministry. However, the flexibility in
curriculum from state to state has led to some schools not meeting the national
literacy standard, and issues such as what is an appropriate approach to sex
education and whether to teach creation science versus evolution are widely
debated (Teeter).
Topic sentence: classroom 7 In general, American students have more freedom in the classroom and the
conduct in U.S.
student teacher relationship is less rigid. Teachers are generally more tolerant of
laid back behavior in class but often do not get the respect they deserve.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 165 166 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

in a variety of vegetables and fruits, legumes and

READ AND RESPOND: A Professional Essay minimally processed starchy staple foods.” Does that
sound like pink buckets of fried chicken?
5 Pardon me for being cynical, but I have to
Thinking Before Reading ask, if Komen is going to partner with KFC, why not
The author of this article has written several books on the link between diet take it a step further and partner with a cigarette
and health. In the following reading, he examines a new partnership between company? They could sell pink packages of ciga-
a famous fried chicken restaurant chain and a breast cancer advocacy group. rettes, donating a few cents from each pack while
Before you read:
claiming “each pack you smoke brings us closer to
1. Preview the reading, using the steps discussed in Chapter 1, page. 15. the day cancer is vanquished forever.”
2. Connect the reading to your own experience by answering the following 6 Whose brilliant idea was it that buying
questions: fried chicken by the bucket is an effective way to
a. How often do you eat fast food? Are you concerned about the ef- fight breast cancer? One breast cancer advocacy
fects of fast food on your health? egregious group, Breast Cancer Action, thinks the Komen/KFC campaign is so egregious that
b. What do you already know about Susan G. Komen for the Cure? outrageously bad they call it “pinkwashing,” another sad example of commercialism draped in pink
ribbons. “Make no mistake,” they say, “every pink bucket purchase will do more to
3. Mark and annotate as you read. pinkwashing
using support for breast cancer benefit KFC’s bottom line than it will to cure breast cancer.”
research to sell products, 7 One thing is hard to dispute. In partnering with KFC, Susan G. Komen for the
especially products that can be
Cure has shown itself to be numbingly oblivious to the role of diet in cancer preven-
Greed, Cancer, and Pink KFC Buckets linked with cancer
tion. Of course it’s not hard to understand KFC’s motives. They want to look good.
But recent publicity the company has been getting hasn’t been helping. For one
John Robbins
thing, the company keeps taking hits for the unhealthiness of its food. Just last

1 We live in a world of profound contradictions. Some things are just unbeliev- month, when KFC came out with its new Double Down sandwiches, the products

ably strange. At times I feel like I’ve found a way to adapt to the weirdness of the were derided by just about every public health organization for their staggering

world, and then along comes something that just boggles my mind. It is ironic levels of salt, calories and artery-clogging fat.

grassroots that the largest grassroots breast cancer advocacy group in the world, a group 8 Then there’s the squeamish matter of the treatment of the birds who end up in
involving ordinary people at a called “Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” has now partnered with the fast food chain KFC’s buckets, pink or otherwise. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
local or community level has an entire website devoted to what it calls Kentucky Fried Cruelty, but you don’t
KFC, known for its high-fat foods and questionable treatment of its chickens, in a
national “Buckets for the Cure” campaign. The program began last month and have to be an animal activist to be horrified by how the company treats chickens, if

runs through the end of May. you lift the veil of the company’s PR and see what actually takes place.

2 KFC is taking every chance it can manufacture to trumpet the fact that it 9 When PETA sent investigators with hidden cameras into a KFC “Supplier of the

will donate 50 cents to Komen for every pink bucket of chicken sold. For its part, Year” slaughterhouse in Moorefield, West Virginia, what they found was enough to

Komen is announcing on its website that “KFC and Susan G. Komen for the Cure make KFC choke on its own pink publicity stunts. Workers were caught on video

are teaming up . . . to . . . spread educational messaging via a major national stomping on chickens, kicking them and violently slamming them against floors

campaign which will reach thousands of communities served by nearly 5,000 and walls. Workers were also filmed ripping the animals’ beaks off, twisting their

KFC restaurants.” heads off, spitting tobacco into their eyes and mouths, spray-painting their faces,

3 Educational messaging, indeed. How often do you think this “messaging” pro- and squeezing their bodies so hard that the birds expelled feces—all while the

vides information about the critical importance a healthy diet plays in maintain- chickens were still alive.

ing a healthy weight and preventing cancer? How often do you think it refers in 10 KFC, naturally, did everything they could to keep the footage from being aired,

any way to the many studies that, according to the National Cancer Institute’s but their efforts failed. In fact, the video from the investigation ended up being

website, “have shown that an increased risk of developing colorectal, pancreatic, broadcast by TV stations around the world, as well as on all three national eve-

and breast cancer is associated with high intakes of well-done, fried or barbe- ning news shows, Good Morning America, and every one of the major cable news

cued meats?” If you guessed zero, you’re right. networks. Plus, more than a million people subsequently watched the footage on

4 Meanwhile, the American Institute for Cancer Research reports that 60 to PETA’s website.

70 percent of all cancers can be prevented with lifestyle changes. Their number 11 It wasn’t just animal activists who condemned the fast food chain for the

one dietary recommendation is to: “Choose predominantly plant-based diets rich level of animal cruelty displayed at KFC’s “Supplier of the Year” slaughterhouse.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 167 168 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

Dr. Temple Grandin, perhaps the meat industry’s leading farmed-animal welfare 4. predominantly (paragraph 4) mostly
expert, said, “The behavior of the plant employees was atrocious.” Dr. Ian Duncan,
5. cynical (paragraph 5) skeptical, pessimistic
ethology a University of Guelph professor of applied ethology and an original member of
the branch of zoology that studies KFC’s own animal-welfare advisory council, wrote, “This tape depicts scenes of the 6. vanquished (paragraph 5) defeated, eliminated
the behavior of animals in their
natural habitats worst cruelty I have ever witnessed against chickens . . . and it is extremely hard to 7. derided (paragraph 7) criticized, condemned
accept that this is occurring in the United States of America.”
8. atrocious (paragraph 11) terrible
12 KFC claims, on its website, that its animal-welfare advisory council “has been a
key factor in formulating our animal welfare program.” But Dr. Duncan, along with 9. jeopardize (paragraph 13) put at risk
five other former members of this advisory council, say otherwise. They all resigned
10. authenticity (paragraph 13) genuineness, validity
in disgust over the company’s refusal to take animal welfare seriously. Adele Doug-
lass, one of those who resigned, said in an SEC filing reported on by the Chicago
Tribune that KFC “never had any meetings. They never asked any advice, and then Examining the Reading: Drawing Idea Maps
they touted to the press that they had this animal-welfare advisory committee. I felt
Create an idea map of the reading that starts with the title and thesis and then
like I was being used.”
lists the author’s main points. Use the guidelines on page 21.
13 You can see why KFC would be eager to jump on any chance to improve its
public image, and why the company would want to capitalize on any opportunity
to associate itself in the public mind with the fight against breast cancer. What’s far Reacting to Ideas: Discussion and Journal Writing
more mystifying is why an organization with as much public trust as Susan G. Komen Get ready to write about the reading by discussing the following:
for the Cure would jeopardize public confidence in its authenticity. As someone once
1. Discuss why Komen chose to partner with KFC. Do you think the “Buckets
said, it takes a lifetime to build a reputation, but only 15 minutes to lose it. for the Cure” campaign will be considered successful?
2. Did the description of animal abuse at KFC’s supplier affect your opinion
of fast food in general and KFC in particular? Why or why not?
Getting Ready to Write 3. Write a sentence that summarizes the author’s opinion regarding the
partnership between Komen and KFC. Do you agree or disagree with his
Checking Your Comprehension opinion?
Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. 4. What is the author’s purpose for writing this essay? Who is his intended
1. Describe the “Buckets for the Cure” campaign. audience?
2. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, what percentage 5. Evaluate the introduction of the essay. What does it add to the piece of
of all cancers can be prevented with lifestyle changes? writing? How successful is it in capturing your interest?
3. What is the number one dietary recommendation of the American Insti- 6. How does the photo accompanying this essay add to or detract from the
tute for Cancer Research? material? Do you think a different photo would be more effective? What
would it show?
4. What is “pinkwashing” and what does it have to do with the Komen/KFC
campaign?
5. Give a brief summary of what PETA investigators found at the KFC “Supplier
of the Year” slaughterhouse in West Virginia. How did KFC’s animal-welfare
Writing About the Reading
advisory council react? Paragraph Options
Read and Complete the 1. How would this essay be different if it were written as a strictly factual re-
Exercise at myskillslab.com
port? Write a paragraph in which you summarize the facts of the essay in
Strengthening Your Vocabulary
objective language.
Using the word’s context, word parts, or a dictionary, write a brief definition of Read and Complete the 2. Write a paragraph explaining whether you agree or disagree that Susan G.
each of the following words as it is used in the reading. Exercise at myskillslab.com
Komen for the Cure has “jeopardize[d] public confidence in its authentic-
1. profound (paragraph 1) deep ity” by partnering with KFC.
Read and Complete the 3. The author points to the importance of a healthy diet in preventing cancer.
2. contradictions (paragraph 1) ideas in conflict or opposition Exercise at myskillslab.com
Do you think most people (including yourself) make that connection? Write
3. advocacy (paragraph 1) active support of a cause a paragraph explaining your answer.
 Write Effective Topic Sentences 169 170 CHAPTER 5 Topics, Main Ideas, and Topic Sentences

Essay Options (continued )

Read and Complete the 4. Is it appropriate for advocacy organizations such as Komen to promote
Exercise at myskillslab.com
their causes using commercial means? Write an essay explaining why or QUESTION ANSWER
why not. Try to think of other advocacy groups that have formed such
partnerships, on either a national or a local level. ■ GOAL 5 Write effective topic sentences Write a sentence that identifies your topic and expresses
Read and Complete the 5. What responsibility do restaurants and other commercial enterprises have How can I write effective topic sentences? a view or makes a point about the topic. Choose a
Exercise at myskillslab.com
toward consumer health? Write an essay exploring this question. In your manageable topic and be sure the sentence expresses
own experience, what effect does “educational messaging” from advertis-
a complete thought.
ing campaigns have on your lifestyle choices?
Read and Complete the 6. Imagine that you are a member of an animal-welfare advisory council for
Exercise at myskillslab.com
a large company. What guidelines would you promote for the company to
follow regarding animal welfare? Write an essay describing your ideas for
animal welfare in a commercial setting.
An Overview of Title TK
For more help in meeting the goals of this chapter, go to
your learning path in MySkillsLab at www.myskillslab.com.

SELF-TEST SUMMARY
To test yourself, cover the Answer column with a sheet of paper and answer each question in
the left column. Evaluate each of your answers as you work by sliding the paper down and
comparing your answer with what is printed in the Answer column.

QUESTION ANSWER

■ GOAL 1 Structure a paragraph A paragraph is a group of related sentences that

What is a paragraph and what are its three key develop one thought or idea. The three key elements are
elements? the topic, topic sentence, and supporting details.

■ GOAL 2 Identify the topic of a paragraph Look for the one thing the author is discussing
How do I identify the topic of a paragraph? throughout the paragraph.

■ GOAL 3 Locate main ideas Find the topic and then locate the sentence in the
How do I locate the main idea of a paragraph? paragraph that is the most general. Check to be sure this
one sentence brings all the other details together under
one common concept.

■ GOAL 4 Think critically about main ideas Ask if there are other views that can be held about the
How can I think critically about main ideas? topic.

(continued )