Essay Question 1 of 23

Instructions:

Choose one (1) of the five questions below and write a well-structured essay of approximately 500-600 words in the answer box provided (500 words is approximately 30-35 lines in the answer box). At the top of your essay, type the number identifying the essay topic you have chosen.

The essay will be evaluated for content, organization, grammar, style, and mechanics (i.e., punctuation, spelling, and capitalization).

Essay Topic Choices:

1) Explain the process of how not to do something such as meeting the parents of your significant other, or managing a job interview, or starting a new job, or communicating with a supervisor or instructor.

2) Classify different communication styles in stressful situations.

3) Contrast two pets you've had, using a point-by-point comparison structure.

4) Many of us take in a constant flow of news every day—from TV, radio, our phones, social media, and more. What are the effects—positive and/or negative—of having this constant access to news?

5) According to writer Jennifer Moss, "toxic productivity... pushes individuals to overwork and measure their self-worth through constant output and perfectionism." Argue that the emphasis on constant productivity negatively affects students. Identify two or three reasons for your stance.

Selected Answer: Question 1

1) Explain the process of how not to do something such as meeting the parents of your significant other, or managing a job interview, or starting a new job, or communicating with a supervisor or instructor.

Meeting the parents of a significant other for the first time is a rite of passage that can either forge a lasting bond or create an awkward rift. While many guides exist on how to make a good impression, understanding what not to do is equally, if not more, important. A successful first meeting requires respect, attentiveness, and genuine interest; conversely, a disastrous one often results from a predictable series of missteps. By examining the common pitfalls of this nerve-wracking encounter, one can learn precisely how to avoid turning a potentially meaningful relationship into a cautionary tale.

The first and most fundamental error is failing to prepare adequately. Walking into the meeting without any prior knowledge about the parents is a recipe for disaster. This includes not knowing their names, their professions, or even basic information about their interests. Arriving empty-handed is another critical faux pas; a small gift, such as a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers, demonstrates thoughtfulness and appreciation for the invitation. Furthermore, a lack of awareness regarding basic etiquette, such as proper table manners or the appropriate time to arrive, signals disrespect and immaturity. Preparation extends beyond logistics; it also involves mentally rehearsing how to handle potentially sensitive topics and mentally preparing to be engaged and present throughout the visit.

During the meeting itself, a host of behavioral errors can quickly sour the experience. Dominating the conversation and talking excessively about oneself is a surefire way to alienate the hosts. The first meeting is an opportunity to learn about the parents and their family dynamic, not to deliver a monologue about one's own achievements. Equally detrimental is using the occasion to challenge the parents' beliefs or criticize their parenting. Bringing up controversial topics like politics, religion, or past relationship drama is ill-advised and demonstrates poor judgment. The conversation should remain light, positive, and focused on finding common ground. Additionally, spending the entire visit on a phone or appearing distracted conveys disinterest and disrespect. The focus must be on the people in the room.

Finally, the missteps do not end when the visit concludes. A failure to send a follow-up thank-you note is a significant oversight. This small gesture of gratitude goes a long way in cementing a positive impression and demonstrates good manners. Another common error is forgetting to relay a positive report to one's partner about the experience. Sharing specific compliments or enjoyable moments from the visit shows respect for the partner's family and reinforces the bond between the couple. Even minor faux pas during the visit can often be mitigated by a warm and gracious exit and a thoughtful follow-up.

In conclusion, a disastrous first meeting with a significant other's parents is often the result of a series of preventable errors: a lack of preparation, poor conversational choices during the visit, and a failure to follow up afterwards. By consciously avoiding these mistakes—by being prepared, being an attentive listener, and expressing genuine gratitude—one can transform a potentially awkward situation into a successful and memorable introduction. The key, ultimately, is to prioritize respect for the parents' home, their values, and most importantly, the relationship that has brought everyone together.

Essay Question 2 of 23

Instructions:

Read the essay "Stop the Clock," by Amy Wu, which has been reproduced from a 1996 issue of Newsweek. In a paragraph of approximately 150-200 words, write a summary of Wu's article using the tips you have learned for writing an effective summary.

Click on the ESSAY link immediately below to access the essay.

Essay Text:

Stop the Clock by Amy Wu

My aunt tends to her house as if it were her child. The rooms are spotless, the windows squeak, the kitchen counter is so shiny that I can see my reflection and the floors are so finely waxed that my sister and I sometimes slide across in socks and pretend that we are skating. Smells of soy sauce, scallions, and red bean soup drift from the kitchen whenever I visit. The hum of the washing machine lulls me to sleep. In season, there are roses in the garden, and vases hold flowers arranged like those in a painting. My aunt enjoys keeping house, although she's wealthy enough to hire someone to do it.

I am a failure at housework. I've chosen to be inept and unlearn what my aunt has spent so much time perfecting. At thirteen, I avoided domestic chores as my contribution to the women's movement. Up to now, I've thought there were more important things to do. I am a member of a generation that is very concerned with saving time but often unaware of why we're doing it.

Like many, I'm nervous and jittery without a wristwatch and a daily planner. I am one of a growing number of students who are completing college in three years instead of four—cramming credits in the summer. We're living life on fast-forward without a pause button. In my freshman year, my roommates and I survived on Chinese takeout, express pizzas, and taco take-home dinners. We ate lunch while walking to class. Every day seemed an endless picnic as we ate with plastic utensils and paper plates. It was fast and easy—no washing up. My girlfriends and I talked about our mothers and grandmothers, models of domesticity, and pitied them. We didn't see the benefits of staying at home, ironing clothes, and making spaghetti sauce when canned sauces were almost as good and cleaning services were so convenient. A nearby store even sold throwaway underwear. "Save time," the package read. "No laundry." We baked brownies in ten minutes in the microwave and ate the frosting from the can because we were too impatient to wait for the brownies to cool. For a while, we thought about chipping in and buying a funky contraption that makes toast, coffee, and eggs. All you had to do was put in the raw ingredients the night before and wake up to the smell of sizzling eggs, crispy toast and rich coffee.

My aunt was silent when I told her about plastic utensils, microwave meals and disposable underwear.

"It's a waste of money," she finally said.

I was angry as I stared at her perfect garden, freshly ironed laundry, and handmade curtains. "Well, you're wasting your time," I said defensively. But I wasn't so sure.

It seems that all the kids I know are time-saving addicts. Everyone on campus prefers e-mail to snail mail. The art of letter writing is long gone. I know classmates who have forgotten how to write in script, and print like five-year-olds. More of us are listening to books instead of reading them. My roommate last year jogged while plugged in. She told me she'd listened to John Grisham's The Client. "You mean read," I corrected. "I didn't read a word," she said with pride. My nearsighted friends opt for throw-away contacts and think the usual lenses are tedious. A roommate prefers a sleeping bag so she doesn't have to make her bed. Instead of going to the library to do research, we cruise the Internet and log on to the Library of Congress. School kids take trips to the White House via Internet and Mosaic. I heard that one school even considered canceling the eighth-grade Washington trip, a traditional rite of passage, because it's so easy to visit the capital on the Information Highway. I remember how excited my eighth-grade classmates and I were about being away from home for the first time. We stayed up late, ate Oreos in bed and roamed around the Lincoln Memorial, unsupervised by adults. It isn't as if we're using the time we save for worthwhile pursuits like volunteering at a soup kitchen. Most of my friends spend the extra minutes watching TV, listening to stereos, shopping, hanging out, chatting on the phone or snoozing.

When I visited my aunt last summer, I saw how happy she was after baking bread or a cake, how proud she seemed whenever she made a salad with her homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers. Why bother when there are ready-made salads, ready-peeled and-cut fruit and five-minute frosting?

Once when I went shopping with her she bought cake covered with pink roses. "Why don't you just buy one," I asked. "A cake is more than a cake," she replied. "It's the giving of energy, the thought behind it. You'll grow to understand."

Slowly, I am beginning to appreciate why my aunt takes pleasure in cooking for her family, why the woman down the street made her daughter's wedding gown instead of opting for Vera Wang, why the old man next door spends so much time tending his garden. He offered me a bag of his fresh-grown tomatoes. "They're good," he said. "Not like the ones at the supermarket." He was right.

Not long ago, I spent a day making a meal for my family. As the pasta boiled and the red peppers sizzled, I wrote a letter to my cousin in Canada. At first, the pen felt strange, then reassuring. I hand-washed my favorite skirt and made chocolate cake for my younger sister's 13th birthday. It took great self-control not to slather on the icing before the cake cooled. That night I grinned as my father and sister dug into the pasta, then the cake, licking their lips in appreciation. It had been a long time since I'd felt so proud. A week later my cousin called and thanked me for my letter, the first handwritten correspondence she'd received in two years. Sure, my generation has all the technological advances at our fingertips. We're computer-savvy, and we have more time. But what are we really saving it for? In the end, we may lose more than we've gained by forgetting the important things in life.

Answer:

In her 1996 essay "Stop the Clock," Amy Wu reflects on her generation's obsession with time-saving technology and contrasts it with her aunt's more deliberate, hands-on approach to domestic life. Wu describes how she and her peers have embraced convenience—microwave meals, disposable utensils, e-mail over handwritten letters, and even listening to books instead of reading them—all in the name of efficiency. However, she questions what is actually being done with the time saved, noting that most people simply spend it on passive entertainment rather than meaningful activities. Through her aunt's example of baking bread, gardening, and creating handmade items, Wu comes to appreciate the intrinsic value of investing time and energy into tasks. She concludes that while her generation has unprecedented access to time-saving technology, they may ultimately lose more than they gain by neglecting the personal connection and pride that come from doing things the "slow" way.

Essay Question 3 of 23

Instructions:

Choose one (1) of the quotations below. Then, write a paragraph that does the following:

a. identifies the title and author of the reading from which the quotation has been taken

b. restates the author's thesis in your own words

c. states your paragraph's controlling idea

d. examines the role of the quotation in the essay as a whole. (How does it function structurally? How does it contribute to developing the thesis? Does it have other functions, such as establishing tone?)

Your response should comprise at least 10-12 sentences presented in an effective full paragraph in the answer box provided. Be sure that your answer refers to the specific quotation and explains as precisely and fully as possible how it is important to the essay as a whole. Be sure that your answer is focused with a clear, complete topic sentence that states the view you are taking.

Essay Titles and Quotations:

"How to Write with Style" by Kurt Vonnegut

A) "It is no less difficult to write sentences in a recipe than sentences in Moby-Dick. So you might as well write Moby-Dick."

"Why I Write Indigenous Sci-Fi" by Drew Hayden Taylor

B) "I think one of the metaphors most likely to catch on in the Native sci-fi writing community—if and when one develops—will be the exploration of contact. With aliens or multi-dimensional creatures or parallel universes or whatever."

(Source not specified)

C) "I felt foolish the rest of the morning, especially when I recalled the artists who had done their work in gulags, prison cells, hospital beds who did their work while hounded, exiled, reviled, pilloried. And those who were executed."

"I Wrote the Super Queer Novel My Younger Self Needed" by Celia Laskey

D) "Even with this high percentage of queer students, Emerson didn't offer an LGBTQIA literature course at the time. I took American Lit, Brit Lit, Latino Lit, Native American Lit, and the Contemporary American Novel, and none of them included queer authors or characters."

"Life Is Too Short for Someone Else's Shame" by Amanda Leduc

E) "I am saying that disability has made me a better writer, because it keeps me alive to the ways in which the world treats those who are different, and reminds me of the ways in which I can use my words to fight for a world that is better than the one we have."

(Source not specified)

F) "Have the guts to cut."

"Politics and the English Language" by George Orwell

G) "In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible... Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness."

"On Keeping a Notebook" by Joan Didion

H) "But our notebooks give us away, for however dutifully we record what we see around us, the common denominator of all we see is always, transparently, shamelessly, the implacable 'I'."

"Why I Write" by Joan Didion

I) "All I knew then was what I wasn't, and it took me some years to discover what I was. Which was a writer. By which I mean not a 'good' writer or a 'bad' writer but simply a writer, a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper."

"Why I Write" by George Orwell

J) "I cannot say with certainty which of my motives are the strongest, but I know which of them deserve to be followed. And looking back through my work, I see that it is invariably where I lacked a political purpose that I wrote lifeless books and was betrayed into purple passages, sentences without meaning, decorative adjectives and humbug generally."

"On Fighting for Space in the Literary World as a Black Canadian Writer" by Cheryl Thompson

K) "It is hard to think of titles of the last twenty years that centre Black characters or communities in everyday places and spaces that do not involve narratives of American slavery or the Underground Railroad—narratives that have tended to appeal to white Canadian audiences."

"Shitty First Drafts" by Anne Lamott

L) "I would eventually let myself trust the process—sort of, more or less. I'd write a first draft that was maybe twice as long as it should be, with a self-indulgent and boring beginning, stupefying descriptions of the meal, lots of quotes from my black-humored friends that made them sound more like the Manson girls than food lovers, and no ending to speak of."

Selected Answer: Quotation I

This quotation is taken from Joan Didion's essay "Why I Write," in which the author explores her personal motivations and the gradual process of discovering her identity as a writer. Didion's central thesis is that writing is not merely a chosen profession but an essential part of her being—a means of making sense of the world and her place within it. In examining this quotation, I argue that it serves as the pivotal moment of self-realization in Didion's essay, marking the transition from uncertainty to clarity and establishing the foundation for her entire philosophy on writing. Structurally, this quotation appears in the middle of the essay, functioning as a turning point where Didion moves from describing what she was not to defining what she truly is. The first part—"All I knew then was what I wasn't"—reflects the confusion and fragmentation of her early years, a time when she lacked direction and a clear sense of purpose. The second part—"it took me some years to discover what I was"—acknowledges that self-discovery is a gradual, sometimes painstaking process rather than an instantaneous revelation. When Didion declares, "Which was a writer," the sentence stands as a definitive statement of identity, simple yet profound in its finality. The clarification that follows—"not a 'good' writer or a 'bad' writer but simply a writer"—is particularly significant because it rejects external judgment and embraces the act of writing as intrinsically valuable regardless of quality or reception. Didion's definition of a writer as "a person whose most absorbed and passionate hours are spent arranging words on pieces of paper" establishes a deeply personal and almost sacred view of the craft, emphasizing absorption and passion over fame or success. Furthermore, this quotation establishes the intimate, introspective tone that characterizes the entire essay, inviting readers to understand writing as an act of self-discovery rather than mere self-expression. Ultimately, this quotation is the philosophical heart of "Why I Write," encapsulating Didion's belief that writing is not something one does but something one is, and that the journey to that realization is as important as the destination itself.

Question 4

Sentence: I planned to go to the party ___ but I ended up working late.

Answer Choices:
a. , (comma)
b. ; (semicolon)
c. : (colon)
d. no punctuation

Answer: a. , (comma)

Explanation: A comma is used before a coordinating conjunction (but) that joins two independent clauses.

Question 5

Sentence: Carlos studied very hard for the exam ___ and passed with flying colours.

Answer Choices:
a. no punctuation
b. , (comma)
c. ; (semicolon)
d. : (colon)

Answer: a. no punctuation

Explanation: The second part (passed with flying colours) is not an independent clause—it shares the subject Carlos. No comma is needed before and.

Question 6

Sentence: My mom works in construction ___ my dad owns a restaurant.

Answer Choices:
a. , (comma)
b. : (colon)
c. ; (semicolon)
d. no punctuation

Answer: c. ; (semicolon)

Explanation: These are two independent clauses with no conjunction. A semicolon correctly joins them without a comma splice.

Question 7

Sentence: Maria needed to buy eggs, cheese, milk, and bread.

Answer Choices:
a. , (comma)
b. ; (semicolon)
c. : (colon)
d. no punctuation

Answer: d. no punctuation

Explanation: This sentence is already correctly punctuated. No additional punctuation is needed at the end besides the period.

Question 8

Sentence: I have colleagues from many provinces ___ Ontario, BC, Manitoba, and Newfoundland.

Answer Choices:
a. : (colon)
b. ; (semicolon)
c. , (comma)
d. no punctuation

Answer: a. : (colon)

Explanation: A colon introduces a list that follows a complete independent clause.

Question 9

Sentence: We often think that only men are at risk of having heart attacks ___ however, women are at risk.

Answer Choices:
a. , (comma)
b. : (colon)
c. no punctuation
d. ; (semicolon)

Answer: d. ; (semicolon)

Explanation: However is a conjunctive adverb joining two independent clauses. Use a semicolon before it and a comma after it.

Question 10

Sentence: ___ not merely what you said that offended me ___ also the tone of your voice!

Answer Choices:
a. Its/its
b. It's/its
c. Its/it's
d. It's/it's

Answer: b. It's/its

Full sentence: It's not merely what you said that offended me; it's also the tone of your voice!

Explanation: It's = it is (contraction). Its = possessive pronoun (no apostrophe). The second blank requires its (possessive) because it refers to the tone of your voice.

Question 11

Sentence: The ___ lockers are in the room adjacent to the ___ lockers.

Answer Choices:
a. nurse's/doctor's
b. nurses/doctors
c. nurses'/doctors'
d. nurses'/doctors

Answer: c. nurses'/doctors'

Explanation: Both are plural possessives (nurses and doctors). The apostrophe goes after the s for plural nouns ending in s.

Question 12

Sentence: Sharon Cameron states ___ nature writing is about "how the mind sees nature" (44).

Answer Choices:
a. that
b. which
c. who
d. whom

Answer: a. that

Explanation: That is the correct subordinating conjunction to introduce the reported statement (states that...).

Question 13

Sentence: The interns don't ___ to give up ___ weekend to work.

Answer Choices:
a. want/their
b. wants/their
c. want/there
d. wants/there

Answer: a. want/their

Explanation: Interns is plural → want (not wants). Their is the plural possessive pronoun matching interns.

Question 14

Sentence: Neither Betsy nor Mabel ___ donating to the charity.

Answer Choices:
a. am
b. are
c. were
d. is

Answer: d. is

Explanation: With neither...nor, the verb agrees with the noun closest to it (Mabel = singular) → is.

Question 15

Sentence: Students ___ want to appeal ___ grade should contact the Dean's Office.

Answer Choices:
a. that/ones
b. which/its
c. who/their
d. whom/your

Answer: c. who/their

Explanation: Who refers to people (students). Their is the plural possessive matching students (not one's).

Question 16

Sentence: Although the university has had to cut expenses, ___ still offering all of the courses I need.

Answer Choices:
a. they are
b. it is
c. we are
d. he is

Answer: b. it is

Explanation: University is a singular collective noun → use it (singular pronoun) + is.

Question 17

Sentence: My mom did the best she could to raise my sister and ___.

Answer Choices:
a. I
b. me
c. myself
d. mine

Answer: b. me

Explanation: This is the object of the preposition to raise → use the object pronoun me (not I or myself).

Question 18

Sentence: Olaf and ___ will organize the meeting and the refreshments.

Answer Choices:
a. him
b. himself
c. his
d. he

Answer: d. he

Explanation: This is the subject of the verb will organize → use the subject pronoun he.

Question 19

Which sentence offers the best active alternative for the passive voice in "Paulo was followed by his cat all the way to work"?

Answer Choices:
a. Paulo's cat was following him all the way to work.
b. Paulo was followed all the way to work.
c. Paulo's cat followed him all the way to work.
d. Following Paulo all the way to work was his cat.

Answer: c. Paulo's cat followed him all the way to work.

Explanation: This places the doer (cat) as the subject and uses active verb (followed), making it clear and concise.

Question 20

Complete for parallelism: Choose university courses that are interesting, enjoyable, and ___.

Answer Choices:
a. challenge
b. challenged
c. to challenge
d. challenging

Answer: d. challenging

Explanation: The list uses adjectives (interesting, enjoyable) → the third should also be an adjective → challenging.

Question 21

Which sentence does NOT contain a dangling participle?

Answer Choices:
a. While snorkelling in the Caribbean, I was stung by a stingray.
b. Walking home from school, the rain started to fall.
c. After finishing the exam, the students left the room.
d. Running through the park, my hat flew off.

Answer: a. While snorkelling in the Caribbean, I was stung by a stingray.

Explanation: The subject I matches the action snorkelling—no dangling modifier. The others have misplaced or dangling modifiers.

Question 22

Which is a sentence fragment?

Answer Choices:
a. Going to school and working full time at the same time.
b. She went to school and worked full time.
c. He enjoys reading and writing.
d. They studied hard for the exam.

Answer: a. Going to school and working full time at the same time.

Explanation: This is a phrase with no main verb—it does not form a complete sentence.

Question 23

Identify the sentence with the misplaced modifier.

Answer Choices:
a. She anxiously waited for the results of her exam.
b. She waited anxiously for the results of her exam.
c. She anxiously waited for the results of her exam smothered in sweat.
d. Anxiously, she waited for the results of her exam.

Answer: c. She anxiously waited for the results of her exam smothered in sweat.

Explanation: Smothered in sweat incorrectly modifies exam instead of she. Correct: Smothered in sweat, she anxiously waited for the results of her exam.