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Unit 1: The Researched Essay
Part 1: Stimulating Ideas
Exercise 2 B (pp. 4–5)
1. To achieve this goal, I focused on three points: the content of my essays, correct grammar, and
advanced-level vocabulary.
The three points are content, grammar, and advanced-level vocabulary.
2. Body paragraph 1 focuses on essay content.
3. Body paragraph 2 focuses on grammar.
4. Body paragraph 3 focuses on vocabulary.
5. The writer has become more confident and realizes the importance of academic writing skills.
Exercise 3 (p. 6)
Answers will vary.
1. Hook: Today there are more social networking accounts than there are people on the planet.
It gives the readers a sense of the enormity of social networking, which they probably participate in
themselves.
2. Social networking allows people to share ideas with friends and family everywhere. It connects people
in ways that were never possible in the past. By showing how widespread networking is, readers
become more aware of the importance of being cautious.
3. Still, users of these sites should be cautious. Social media can be dangerous. The essay will be about
how one can protect oneself from the dangers of social media.
4. the dangers of social networking
5. the need to be careful when using social media
Exercise 4 (p. 7)
Answers will vary.
Body Paragraph 1
1. I discovered that the content of the writing required for my college courses was different from the
content I had used in high school.
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2. In high school, writing focused more on personal experiences such as family and friends. In college it
was necessary to research the essays and write analyses about literature, politics, and science. These
details provide evidence of the differences in content for writing in high school and college.
3. b
Body Paragraph 2
1. I realized that I had to improve my understanding of grammar to write for college.
2. The writer had problems with run-on sentences, fragments, and verb-tense consistency. These are all
considered grammar issues.
3. a
Body Paragraph 3
1. I soon realized that much of my academic writing required sophisticated vocabulary.
2. The writer used slang and abbreviations. Using a dictionary and thesaurus allowed the writer to
include more advanced vocabulary. Slang and abbreviations are part of conversational speech and
advanced vocabulary is necessary for college writing.
3.a
Exercise 5 (p. 8)
1. 3
2. Academic writing requires critical thinking skills, an understanding of the topic, research, high-level
vocabulary, and correct grammar.
3. d
Part 2: Understanding Assignments and Planning Research
Exercise 1 (p. 10)
1. Comparing a book to its movie version
2. The audience are readers of a movie magazine.
3. Style and Format: double-spaced, using a 12-point Times New Roman font and a 1 inch margin
Exercise 2 (p. 11)
1. Comparison-contrast essay
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2. The signal words compare, similar, and different suggest that this will be a comparison-contrast essay.
Exercise 3 (p. 11)
1. arguing, in favor, against, defend, agree, counter, objections, convince, position
2. Argumentative essay
Exercise 4 (p. 12)
Answers will vary.
Exercise 5 (p. 13)
Primary Sources: autobiographies, diaries, oral histories, email, museum exhibits, scientific magazine
articles
Secondary Sources: encyclopedia articles, scientific magazine articles, textbooks, email, museum
exhibits
Exercise 6 (p. 14)
Answers will vary. Examples:
1. Internet, library, documentaries
2. Reliable sources come from respected authors, and publications that are documented and are
relatively recent. Unreliable sources may be anonymous and/or come from non-professional writers.
3. reliable sources include historical records, scholarly journals, university publications, and websites
from respected institutions.
4. make a list of the titles, sources, authors, dates, and URLs
Part 3: Unit and Coherence
Exercise 1 (pp. 15-16)
Having my friends and family together at my wedding was an amazing experience. I had not seen
some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins for many years. My cousin Tom lives in London, where he works
as an engineer. My mother was born in Spain, and my father was born in Indonesia, so my relatives are
scattered all over the world. (1) I really like traveling, and I have been to Europe and Asia to visit
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relatives. Although my family tries to get together for important occasions, this was the first time
everyone could attend. I felt so honored that it was my wedding that brought us all together. It was also
important to introduce my friends and my new husband to my relatives. All these years, none of my
friends had met my relatives. (2) Developing good friendships takes a lot of work. Watching my family,
friends, and new husband all dancing, laughing, and having a wonderful time together will stay in my
memory forever.
The band we hired played music that the guests loved, and we danced for hours. (3) My original
guest list had over 200 people, but I had to cut it down to 150. It was difficult finding a group that could
play all the diverse styles that my husband and I wanted at the wedding. Most bands specialize in one or
two different kinds of music. However, these musicians really knew all types of music—from 1940s jazz
and swing, to salsa, merengue, and even tango. (4) My brother was once in a band. In short, there was
music to suit everyone’s tastes. (5) I loved the singer’s beautiful blue dress. (6) It was incredible. Even
my grandparents danced all night.
Exercise 2 (p. 17)
1. a, c, d
2. a, b, d, e
Exercise 3 (p. 18)
2. b
3. a
Exercise 4 (p. 19)
2. Learning a foreign language takes a lot of patience and effort. Moreover, it helps to have a good ear.
3. The college student was told to revise her essay at third time. Nevertheless, she has still made great
progress with her writing skills.
4. John Steinbeck, a famous American author, wrote many books concerning the human condition. For
example, his novel The Grapes of Wrath dealt with the problems of the Great Depression.
5. Academic writing requires standard grammar, sophisticated vocabulary, and proper organization. In
contrast, electronic text messages use abbreviations, symbols, and slang.
6. Nowadays research is often done on the Internet. Previously, important information was stored on
special film called microfiche.
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Exercise 5 (p. 20)
Answers will vary. Examples:
A. If you want to conduct a survey, first develop a questionnaire. Next, it is necessary to interview
participants. Finally, you need to examine all the interviews and analyze the data you have collected.
B. If you want to learn Spanish, the most important thing is to take a Spanish class. The second priority is
to practice speaking Spanish with friends. Then you should visit a Spanish-speaking country.
Exercise 6 (p. 21)
2. they
3. we
4. us
5. they
6. us
Exercise 7 (p. 22)
2. As a teenager, I reported on school events, edited articles for the high school newspaper, and
published some of my stories.
3. Some of the rewards of being an author are learning about historical events, researching the lives of
famous people, and discovering facts about yourself.
4. Attending workshops on writing has taught me how to receive criticism, become a more focused
writer, and take more risks.
Part 4: Editing Your Writing
Exercise 1 (p. 23)
2. I felt very confident because I had spent a long time practicing.
3. Since it was my graduation, I bought a beautiful new outfit.
4. Although the ceremony was very long, nobody was bored.
5. We went out for a fancy meal after the ceremony ended.
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6. My family took a lot of photographs which I still enjoy looking at.
Exercise 2 (p. 24)
2. RO
3. C
4. RO
5. C
6. RO
Exercise 3 (p. 25)
2. Jabra Ibrahim Jabra translated many books and poems into Arabic, and his literary criticism has
enlightened his audience.
3. Isabel Allende wanted to chronicle the founding of Santiago, Chile, so she wrote Inez of My Soul.
4. Jane Austen’s original version of Pride and Prejudice was written when she was only twenty years old,
yet it was not published for almost two decades.
5. Jhumpa Lahiri writes about Indians living far from home, and she won the Pulitzer Prize for her book
Interpreter of Maladies.
6. Writers often use autobiographical information to write fiction, or they adapt the background of
other people for their stories.
Exercise 4 (p. 26)
2. Because Umberto Eco was knowledgeable about the Medieval period and philosophy, he was able to
write the novel The Name of the Rose.
3. Although René Prudhomme was an engineer by profession, he won the first Nobel Prize for Literature
for his poetry and essays.
4. Many of Tolstoy’s epic novels have been made into movies since they have unforgettable characters.
5. When Gabriel García Márquez gave up his law studies, he actively pursued a career in writing.
Exercise 5 (p. 27)
Answers will vary. Examples:
2. When I visited her, she showed me photos of her vacation.
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3. Because she had a demanding job, she never had time to visit with friends.
4. Since I was her favorite, I always got a special gift.
5. After she got married, she started working downtown.
Exercise 6 (p. 28)
While I was visiting China, I experienced experience a special kind of warmth from the people I (1)
came come in contact with. I was always aware of their special quality of friendliness. I (2) had have the
unique experience of being in Beijing on the night
the Chinese (3) won win their bid to host the 2008 summer Olympics. On that night, I (4) was am one of
a million and a half people who poured into the streets to express their joy and gratitude. I walked with
them and (5) shook shake hands with as many people as
I could while I sang out the words: <gong xi ni ba= (congratulations). My words (6) were are always met
with big smiles and enthusiastic handshakes. Those parents with kids on their shoulders, teenagers, and
many others (7) felt feel as if the rest of the world was welcoming them into the global community. Now
I wish them the best, and I hope to return one day. If you take a trip to China, you will experience the
same kind of hospitality.
Review: Putting It All Together
Exercise 1 (p. 29)
1. European and Indian music
2. comparison-contrast
3. Researching the origins, characteristics, rhythm, tone, and instruments used in both musical traditions
4. six pages, double-spaced, using a 12-point Times New Roman font and a one-inch margin
Exercise 2(p. 29)
Primary Sources: marriage licenses, documentaries, surveys, photographs, magazine articles,
screenplays
Secondary Sources: biographies, newsletters, magazine articles, documentaries
Exercise 3 (p. 30)
1. Difficult life-changing experiences become the memories that stay forever in our minds.
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2. We have to learn to balance the positive and negative effects that these situations have on us.
The day after I finished my first year at college, I had one of these life-changing experiences.
3. A mishap on my way to a job interview at an international bank taught me an important lesson.
4.<a mishap on my way to a job interview at an international bank
5. taught me an important lesson
Exercise 4(p. 30)
a. 4
b. 1
c. 7
d. 3
e. 5
f. 2
g. 6
Exercise 5 (p. 31)
A. I was in a rush to get there, (1) so I decided to take a taxi. The traffic was so horrible that the
driver was in a bad mood. (2) When he He closed the door, my new skirt got caught. I tried desperately
to pull it out, but it ripped. I thought about asking the driver to stop, (3) but
I was too embarrassed to say anything. Although I was very upset (4) , . I tried to be calm. The ride was
much longer than I expected, (5) and the air conditioning was not working. I did not want anything
negative to block my mind (6) . I was eager to have this job. I wanted to
have a good interview and make a strong impression (7) , since .Since I learned in school that first
impressions are the most valuable.
B. Finally when I arrived at the bank, I (1) looked look at my skirt. The torn hem was hanging and
was covered with dirt. Once inside, I (2) went go into the ladies room. I tried to wash my skirt and hold it
together with a safety pin. A few minutes later, I was in the waiting room when the secretary (3) called
call me. I was embarrassed and afraid that I would not get the job because of my sloppy appearance.
The most interesting part was that the manager asked me what (4) happened happen. When I (5) told
tell her the story, she started to laugh. She (6) couldn’t can’t stop. She wanted to ask me something
about myself, but she (7) kept keeps on laughing. Now I was sure I would not get the job. She said, <I
will never forget this. I never thought that I (8) would will have such a good time today. You know, when
you have to interview a lot of people in one day, it can become very boring.= Despite this ordeal, she
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assured me that I had the right qualifications, and in the end she offered me the position.
Exercise 6 (p. 32)
1. We never know when a negative experience can end up being a positive influence on our lives.
2. d
Exercise 7 (p. 32)
1. them
2. it
3. she
4. it
5. mine
6. me
7. us
8. This
Exercise 8 (pp. 33–34)
1. Sometimes when essays are written too quickly the sentences do not flow naturally. Therefore, you
should always read your essay out loud to make sure it does.
2. The sonnets of Shakespeare always rhyme. In contrast, modern poetry usually uses free verse that
does not rhyme.
3. Writing a good play requires a strong story line. Moreover, you need realistic dialogue and believable
characters.
4. William Shakespeare wrote comedies as well as tragedies. For example, The Taming of the Shrew and
A Midsummer Night’s Dream both have happy endings.
5. Word-processing programs can check grammar and spelling. Nevertheless, a good writer should not
depend on these tools.
Exercise 9 (p. 34)
1. A few years ago, I went to China to research a book, meet some old friends, and visit the famous
temples.
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2. One day we toured the Ming Dynasty gardens, walked through the narrow streets, and visited the
Great Wall.
3. I ate with chopsticks, sampled spicy foods, and drank exotic teas.
4. The Chinese are famous for creating silk screens, painting lacquer boxes, and inventing calligraphy.
5. I enrolled in a Chinese culture class where I learned how to write a few characters, speak a few words,
and recognize the different tones of the language.
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