EXERCISE: General Diagnostic or Review Exercise - Broadview ...
EXERCISE: General Diagnostic or Review Exercise - Broadview ...
EXERCISE: General Diagnostic or Review Exercise - Broadview ...
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<strong>EXERCISE</strong>S<br />
The numbers in parentheses that accompany most exercises c<strong>or</strong>respond to the reference numbers<br />
used throughout The <strong>Broadview</strong> Guide to Writing, 5/e. This is intended to make many of the<br />
exercises “self-c<strong>or</strong>recting”; by reading the entry c<strong>or</strong>responding to the relevant number in the<br />
body of the book, you can see if your answer is c<strong>or</strong>rect.<br />
GENERAL DIAGNOSTIC AND REVIEW <strong>EXERCISE</strong>S<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: <strong>General</strong> <strong>Diagnostic</strong> <strong>or</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Exercise</strong> 1<br />
Choose the c<strong>or</strong>rect alternatives.<br />
1) Yesterday afternoon when he ___________ [ate/had eaten] his meal, he rushed outside.<br />
(A8)<br />
2) Not long ago much of the w<strong>or</strong>ld was ruled by a few colonial powers. Most of Africa,<br />
indeed, was under colonial rule ______________ [until/untill] the 1960s. Now,<br />
_____________ [theref<strong>or</strong>e/however], only a few countries, _________________ [f<strong>or</strong><br />
example/such as] French Guiana and the Falkland Islands, are under colonial rule. (F38,<br />
F1, C40)<br />
3) How did his criticism [affect/effect] you? (A183)<br />
4) He ran quickly ______________ [in<strong>or</strong>der/in <strong>or</strong>der] to reach the bank bef<strong>or</strong>e it closed.<br />
(B12)<br />
5) He is a fundamentalist __________________ [in that/in the way that] he<br />
_________________ [thinks/is thinking] non-believers will be damned. (C41, A4)<br />
6) The traffic is very heavy _________________ [everyday/every day] at this time. (B12)<br />
7) Max invited me to his cottage, where he said we _______ [can/could] go fishing. (A8)<br />
8) My cousin ____________ [may be/maybe] coming tonight, but I ___________ [can not/<br />
cannot] be there. (B12, B11)<br />
9) _____________ [May be/ Maybe] my friend will be ______________ [arriving to/<br />
arriving at/arriving] O’Hare airp<strong>or</strong>t soon. (B11, A74)<br />
10) __________ [They/There] are a number of st<strong>or</strong>es ______________ [near by/nearby].<br />
(B144, B259)<br />
11) She ______________ [insisted/persisted] ______ [in/on] finishing her w<strong>or</strong>k bef<strong>or</strong>e<br />
watching television. (B93)<br />
12) Mrs. Murphy told me that she preferred __________ [living/leaving] in DeKalb<br />
__________ [than/to] ____________ [living/leaving] in a large city like Chicago. (F36,<br />
A127, F36)<br />
13) He was ___________ [quite/quiet] eager to ___________ [avenge/revenge] the terrible<br />
things that had been done ______ [to/f<strong>or</strong>] him. (F36, A181, A101)<br />
14) One of the boys _____ [is/are] responsible ____________ [f<strong>or</strong> keeping/to keep] this<br />
______________ [domit<strong>or</strong>y/d<strong>or</strong>mit<strong>or</strong>y] tidy. (A2, A64, F38)<br />
15) If he ___________ [shoots/shot] an innocent man, the officer would be dismissed.<br />
(A10)
16) It was _______________ [wet that/so wet that/too wet that/very wet that] ___________<br />
[they/there] was mud everywhere. (C44-45, B209)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: <strong>General</strong> <strong>Diagnostic</strong> <strong>or</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Exercise</strong> 2<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the err<strong>or</strong>(s) in each of the following.<br />
1) They discussed about the bilateral agreement. (A99)<br />
2) All the people who was their they were happy. (A2, F36, A174)<br />
3) Businessmen create wealth just as surely as fishermen and farmers. (D58, B1, D58)<br />
4) The police arrived at their house quiet unexpectedly, than they arrested Mr. Svoboda.<br />
(F36, F1, F36)<br />
5) I can not meet you later today, I have a pri<strong>or</strong> engagement. (B11, F1)<br />
6) In these circumstances m<strong>or</strong>al and efficiency in the <strong>or</strong>ganization declines. (A2)<br />
7) He had drank m<strong>or</strong>e than was good f<strong>or</strong> him. (A28)<br />
8) He assured me that he was capable to do the w<strong>or</strong>k. (A49)<br />
9) Two other types of c<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ate concentration gives rise to concern. (A2)<br />
10) She accepted to <strong>or</strong>ganize the activities f<strong>or</strong> Parents Day. (A45, F20)<br />
11) All of the students had good behavi<strong>or</strong>s during the church service. (A153)<br />
12) The complaints against the law by the business community suggests that it must have had<br />
some affect. (A2, A183)<br />
13) Prof. Curtis unhappy with her w<strong>or</strong>k because he gave her an ‘F’. (D45, C31)<br />
14) In addition to the gun which was used to commit the crime, the police is also in possesion<br />
of other evidence. (C46, A172, F38)<br />
15) The airlines carry children at lower fairs than adults, even though they take up seats and<br />
generally need m<strong>or</strong>e attention from airline staff. (F36, A178)<br />
16) She wanted some advise on how to invest her money. (A182)<br />
17) I had been told to try and not do any mistakes. (B205, B186)<br />
18) People living in the Kalahari dessert are few, and food is sh<strong>or</strong>t. (B2, F36, B195)<br />
19) If one believes the rate of interest will rise, it is wise to keep ones’ asset’s in cash untill<br />
the rise has taken place. (F18, F38)<br />
20) F<strong>or</strong> years the USSR refused to allow its satellite states to be independent. (B28)<br />
21) Everything seem to be running satisfact<strong>or</strong>y; let’s let sleeping dogs lie rather than<br />
changing h<strong>or</strong>ses in mid-stream. (A2, A181, C59-60)<br />
22) She asked me if I can loan her fourty cents. (A10, A196, F38)<br />
23) Costa Rica is rather unique amoung Central American nations. (B149, F38)<br />
24) Rebecca always want to try and succeed. (A2, B205)<br />
25) Taking this into account, it becomes apparent that either this fact<strong>or</strong> must be ign<strong>or</strong>ed <strong>or</strong><br />
significantly downplayed. (A13, B5)<br />
26) In my opinion I think people with heavy jobs f<strong>or</strong> example min<strong>or</strong>s should be paid well.<br />
(D31, C40, F36)<br />
27) Instead of alternatively fighting inflation and unemployment, the goverment sometimes<br />
find that they have to fight both at the same time. (B19, F38, A2, A165)
28) On the eighteenth, too, the Canadians captured Trun, the village proposed by<br />
Montgomery f<strong>or</strong> the meeting place with the Americans, who themselves were now<br />
nearing the village of Chambois just a few miles away, and yet on the night of August the<br />
nineteenth in a drizzly rain and early m<strong>or</strong>ning fog thousands of trapped German soldiers<br />
made their way stealthily through the narrow gap, and when the fog lifted on the m<strong>or</strong>ning<br />
of the twentieth the gap was still packed by the escaping army. (F1)<br />
29) To be sure, the American economy has continued to be the greatest engine f<strong>or</strong> the creation<br />
of wealth and expansion of opp<strong>or</strong>tunity known to man, and Johnson’s last vignette<br />
describes how women have conquered the professions and w<strong>or</strong>kplace and achieved<br />
equality. But is that all the American civic religion, the noble experiment, comes to in<br />
the end? Where does Paul Johnson come out on all this? [Walter A. McDougall, Book<br />
<strong>Review</strong>, Times Literary Supplement] (D58)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: <strong>General</strong> <strong>Diagnostic</strong> <strong>or</strong> <strong>Review</strong> <strong>Exercise</strong> 3<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the err<strong>or</strong>(s) in each of the following.<br />
1) In Scott Fitzgeralds’ st<strong>or</strong>y “The Ice Palace,” which appear in the collection This Side of<br />
Paradise Sally Carroll displays many sides to her charachter. (F18, A2, F9, F38)<br />
2) Susan has two brothers, one of them is looking f<strong>or</strong>ward to start university next year, and<br />
the other one is about to start high school. (F1, A57)<br />
3) He lied that his friend had been trying to kill him. (B185)<br />
4) It was there first time at the circus, and they were so excited. (B144, B197)<br />
5) Coffee may be sh<strong>or</strong>t this year if demand remains at it’s current high level. (B195, A195)<br />
6) Tide is not m<strong>or</strong>e superi<strong>or</strong> than any of the other detergents. (B154, A140)<br />
7) All the students talked to each other. (A162)<br />
8) None of the wheels on my bicycle turn properly. (A151)<br />
9) The doct<strong>or</strong> told him not to drink and smoke f<strong>or</strong> at least six months. (B158)<br />
10) Jackson was a member of the university’s security f<strong>or</strong>ce f<strong>or</strong> close to four years at the time<br />
of his death. (A8)<br />
11) Neither of these books are very well-written. (A163)<br />
12) Humanists tends to downplay the usefulness of statistics. Whereas, all too often, social<br />
scientists ign<strong>or</strong>e inf<strong>or</strong>mation which cannot be quantified. (A2, C22, C46)<br />
13) Could you please meet me on rather than on Thursday? (D45)<br />
14) Perhaps the comparison between the moon landing and the discovery of the Titanic<br />
is valid, but f<strong>or</strong> most of us the moon landing wins f<strong>or</strong> sheer drama and technological<br />
ingenuity. But then it cost billions of dollars m<strong>or</strong>e, so it should have had a bigger impact.<br />
But in long-term benefits, the two achievments may not be so different. (C18, F38)<br />
15) We have no plans to reintroduce the legislation, there’s a lot m<strong>or</strong>e imp<strong>or</strong>tant things to do.<br />
(F1, A2)<br />
16) The proposed movie would include Nesmith, who choose to remain at home rather than<br />
join the current Monkees reunion tour. (A25)<br />
17) The American administration wanted a free trade agreement and so did the Canadian<br />
government, which would cover almost all goods and services. (A177)
18) Its imp<strong>or</strong>tant to always be careful about punctuation. (A195, A1)<br />
19) When a c<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ation is expanding quickly, they often experience cash-flow problems.<br />
(A2)<br />
20) She visited a doct<strong>or</strong> with a bad case of the flu. (B1)<br />
21) Traveling 1,800 feet upwards in a matter of seconds, the CN Tower seems very<br />
impressive. (A13)<br />
22) Her sister, who lives in a suburb of Buffalo has been visiting her this week. (F9)<br />
STYLISTIC FLUENCY (WORD CHOICE, METAPHORS,<br />
BALANCE AND PARALLELISM, ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: W<strong>or</strong>d Choice: Jargon, Abstraction, and Doublespeak (pages 53–56)<br />
Translate each of the following into m<strong>or</strong>e easily understood English.<br />
1) The new pen has negative vulnerability to water entry.<br />
2) The building in which the react<strong>or</strong> is situated was apparently constructed with a view to<br />
structural rather than containment integrity.<br />
3) The f<strong>or</strong>mer aide to the President tries to help clients strategize whatever their objectives<br />
may be vis-à-vis Washington, D.C., <strong>or</strong> the w<strong>or</strong>ld.<br />
4) Since data is central to the issue of implementation guidance we believe it is advisable<br />
to examine the data that your <strong>or</strong>ganization is assembling, in <strong>or</strong>der to maximize the<br />
actualization of projects designated f<strong>or</strong> implementation, and to preclude unintended<br />
effects.<br />
5) With regard to the staff members’ requests f<strong>or</strong> supplements to the level of remuneration,<br />
management is of the opinion that it would be injudicious to advocate an increment at the<br />
present time.<br />
6) The loss of Columbia put NASA into a temp<strong>or</strong>ary hiatus of shuttle flights. They regarded<br />
it as certain that they would have a sh<strong>or</strong>tfall in the national launch capability in the near<br />
term.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Mixed Metaph<strong>or</strong>s (pages 58–59)<br />
Unmix the following metaph<strong>or</strong>s.<br />
[Note that there may be m<strong>or</strong>e than one c<strong>or</strong>rect answer.]<br />
1) We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water bef<strong>or</strong>e we check to see if the<br />
coast is clear.<br />
2) Unless every clause in the agreement is airtight the deal could come unglued and we’d be<br />
left up the creek without a paddle.<br />
3) The government’s sc<strong>or</strong>ched earth policy in response to the rebels has dampened hopes f<strong>or</strong><br />
an early settlement of the war.<br />
4) We were all swamped by an avalanche of paperw<strong>or</strong>k.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Balance and Parallelism (pages 59–63)<br />
Rewrite the following sentences to have better rhythm and balance.<br />
1) Some prefer Shakespeare’s comedies such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth<br />
Night to Othello, Hamlet, and other tragedies, <strong>or</strong> to w<strong>or</strong>ks such as Henry IV and Richard<br />
III, which are both hist<strong>or</strong>y plays.<br />
2) Sir Ian McKellen is a well-respected act<strong>or</strong> in the movie industry and he has won<br />
numerous awards and nominations f<strong>or</strong> awards f<strong>or</strong> plays and musicals as well.<br />
3) In this situation they have only two possible alternatives: to either try fixing the car<br />
themselves <strong>or</strong> call a mechanic.<br />
4) It is significant to note that this doct<strong>or</strong>’s medical office has had a troubled hist<strong>or</strong>y. He has<br />
been sued f<strong>or</strong> malpractice several times and his partner at the office has also been sued<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e than once f<strong>or</strong> the same s<strong>or</strong>t of thing.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Active and Passive (A12)<br />
GRAMMAR (A1–A211)<br />
In each of the following sentences, change the verb from the passive voice to the active.<br />
1) Legislation has been passed by the government to ensure that the rights of individuals are<br />
protected.<br />
2) After careful deliberation, it has been decided that the application f<strong>or</strong> residential zoning<br />
of the building to be changed to commercial will be approved.<br />
3) The economy was subjected to two serious oil price shocks in the 1970s; those with<br />
cars were f<strong>or</strong>ced to line up f<strong>or</strong> hours to obtain gasoline, and everyone was affected by<br />
inflation.<br />
4) Research in this area was first carried out by Samuel Smith in the 1990s, and was<br />
completed after his death by a team directed by Marj<strong>or</strong>ie Mullins.<br />
5) My dress was made by my mother. She is a superb seamstress.<br />
6) In the middle of the afternoon, a lizard was chased by a bird.<br />
7) The painting was finished by the artist just two days bef<strong>or</strong>e her exhibit began.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Split Infinitives (A1)<br />
Change the following split infinitives.<br />
1) They did not want to quickly decide the issue.<br />
2) We were asked to patiently await the decision.<br />
3) The contract<strong>or</strong> said that they would have to carefully rest<strong>or</strong>e the house.<br />
4) Their policy was to perpetually maintain a state of economic equilibrium.<br />
5) The choir began to loudly sing the anthem.<br />
6) The sun began to brightly shine into my eyes.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Simple Present Tense (A2)<br />
Add an s where necessary to plural nouns, third-person singular verbs, etc.<br />
1) Train in Burma usually run on time, although it sometime take many hours to get from<br />
one place to another. The trip from Belowa to Rangoon, f<strong>or</strong> example, last about eleven<br />
hour. The Railway C<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ation use several different type of locomotive—steam, electric,<br />
and diesel. The newest are the electric locomotive that travel between Rangoon and<br />
Mutisa.<br />
2) Most of the electricity that the State need come from the dam. When the water flow over<br />
the large turbine, it turn them and this produce large amount of electricity.<br />
3) When a debate start, the Chair alway introduce the topic and then three speaker from each<br />
team argue f<strong>or</strong> <strong>or</strong> against the resolution. Each speaker talk f<strong>or</strong> several minute. At the end<br />
of the debate the Chair give all those in the crowd who wish to comment a chance to do<br />
so.<br />
4) In politic as in everyday life the variation that interest us occur in two dimension.<br />
Sometime political scientist are curious about variation over time. F<strong>or</strong> instance, they<br />
may ask why the number of vote received by the various parties fluctuate so much from<br />
one election to the next. At other time political scientist concentrate their attention on<br />
variation over space. They may be interested, f<strong>or</strong> example, in why one nation government<br />
seem to enjoy m<strong>or</strong>e success than it neighb<strong>or</strong> in combating inflation, <strong>or</strong> protecting human<br />
right.
5) Christmas tree are usually raised on tree farm. Sometime people cut down their own, but<br />
it take a lot of eff<strong>or</strong>t. There are many different style f<strong>or</strong> dec<strong>or</strong>ating tree. One of my parent<br />
prefer a style that is m<strong>or</strong>e traditional, with candle f<strong>or</strong> light, while the other like to use<br />
mini-light instead.<br />
6) One of the most cherished feature of dinosaur—their gigantism—is also one of the most<br />
mysterious. Why in the w<strong>or</strong>ld were these animal so huge? Some specie of dinosaur may<br />
have evolved to a larger stature as a way of escaping predat<strong>or</strong> <strong>or</strong> gaining a competitive<br />
advantage. A study of growth ring in dinosaur bone by Greg Erickson of Fl<strong>or</strong>ida State<br />
University and other show that baby dinosaur grew to maturity at dazzling speed.<br />
(National Geographic)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Subject-Verb Agreement (A2)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the subject-verb agreement err<strong>or</strong> in each of the following.<br />
1) Fowler (1962) pointed out that concern about the dangers of premature cognitive<br />
training and an overemphasis on personality development had delayed in<strong>or</strong>dinately the<br />
recognition that the ability to talk, read and compute increase the child’s self-respect and<br />
independent functioning.<br />
2) Idaho’s chances of making it to the televised finals, where the big payoff to spons<strong>or</strong>s<br />
come, are not great. (Financial Post)<br />
3) To make matters w<strong>or</strong>se, none of the three in the Lakers’ training camp have much playoff<br />
experience. (T<strong>or</strong>onto Star)<br />
4) The technical aspect of the newspaper has also be re-evaluated. Typos, <strong>or</strong> mistakes in<br />
spelling and grammar, which makes comprehension difficult, has been made almost a<br />
thing of the past. (Edit<strong>or</strong>ial in the student newspaper of the State University of New Y<strong>or</strong>k<br />
at Stony Brook, as quoted in The New Y<strong>or</strong>ker)<br />
5) Even if it’s dark outside, she still wear her sunglasses!<br />
6) Dr. Seuss’s st<strong>or</strong>y “The Sneeches” have a serious point.<br />
7) Her often-ambiguous views on “clean coal” technology has alienated hard-line<br />
environmentalists.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Simple Present Tense (A2–A3)<br />
Fill in the c<strong>or</strong>rect tense of the verb.<br />
1) Every day the sun ___________ [to rise] in the east and __________ [to set] in the west.<br />
Because of this, some people ___________ [to think] that the sun ______________<br />
[to revolve] around the earth. In fact, the opposite _________ [to be] true; the earth<br />
____________ [to circle] the sun once every day. While the sun ___________ [to shine]<br />
on one side of the earth, it ________ [to be] night on the other side. (A3)
2) This year she ____________ [to follow] the same pattern of teaching in many lessons.<br />
As soon as she __________ [to come] into the class she _____________ [to ask]<br />
several questions on the previous day’s w<strong>or</strong>k. Then she usually _______________ [to<br />
introduce] a new topic, and ____________ [to talk] to us about it f<strong>or</strong> several minutes.<br />
M<strong>or</strong>e often than not she then ____________ [to assign] a written exercise to do in class.<br />
If the students ____________ [to finish] the exercise bef<strong>or</strong>e the end of the class, she<br />
_____________ [to c<strong>or</strong>rect] it on the board. Sometimes if there ___________ [to be] a<br />
few minutes remaining she ________ [to tell] a st<strong>or</strong>y <strong>or</strong> asks a student to tell a st<strong>or</strong>y. (A3)<br />
3) Shylock _________ [to be] the most imp<strong>or</strong>tant character in Shakespeare’s The Merchant<br />
of Venice. We _____________ [to sympathize] with him despite his streak of cruelty,<br />
because we_____________ [to be made] to understand his resentment against the<br />
Christians. When Shylock _______________ [to accuse] Antonio in Act One of having<br />
sw<strong>or</strong>n at him and spat on him merely because of his religion, Antonio—far from denying<br />
the charges—________ [to say] that he would do the same again. M<strong>or</strong>eover, Antonio’s<br />
prejudice against Jews ____________ [to seem] to be shared by all the Christian<br />
characters in the play. (D55)<br />
4) The company’s new Seek and Find service __________ [to let] cellphone users zero in on<br />
the location of kids <strong>or</strong> other Telus subscribers who don’t mind sharing their whereabouts.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> $5 a month parents ___________ [to be able] to have another link added to the<br />
electronic leash to their children. Once the service is introduced, Telus _________ [to<br />
say] its customers’ privacy still __________ [to be] protected.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Conditional Sentences (A9, A10)<br />
Complete the following sentences in any appropriate way.<br />
1) If I w<strong>or</strong>e no clothes at all…<br />
2) If Congress reduces taxes…<br />
3) He would buy a truck if…<br />
4) He will buy a truck if…<br />
5) If a decision is made next month…<br />
6) She will win if…
7) She would win if…<br />
8) If money were abolished…<br />
9) Local farms would be m<strong>or</strong>e productive if…<br />
10) If he sends me the money in time…<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: The Conditional (A9, A10)<br />
Fill in either the conditional tense <strong>or</strong> the simple future tense in the main clause.<br />
Example: I ____________ [to help] him if I could.<br />
I would help him if I could. (conditional)<br />
1) If I found someone’s wallet lying on the ground, I ____________ [to return] it.<br />
2) If I find the wallet that you have lost, I ____________ [to return] it.<br />
3) You ____________ [to find] the weather extremely cold if you lived at the N<strong>or</strong>th Pole.<br />
4) You ____________ [to find] the weather extremely cold when you come to Minnesota<br />
this coming January.<br />
5) If he gets here bef<strong>or</strong>e three o’clock, I ____________ [to take] him to see the museum.<br />
6) If you were the President, what ___________ you____ [to do] about the situation?<br />
7) I ____________ [to be] very happy if the company hires me as an apprentice.<br />
8) If I were very rich, I ____________ [to buy] a house in the Hamptons.<br />
9) If I decide to go to the party, I ____________ [to bring] some food.<br />
10) You ____________ [to be] very overweight if you ate only fast food.<br />
11) I _____________ [to have] a lot of luck when I find a four-leaf clover.<br />
12) I _____________ [to have] a lot of luck if I found a four-leaf clover.<br />
13) If I knew the proper steps, I ___________ [to love] to try swing dancing.<br />
14) If she stopped cheating, she _______ not _______ [to get] into trouble.<br />
15) He _____________ [to make] m<strong>or</strong>e saves if he kept his eye on the puck.<br />
Fill in either the simple past <strong>or</strong> the simple present tense in the sub<strong>or</strong>dinate clause.<br />
16) I will ask him about it if I ________ [to see] him again later today.<br />
17) If I _________ [to win] the lottery I will buy my parents a new car.<br />
18) If I _________ [to win] the lottery I would buy my parents a new car.<br />
19) He would do better if he _________ [to w<strong>or</strong>k] harder.<br />
20) He will do better if he _________ [to w<strong>or</strong>k] harder next term.<br />
21) If a burglar __________ [to come] into your room at night, what would you do?
22) I will lend you this CD if you ________ [to promise] to take good care of it.<br />
23) He would look much better if he _________ [to arrange] his hair differently.<br />
24) There can no longer be any doubt that people ____________ [to live] longer if they<br />
_____________ [to smoke] less.<br />
25) If we _________ [to go] swimming later, remember to bring your towel.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Conditional Sentences (A9, A10)<br />
Fill in the missing verbs.<br />
1) He _____________ [to supply] our company with what we need if we _________ [to<br />
pay] him $50,000. However, we only _________ [to have] $30,000 in liquid assets.<br />
2) If he _________ [to reply] to me quickly, as I think he will, I ___________ [to be able] to<br />
make reservations f<strong>or</strong> our holiday.<br />
3) If she ___________ [to believe] in God she ____________ [to pray]. However, she<br />
______________ [to be] an atheist.<br />
4) My friend and I are thinking of going to the game this afternoon. If we __________ [to<br />
go] we probably ______________ [to take] our wives with us.<br />
5) If we ____________ [to arrive] sooner, we would have been able to help him.<br />
6) If Montcalm’s most imp<strong>or</strong>tant officer _____ not________ [to be hiding] away with his<br />
mistress, the French troops ______________ [to be assembled] earlier and the British<br />
_______________ [to lose] the battle on the Plains of Abraham.<br />
7) We would have been better off if we ______________ [to plant] wheat instead of cotton.<br />
8) If you had spoken to me about it, I ________________ [to do] something sooner.<br />
9) I would have told them the truth if they ________________ [to ask] me.<br />
10) The Titanic ___________ probably not ___________ [to sink] if it had struck the iceberg<br />
head on.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Conditional and Past Conditional (A11)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the err<strong>or</strong> in each of the following.<br />
1) If we sent the check by special delivery now, it will reach her by Thursday.<br />
2) If you would pay attention, you will understand a good deal m<strong>or</strong>e of what is said.<br />
3) If they all had won prizes, I’m sure some of them will still be sullen and unhappy.<br />
4) If you would have eaten anything poisonous, there would have been some indication of<br />
trouble by now.<br />
5) If they would have thought about it bef<strong>or</strong>ehand, they would not have acted so very<br />
foolishly.<br />
6) And if second baseman Manny Lee made a play on a Scott Bradley grounder in the<br />
fourth, the Jays could have been out of the inning, trailing only 3–2. (T<strong>or</strong>onto Star)<br />
7) Had he been with the last year’s Blue Jay team, his deficiencies may not have been all<br />
that conspicuous. (The Globe and Mail)
8) If you would have come when I first called you, none of this would have happened.<br />
9) If you do not water your plants, they would die.<br />
10) I will have gone out to dinner with you, if I had not already made plans.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Verb Tenses: <strong>General</strong> <strong>Review</strong> (A2–A11)<br />
Fill in the c<strong>or</strong>rect tenses of the verbs.<br />
1) This train always ____________ [to leave] at exactly five o’clock. (A3)<br />
2) As he ___________ [to climb] the mountain he _________ [to lose] his grip and<br />
____________ [to plunge] five hundred feet to his death.<br />
3) After we __________ [to make] our way through the f<strong>or</strong>est, we sat down to rest. (A8)<br />
4) This machinery ________ [to be] very reliable. It almost never ____________ [to break]<br />
down, and it ______________ [to need] very little maintenance. (A3)<br />
5) He _________ [to tell] me bef<strong>or</strong>e the meeting yesterday that they _______________ [to<br />
reach] a decision already. (A8)<br />
6) The Cleveland Indians _________________ [to improve] at the moment, but I<br />
_______________ [to not think] that they ___________ [to be] as good as the Red Sox<br />
yet. (A4)<br />
7) The government _____________ [to oppress] the people of Zimbabwe f<strong>or</strong> many years. I<br />
____________ [to hope] that it soon _________ [to be] f<strong>or</strong>ced to change its ways. (A7)<br />
8) _______ you ever _________ [to see] a flying saucer? (A7)<br />
9) I ______________ [to tell] him what I knew if I __________ [to trust] him.<br />
Unf<strong>or</strong>tunately, I don’t trust him. (A10)<br />
10) If he _____________ [to find out] about this he __________ [to be] very angry, but I am<br />
sure he will not find out. (A10)<br />
11) Greene’s novel ______________ [to recount] the st<strong>or</strong>y of an alcoholic Mexican priest<br />
during a period in which the government _______________ [to suppress] <strong>or</strong>ganized<br />
religion. (A6)<br />
12) New research ____________ [to show] that there ___________ [to be] a sharp increase<br />
in disfiguring skin cancers, particularly in women under the age of 40.<br />
13) If I ___________ [to know] yesterday what I ___________ [to know] today, I would not<br />
have gone to the concert. (A10, A6)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Dangling Constructions and Misplaced Sentence Parts (A13–A16)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) Riding the bus to w<strong>or</strong>k, his wife waved at him from the sidewalk.<br />
2) When covered with aluminum siding, we will have a much m<strong>or</strong>e saleable house.
3) Regarding the fiscal requirements of the government, an increase in taxes will be required<br />
if the deficit is to be reduced.<br />
4) Looking f<strong>or</strong> a moment at the implications of Smith’s argument, he allows us to justify our<br />
selfish behavi<strong>or</strong>.<br />
5) Having covered the issue of stratification, the means of redistributing income will be<br />
dealt with next.<br />
6) To obtain a sense of the density of much postmodern the<strong>or</strong>y, a few examples should<br />
suffice.<br />
7) We have asked f<strong>or</strong> a survey of the attitudes of consumers carried out randomly.<br />
8) Considering all of this evidence, there is no doubt that an increased awareness of the<br />
usefulness of unif<strong>or</strong>m and objectively defined time led to the spread of clocks, and not the<br />
other way round.<br />
9) Widely regarded as a failure by observers at the time, we can now see that Truman was a<br />
remarkably successful president.<br />
10) To begin this essay, Faulkner’s novel is written from several points of view.<br />
11) To obtain a refund, any copies damaged in shipment must be returned promptly.<br />
12) Having settled the issue of independence, questions of economic growth came to the f<strong>or</strong>e<br />
in the public consciousness.<br />
13) Smothered in mushrooms and lashed with HP sauce, I enjoyed the steak immensely.<br />
14) Although redundant, the company president said the 250 w<strong>or</strong>kers would be offered<br />
alternative jobs.
15) To help reduce the beaver colonies, the Department of Natural Resources has even begun<br />
allowing novice trappers to learn to trap in the comf<strong>or</strong>t of their own living rooms.<br />
(The Globe and Mail)<br />
16) As reconstructed by police, Pfeiffer at first denied any knowledge of the Byrd murder.<br />
(The New Y<strong>or</strong>k Times, reprinted in Theod<strong>or</strong>e Bernstein, Watch Your Language)<br />
17) The woman had moved into an apartment where she was killed a few weeks bef<strong>or</strong>e her<br />
death. (quoted from a Montreal newspaper in W<strong>or</strong>d Watching, a language newsletter)<br />
18) Remy hit an RBI single off Hass’ leg, which rolled into right field.<br />
(Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage)<br />
19) When stewed, I like prunes.<br />
20) Fond of reading, one of the selections on her reading list was the latest Ishiguro novel.<br />
21) Far from showing great leadership on global trade, a m<strong>or</strong>e frequent question in<br />
Washington is whether America can avoid slipping backwards.<br />
22) After trudging back into position following the rain delay, play was stopped again only 16<br />
minutes later.<br />
[Note: Numbers 13–19 of the above exercise were quoted by Robertson Cochrane in a<br />
column in The Globe and Mail.]<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Dangling Constructions (A13–A16)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each of the following write a complete sentence that inc<strong>or</strong>p<strong>or</strong>ates the phrase given but does<br />
not allow it to dangle.<br />
[There is no single c<strong>or</strong>rect answer to any of these questions.]<br />
1) Turning to Margaret Atwood’s later novels…
2) Considering the developments of the past few years in Eastern Europe…<br />
3) Looking at the connection between economic hist<strong>or</strong>y and the hist<strong>or</strong>y of ideas…<br />
4) Regarding the claim that women and men are intrinsically different…<br />
5) Having surveyed the four main the<strong>or</strong>ies of…<br />
6) Watching the movie closely…<br />
7) After examining all the clues the bank robber left behind…<br />
8) Upon receiving the up-to-date statistics…<br />
9) Once it was reviewed th<strong>or</strong>oughly, the rep<strong>or</strong>t…<br />
10) Cleaning up after everyone had left, the waitress…<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Sequence of Tenses (A17–A19)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) The Vice President said that “We will have to improve our productivity.”<br />
2) Tennyson’s Ulysses says that “I have suffered greatly, both with those/That loved me, and<br />
alone.”
3) Churchill claimed in 1940 that “This is our finest hour.”<br />
4) Johnson at first believed that the Vietnam war will be over bef<strong>or</strong>e the 1968 election.<br />
5) F<strong>or</strong> the most part the st<strong>or</strong>y of Chopin’s The Awakening is narrated in a detached manner<br />
that leaves the reader to make her own inferences about the characters involved.<br />
Occasionally though, the narrative voice adopts a clear point of view. Such is the case,<br />
f<strong>or</strong> example, when Mr. Pointellier “could see plainly that she was not herself. That is,<br />
he could not see that she was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious<br />
self which we assume like a garment with which to appear bef<strong>or</strong>e the w<strong>or</strong>ld.” Quite<br />
clearly, the aside concerning the “fictitious self” comes from the narrat<strong>or</strong>, not from Mr.<br />
Pointellier.<br />
6) The teacher was unhappy with her students’ test sc<strong>or</strong>es. She turned to them and said that<br />
they will have to improve their study habits.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Irregular Verbs (A20–A44)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect whichever of the following are inc<strong>or</strong>rect.<br />
1) She can do whatever she choses.<br />
2) The book is well-written and beautifully layed out.<br />
3) He says that he rung twice and got no answer.<br />
4) They have stole everything I own.<br />
5) This blouse shrunk when I washed it in hot water.<br />
6) The ship sunk in three hundred feet of water.<br />
7) He drunk the whole quart of milk in less than a minute.<br />
8) We went out Christmas Eve and sung Christmas songs to seni<strong>or</strong>s.<br />
9) The dress was very lose on her.<br />
10) We cot her sneaking out of the house last night.<br />
Fill in the simple past tense of the verbs indicated.<br />
1) She _________ [to choose] the material that _____ [to be] least expensive.<br />
2) Samuel ____________ [to drink] too much beer last night.<br />
3) All the pipes __________ [to burst] and water covered the flo<strong>or</strong>.<br />
4) The little baby _________ [to fall] asleep as soon as he ______ [to lie] down.<br />
5) The soldiers ___________ [to flee] as soon as they _________ [to see] the size of the<br />
opposing f<strong>or</strong>ce.<br />
6) As soon as I apologized, my parents __________ [to f<strong>or</strong>give] me.<br />
7) We _________ [to grind] the seeds into a fine powder.<br />
8) He _________ [to lay] his book down f<strong>or</strong> a moment, and then he _________ [to f<strong>or</strong>get]<br />
where he had put it.<br />
9) I __________ [to lend] him five dollars yesterday.<br />
10) The letter carrier ________ [to ring] the bell four times.<br />
11) His whole family ________ [to seek] refuge here after leaving Guatemala.<br />
12) The moon ________ [to shine] very brightly last night.
13) The bandits _______ [to shoot] the policeman in the back.<br />
14) This sweater ___________ [to shrink] when I washed it in hot water.<br />
15) He ___________ [to sing] at the top of his voice all afternoon.<br />
16) When the Titanic __________ [to sink], over 1,500 lives ________ [to be] lost.<br />
17) All my food __________ [to slide] off my plate onto the flo<strong>or</strong>.<br />
18) He __________ [to spend] his entire wages on beer and cigarettes.<br />
19) The car __________ [to spin] out of control as it __________ [to go] around the c<strong>or</strong>ner.<br />
20) He _________ [to spit] in disgust on the pavement.<br />
21) She __________ [to split] the log into two easily.<br />
22) The cougar ___________ [to spring] out of the undergrowth at the deer.<br />
23) We __________ [to swim] in the pool below the falls.<br />
24) She ___________ [to weep] f<strong>or</strong> hours when she ___________ [to hear] the sad news.<br />
25) The python __________ [to wind] itself around his neck.<br />
26) He ____________ [to wring] out the wet clothing, and put it on the line.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Infinitive <strong>or</strong> Gerund? (A45–A68)<br />
Fill in the c<strong>or</strong>rect choice.<br />
1) Mr. Carruthers accused me _______________ [to have laughed/of laughing] at him<br />
behind his back.<br />
2) He has a tendency ________________ [to speak/of speaking] bef<strong>or</strong>e he has thought about<br />
what effect his w<strong>or</strong>ds may have.<br />
3) Mary is certainly capable _____________ [to get/of getting] an ‘A’ in this course.<br />
4) He has often tried to discourage me ____________ [to try/from trying] to get into medical<br />
school.<br />
5) They seemed ____________ [as if they were/to be] about to attack us.<br />
6) The press suspected the senat<strong>or</strong> ______________________ [to have been involved/of<br />
having been involved] in a conflict of interest.<br />
7) The woman said she felt justified _____________ [in suing/to sue] her husband because<br />
he had a hist<strong>or</strong>y of infidelity.<br />
8) They planned _____________ [on having/to have] her baby shower at the community<br />
hall.<br />
9) He was f<strong>or</strong>bidden _____________ [from going into/to go into] the st<strong>or</strong>e f<strong>or</strong> the next three<br />
years because he had been caught shoplifting.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Prepositions (A69–A148)<br />
Fill in the c<strong>or</strong>rect preposition, <strong>or</strong> leave blank if no preposition is needed.<br />
1) My father was very angry _______ me when I did not do what he had asked me to.<br />
2) We should arrive ________ Denver in time f<strong>or</strong> dinner.<br />
3) The three of them were chased _______ from school.
4) The group departed _______ Paris in the early m<strong>or</strong>ning.<br />
5) We discussed ________ the problem with him f<strong>or</strong> a whole afternoon.<br />
6) We were told to continue _______ our w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
7) We must refer _______ to the first chapter to find the most imp<strong>or</strong>tant clue to the<br />
protagonist’s identity.<br />
8) The geopolitical situation in late 1938 was different ______ what it had been only a few<br />
months earlier.<br />
9) He asked me what type ______ vehicle we wanted.<br />
10) She is convinced that this brand of detergent is superi<strong>or</strong> ________ that one.<br />
11) The car collided ___________ a large truck.<br />
Which of the following sentences are inc<strong>or</strong>rect? C<strong>or</strong>rect whatever preposition mistakes you find.<br />
1) By the time troops arrived the Russian Parliament buildings, Yeltsin and his supp<strong>or</strong>ters<br />
had built barricades and were prepared.<br />
2) Sarkozy had intended to consult with his advis<strong>or</strong>s bef<strong>or</strong>e making a statement.<br />
3) We must draw a different conclusion than the one we had expected.<br />
4) Tyson departed from Las Vegas amidst a st<strong>or</strong>m of controversy over the incident.<br />
5) The controversy over whether <strong>or</strong> not special lanes f<strong>or</strong> bicycles should be built along<br />
maj<strong>or</strong> th<strong>or</strong>oughfares centers on the issue of safety.<br />
6) At the state legislature today, a group of citizens protested against the government’s<br />
decision.<br />
7) He compared her with a wild rose, saying she was just as beautiful and unique.<br />
8) My grandfather joined up with the army as soon as he turned 16.<br />
9) Some say she has been suffering with bad arthritis since she was a teenager.<br />
10) I was surprised at how well my daughter learned to speak Japanese.<br />
11) We looked underneath of the table but we still couldn’t find her contact lens.<br />
12) Melissa was homesick after her first week of college and wanted to return back to her<br />
parents’ house.<br />
13) We ran inside of the house so the bee couldn’t sting us.<br />
14) My father graduated high school in 1975.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Singular and Plural (A149–A173)<br />
Make the changes necessary to ensure that the parts of the sentence are in agreement.<br />
1) Either John <strong>or</strong> his brother are responsible f<strong>or</strong> causing the disturbance. (A163)<br />
2) None of the excuses we were given are satisfact<strong>or</strong>y. (A170)<br />
3) Each of the members feel that the application should be rejected. (A151)<br />
Choose the c<strong>or</strong>rect alternative in each of the following.<br />
4) The aur<strong>or</strong>a b<strong>or</strong>ealis is still a largely unexplained ______________ [phenomenon/<br />
phenomena]. (A171)
5) There appear to be at least two____________ [focuses/foci] in Bruegel’s Fall of Icarus.<br />
(A149)<br />
6) There were several ____________ [Att<strong>or</strong>ney <strong>General</strong>s / Att<strong>or</strong>neys <strong>General</strong>] during the<br />
administration of Ge<strong>or</strong>ge W. Bush. (A149)<br />
7) Television is generally considered to be the most influential _____________ [media/<br />
medium]. (A167)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect any mistakes in the following sentences.<br />
1) The second criteria that Locke puts f<strong>or</strong>ward is closely connected to the first. (A159)<br />
2) The data we were shown is not sufficient to convince us. (A161)<br />
3) As the twentieth century began, the newspaper was the media that affected N<strong>or</strong>th<br />
Americans most profoundly. (A167)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Pronoun Referencing (A176, A178)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the pronoun problem in each of the following.<br />
1) A shopkeeper’s life is usually a very busy one. They often have to w<strong>or</strong>k at least twelve<br />
hours a day.<br />
2) Frank is not as good as Henry at the high jump. He usually jumps about five feet.<br />
3) Larson argues that the sexual stereotypes of modern Western society will not be<br />
eradicated until the economic system alters, whereas Myers feels that a degree of<br />
stereotyping is an inevitable, if regrettable, result of genetic differences. This is imp<strong>or</strong>tant<br />
to recognize.<br />
4) Harvard must maintain the high standards that make people like Henry Rosovsky and I<br />
w<strong>or</strong>k twice as hard. (from an address by f<strong>or</strong>mer Harvard University president Derek Bok)<br />
5) No one consulted Shannon and myself about the change in w<strong>or</strong>k shifts.<br />
6) Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox were both on the TV show, Friends. Now, however,<br />
she is pursuing a movie career.<br />
7) My aunt and uncle drove to South Dakota to see the badlands. They’re really hot in the<br />
summer.<br />
8) There is no need to repay past debts between you and I; we’re friends!<br />
Find and c<strong>or</strong>rect the pronoun problems.<br />
1) Typically, a deconstructionist searches f<strong>or</strong> structures that are deeply hidden, that even<br />
the auth<strong>or</strong> may not have been aware of. Indeed, they are often uninterested in whatever<br />
structure the auth<strong>or</strong> may have declared she has attempted to impose on the text.<br />
2) Writing business letters is an imp<strong>or</strong>tant skill to learn. N<strong>or</strong>mally, of course, it should begin<br />
with a salutation.<br />
3) Ownership rights certainly protect a sphere of liberty f<strong>or</strong> the rights owners, but they<br />
may also interfere with the rights of others who are no longer at liberty to use what they<br />
previously could. If this were m<strong>or</strong>e widely realized we might be less likely to think of<br />
liberty as an unqualified good.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Who and Whom (A179)<br />
Fill in who <strong>or</strong> whom, whichever is c<strong>or</strong>rect.<br />
1) _________ will be waiting f<strong>or</strong> you?<br />
2) To _________ should I address the parcel?<br />
3) She is a writer about __________ I know very little.<br />
4) _________ should I say is calling?<br />
5) Andrew Johnson was the President ___________ followed Lincoln.<br />
6) Andrew Johnson was the President ___________ Lincoln preceded.<br />
7) D’Arcy McGee was the leader ____________ was assassinated while John A. Macdonald<br />
was Prime Minister of Canada.<br />
8) It was John A. Macdonald ____________ said to D’Arcy McGee, “We can’t aff<strong>or</strong>d to<br />
have two drunkards in the Cabinet; you’ve got to stop.”<br />
9) It was D’Arcy McGee ______________ John A. Macdonald was speaking to when he<br />
said, “We can’t aff<strong>or</strong>d to have two drunkards in this Cabinet; you’ve got to stop.”<br />
10) If I could paint as well as Picasso, to ________ would I sell my paintings?<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Part of Speech Conversions (A180–A211)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the mistake in each sentence.<br />
1) He did not give me very good advise. (A182)<br />
2) To some extend what you say is true, but I cannot agree with you completely. (A210)<br />
3) There maybe a chance that you can still convince him to do what you want. (A199)<br />
4) She was eager to revenge what they had done to her. (A210)<br />
5) The team’s four starters voted unanimous to start on four days rest. (A181)<br />
6) I loaned him the money to buy a car. (A210)<br />
7) He was careful not to loose track of the argument. (A198)<br />
8) The above quote illustrates just how sh<strong>or</strong>t-sighted nineteenth-century educat<strong>or</strong>s could be.<br />
(A208)<br />
9) Whether we want to admit it <strong>or</strong> not, environmental issues effect us all. (A183)<br />
10) There are two reasons why I would like to get the job. First and f<strong>or</strong>emost, I love the<br />
hours, and secondly, the pay is great. (A190)<br />
11) Her beauty stole his breathe away. (A186)<br />
12) He wasn’t sure if he wanted to buy the house. It’s windows were too small and the lawn<br />
was covered in weeds. (A195)<br />
13) The school’s main principal was a no-tolerance attitude towards violence. (A205)<br />
14) The salesman assured me that the sofa was made with quality leather. (A207)<br />
15) Dan Bern is an American songwriter who’s lyrics are often thought-provoking. (A211)
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Like and As (A194)<br />
Choose the c<strong>or</strong>rect alternative in each of the following sentences.<br />
1) We should meet at ten o’clock [like/as] we agreed.<br />
2) [Like/As] she said when we began this discussion, we have to choose between the lesser<br />
of two evils.<br />
3) [Like/As] Russia, Canada is dominated geographically by vast areas of frozen wasteland.<br />
4) In many ways copper behaves [like/as] silver does.<br />
5) Many people think my sister looks [like/as] me.<br />
6) “[Like/As] I already have told you a hundred times, you have to clean your room!” his<br />
mother shouted.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: W<strong>or</strong>d Order (B1–B10)<br />
WORDS (B1–B208)<br />
Improve the w<strong>or</strong>d <strong>or</strong>der in the following sentences.<br />
1) This could be the result either of natural events <strong>or</strong> human actions. (B5)<br />
2) In the end, Hitler neither conquered Britain n<strong>or</strong> the Soviet Union. (B5)<br />
3) We should first ask what are the conditions under which an electronics industry is likely<br />
to flourish. (B9)<br />
4) Passions can interfere either sp<strong>or</strong>adically on particular occasions, <strong>or</strong> they can be a<br />
continual influence on one’s actions. (B5)<br />
5) The conclusions we draw will be largely determined by what are the assumptions we start<br />
with. (B9)
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: W<strong>or</strong>d Order (B1–B10)<br />
There is a w<strong>or</strong>d <strong>or</strong>der mistake in each of the following. C<strong>or</strong>rect it.<br />
1) The Angels supp<strong>or</strong>ters in the crowd were few. (B2)<br />
2) The books I lent to my friend, I need them back soon. (B4)<br />
3) The men who are responsible f<strong>or</strong> installing the joists, the supervis<strong>or</strong> wanted to see them.<br />
(B4)<br />
4) He neither wants pity n<strong>or</strong> charity. (B5)<br />
5) They were given sentences of between one and three years all except those who had not<br />
committed any violent offenses. (B6)<br />
6) I and my friends usually spend holidays together. (B7)<br />
7) In this class there are three students only. (B8)<br />
8) I asked Faith how was she feeling. (B9)<br />
9) My profess<strong>or</strong> asked me what was I doing. (B9)<br />
10) They asked us what was wrong? (B9)
11) I b<strong>or</strong>rowed the young man’s truck, who had bought it only the day bef<strong>or</strong>e. (B10)<br />
12) You can <strong>or</strong>der a personal computer system that will be delivered the next day by<br />
telephone. (B10)<br />
13) Greville is now represented by the best of both his love poems and of his son<strong>or</strong>ous<br />
Calvinist laments. (B3) [poet Thom Gunn, writing in the Times Literary Supplement]<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: One-W<strong>or</strong>d/Two-W<strong>or</strong>d Problems (B11–B12)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the err<strong>or</strong>s in the following sentences.<br />
1) If any one wants to go out tonight, give me a call later.<br />
2) I can’t believe you were late f<strong>or</strong> the movie! By the time you came, alot had already<br />
happened.<br />
3) The artist was not all together happy with her latest w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
4) Inspite of the circumstances, she still wanted to go out with him.<br />
5) We tried to <strong>or</strong>ganize the party, but noone had time to help.<br />
6) We tried to <strong>or</strong>ganize the party our selves, but we didn’t have enough time.<br />
7) The dish was still in tact even though it fell from the table.<br />
8) The White House showed no sign of giving into Republican pressure.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Difficulties with Meaning I (A183, B13–B153, F36)<br />
(These various problems with the meanings of w<strong>or</strong>ds are treated in “W<strong>or</strong>d Meanings: Are Cars<br />
Ever Stationery?”, beginning on p. 209.)<br />
Choose the c<strong>or</strong>rect w<strong>or</strong>d <strong>or</strong> expression.<br />
1) Do you think your action will have any _________ [effect/affect]? (A183)<br />
2) The shopkeeper did not want to ___________ [accept/except] a credit card. (B13)<br />
3) The tape rec<strong>or</strong>ding ________________ [compliments/complements] the study guide.<br />
(B43)<br />
4) The ______________ [council/counsel] deliberated f<strong>or</strong> seven hours bef<strong>or</strong>e reaching a<br />
decision. (F36)<br />
5) One approach is to break down the questionnaire results by age and sex.<br />
____________________ [Alternately/Alternatively], we may study the variations among<br />
different income levels. (B19)
6) He is very conservative and would never wish to ______________ [flout/flaunt] the<br />
college administration. (B76)<br />
7) The stage can be _________________ [dissembled/disassembled] within two hours.<br />
(B57)<br />
8) The two elements must be seen as entirely ___________ [discreet/discrete]. (B54)<br />
9) She told me __________________ [definitely/definitively] that she would not supp<strong>or</strong>t the<br />
motion. (B50)<br />
10) The United States, Iran, and the People’s Republic of China res<strong>or</strong>t to _____________<br />
[capitol/capital] punishment frequently, whereas Canada, Australia, and the many nations<br />
of Western Europe all abolished the practice many years ago. (B35)<br />
11) The maj<strong>or</strong>ity believe that theft is _____________ [am<strong>or</strong>al/imm<strong>or</strong>al] in any<br />
circumstances. (B22)<br />
12) No politician is ___________ [adverse/averse] to publicity. (B15)<br />
13) They were eager to declare the amount as a _____________ [capitol/capital] gain. (B35)<br />
14) The company always purchases ________________ [stationary/stationery] in bulk.<br />
(B140)<br />
15) The book is laden with a preface, a ______________ [f<strong>or</strong>ew<strong>or</strong>d/f<strong>or</strong>ward] and an<br />
introduction. (B79)<br />
16) The spokesperson _______________ [inferred/implied] that the withdrawal would be<br />
made, but he would not state it ______________ [explicitly/implicitly]. (B88, B72)<br />
17) The judge felt that the guilt of the accused was _____________ [mitigated/militated] by<br />
the manner in which he had been provoked; the victim was his supervis<strong>or</strong> at w<strong>or</strong>k, and<br />
had been ______________ [persecuting/prosecuting] him f<strong>or</strong> years. (B106, B117)<br />
18) The musician ____________ [adopted/adapted] the song to bring it within his vocal<br />
range. (B15)<br />
19) Receiving good news always ____________ [enervates/invig<strong>or</strong>ates] me! (B68)<br />
20) My friend says that his grandmother lost all her teeth during a thunder and ____________<br />
[lightning/lightening] st<strong>or</strong>m. The st<strong>or</strong>y is that his grandmother was talking on the phone<br />
when the outside pole was struck. It supposedly caused an electric current to run through<br />
the line and knock out her teeth. (B101)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Difficulties with Meaning II (B13–B153)<br />
In each of the following there is a mistake. C<strong>or</strong>rect it.<br />
(These various problems with the meanings of w<strong>or</strong>ds are treated in “W<strong>or</strong>d Meanings: Are Cars<br />
Ever Stationery?”, beginning on p. 209.)<br />
1) A lot of emigrants entered the United States last year. (B66)<br />
2) Most sp<strong>or</strong>ts stars who ‘write’ books do it by c<strong>or</strong>rob<strong>or</strong>ating with a professional writer.<br />
(B42)<br />
3) The experiment would of w<strong>or</strong>ked if we had calculated the angles c<strong>or</strong>rectly. (B112)<br />
4) Anyone can park here; there are no restrictions. (B34)<br />
5) The Committee is made up of imminent people from all walks of life. (B67)<br />
6) Like any intelligent and hard-w<strong>or</strong>king young person, she is liable to succeed. (B99)
7) The percent of the sample that responded to question 12 was very low. (B191)<br />
8) The entire town was ravished by the violent st<strong>or</strong>m. (B127)<br />
9) There were to many people there; I felt claustrophobic. (B146)<br />
10) He has little <strong>or</strong> no interest in sex, but he is otherwise a very sensual man. (B134)<br />
11) Her writing is completely eligible; I can hardly make out a w<strong>or</strong>d. (B65)<br />
12) Ms. Jenkins persuaded me to invest in her business, but I decided it would not be a good<br />
idea. (B118)<br />
13) My aunt is a very amicable person; she is always friendly and has a great sense of hum<strong>or</strong>.<br />
(B21)<br />
14) Whether <strong>or</strong> not the criminal committed armed robbery in his past is besides the point. The<br />
real question is if he committed the crime he was accused of last month. (B30)<br />
15) Some of the styles of the 1970s (i.e., of clothing, of furniture) have become fashionable<br />
again. (B62)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Usage (B154–B207)<br />
Each sentence contains one mistake. C<strong>or</strong>rect it.<br />
1) Please do not do any changes bef<strong>or</strong>e you have asked me about them. (B167)<br />
2) There are less people in Sweden than there are in the city of New Y<strong>or</strong>k. (B184)<br />
3) He did a lot of mistakes on his tax f<strong>or</strong>m. (B186)<br />
4) Nadal does not want to go to Wimbledon n<strong>or</strong> the US Open this year. (B188)<br />
5) He could not do nothing about the problems that he faced. (B189)<br />
6) The college would like to increase the places available in residence. (B177)<br />
7) A revolution is when the government changes hands as a result of a violent uprising.<br />
(B181)<br />
8) The reason the ozone layer is being destroyed is because of the effects of aerosol sprays.<br />
(B195)<br />
9) The plaintiff now intends to try and regain custody of the child. (B206)<br />
10) We did not want to go on the hike, and anyways, it was raining. (B159)<br />
11) She thinks her father can be able to fix her car by tom<strong>or</strong>row m<strong>or</strong>ning. (B165)<br />
12) My parents say that there use to be m<strong>or</strong>e snow when they were children. (B207)<br />
13) I was very grateful that no one was hurt in the car accident. (B204)<br />
14) I could not hand in my essay because I f<strong>or</strong>got it at home. (B173)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Usage (B154–B207)<br />
There is one mistake in each of the following sentences. C<strong>or</strong>rect it.<br />
1) Acc<strong>or</strong>ding to science, it is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light. (B154)<br />
2) As he had got into the car, he turned the key in the ignition. (B160)<br />
3) The European powers wanted to colonize Africa because of the following reasons. (B163)<br />
4) There are several birds (i.e., penguins, ostriches) that cannot fly. (B62)<br />
5) He often f<strong>or</strong>gets his office key at home. (B173)
6) The reason she likes him is because he is a well-known personality. (B195)<br />
7) Students at this college will be substantially increased next year. (B177)<br />
8) The police did a th<strong>or</strong>ough investigation, and could find no evidence of wrongdoing.<br />
(B179)<br />
9) She lied that she had not stolen any money. (B185)<br />
10) He is opposed against legalizing marijuana. (B191)<br />
11) The dog can’t hardly walk anym<strong>or</strong>e because of the arthritis in his legs. (B175)<br />
12) There were a large amount of protest<strong>or</strong>s at the rally yesterday. (B157)<br />
13) She could not find the address in the phone book, on the Internet, and at the post office.<br />
(B158)<br />
14) The percent of people in Massachusetts that smoke is going down each year. (B192)<br />
15) I always vote f<strong>or</strong> the Republican party, irregardless of scandals. (B180)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: They, There, Their and Were, Where (B144, B153)<br />
Fill in the c<strong>or</strong>rect choice.<br />
1) The boys told __________ mother that they would be late.<br />
2) ___________ were many people at the political rally.<br />
3) ___________ are very happy to live in such a nice house.<br />
4) ___________ are a great many machines in that fact<strong>or</strong>y.<br />
5) ___________ car is old, but ____________ keep it in good condition.<br />
6) ___________ are many students who have not yet handed in ____________ term papers.<br />
7) __________ you pleased that the Tigers won yesterday?<br />
8) He could not tell me ___________ the tools ___________ kept.<br />
9) My brother and I ___________ walking to the st<strong>or</strong>e, ___________ we hoped to meet<br />
several friends.<br />
10) _________ ___________ a lot of people in the audience.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Of and Have (B112)<br />
Fill in the blanks with either of <strong>or</strong> have.<br />
1) I would _______ come if I had been able to.<br />
2) I should ______ done m<strong>or</strong>e w<strong>or</strong>k at the beginning _________ the term.<br />
3) The tragedy could not ________ been prevented.<br />
4) It was very kind _______ you to write.<br />
5) We would ________ gone to the play if we had remembered the c<strong>or</strong>rect date.<br />
6) He might ________ been nominated f<strong>or</strong> an Oscar if he hadn’t offended the Academy in<br />
the past.<br />
7) Most __________ my friends are bilingual.<br />
8) The groom must _________ escaped through the open window in the washroom.<br />
9) If it hadn’t rained, the outdo<strong>or</strong> concert would _________ been a success.<br />
10) He appeared at the do<strong>or</strong>, out ______ the blue.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Paragraphing (C1)<br />
PUTTING IDEAS TOGETHER (C1–C47)<br />
1) Organize the following passage concerning the ideas of Karl Marx into three paragraphs.<br />
Marx is unusual among social the<strong>or</strong>ists in that he is famous as much f<strong>or</strong> his calls f<strong>or</strong><br />
revolutionary change as f<strong>or</strong> his analyses of society, <strong>or</strong> f<strong>or</strong> the the<strong>or</strong>etical framew<strong>or</strong>k he<br />
developed. The Communist Manifesto is the w<strong>or</strong>k that most vig<strong>or</strong>ously and mem<strong>or</strong>ably<br />
expresses his revolutionary rallying cry, and its ringing conclusion—translated most<br />
frequently as “w<strong>or</strong>kers of the w<strong>or</strong>ld unite!”—has continued to strike a ch<strong>or</strong>d among<br />
many readers even into the twenty-first century. This famous sh<strong>or</strong>t w<strong>or</strong>k <strong>or</strong>iginated at<br />
the December 1847 congress of the new Communist League; Marx and Engels were<br />
commissioned to write a manifesto to express in summary f<strong>or</strong>m the league’s principles,<br />
and to act as a guide and an inspiration f<strong>or</strong> the proletarian movement in their struggles<br />
against capitalist auth<strong>or</strong>ity. Interestingly, however, the emphasis in the Manifesto is m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
on placing the revolutionary ferment of the time into a larger hist<strong>or</strong>ical context than it<br />
is on the struggle f<strong>or</strong> immediate change. Even when the Manifesto presents something<br />
resembling an agenda f<strong>or</strong> change, it is couched as a prediction of developments that will<br />
be hist<strong>or</strong>ically necessary, rather than as a call f<strong>or</strong> action. The revolutionary movements<br />
of 1848 to which The Communist Manifesto had lent supp<strong>or</strong>t all failed to achieve their<br />
immediate objectives, and Marx continued to analyze m<strong>or</strong>e th<strong>or</strong>oughly the conditions<br />
in relations he thought might eventually lead to the overcoming of capitalist relations of<br />
production. In the longer term, however, his ideas turned out to be m<strong>or</strong>e influential than<br />
those of any other social the<strong>or</strong>ist. Governments based on Marxist principles (<strong>or</strong> at least<br />
claiming to be claimed on Marxist principles) were in power f<strong>or</strong> most of the twentieth<br />
century in much of the w<strong>or</strong>ld, with the Soviet Union and its satellite states f<strong>or</strong> most of<br />
this period one of the w<strong>or</strong>ld’s two great powers. And even in liberal democratic states<br />
during this period Marx’s ideas exerted some influence; it is notew<strong>or</strong>thy that several<br />
of the “agenda items” in the above list came to be adopted as standard policy in most<br />
liberal democratic capitalist societies during the twentieth century. The fall of the Soviet<br />
Union and the communist states of Eastern Europe in 1989-90 was thought by many to<br />
signal the death of Marxism, but in the years since then Marxist thought has proved to<br />
be surprisingly resilient. No doubt such resilience is in part connected to the degree to<br />
which inequality has persisted and indeed grown in many parts of what is now almost<br />
exclusively a capitalist w<strong>or</strong>ld economy. Today we can also witness the movement of<br />
enterprises to countries with cheaper lab<strong>or</strong> and the push also to expand markets to m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
countries. Not a few observers are suggesting that there is a tendency towards crisis in the<br />
current situation which will ultimately prove unmanageable f<strong>or</strong> the capitalists. F<strong>or</strong> Marx,<br />
this meant the opp<strong>or</strong>tunity f<strong>or</strong> revolutionary action on the part of the proletariat. This, of<br />
course, has not happened, but social activism of a variety of s<strong>or</strong>ts continues to be inspired<br />
at least in part by the s<strong>or</strong>t of social and economic analyses of class and inequality that<br />
Karl Marx first provided.
2) Organize the following business rep<strong>or</strong>t into seven paragraphs, as follows:<br />
• general bookshops<br />
• prices<br />
• nature of Australian universities<br />
• university bookshops<br />
• booklists f<strong>or</strong> university courses<br />
• sales calls on academics at Australian universities<br />
• issues f<strong>or</strong> Australian academics regarding textbooks<br />
Rep<strong>or</strong>t: <strong>Broadview</strong> and the Australian Market<br />
The Australian book market is in most respects closer to the UK model than it is to the<br />
Canadian <strong>or</strong> American one. On the Trade <strong>or</strong> <strong>General</strong> bookselling side of things, chain<br />
bookshops (with Angus & Robertson being somewhat down-market, Dymocks m<strong>or</strong>e upmarket,<br />
and B<strong>or</strong>ders also having a presence) are very strong, but do not seem to have<br />
been able to ride roughshod over publishers to quite the same degree as in N<strong>or</strong>th<br />
America. Even chain booksellers, f<strong>or</strong> example, do not take credit f<strong>or</strong> returns bef<strong>or</strong>e the<br />
returns have been acknowledged as received in good condition by the publisher. Discount<br />
structures are also similar to those in the UK, with Trade books typically sold at discounts<br />
of 40% <strong>or</strong> m<strong>or</strong>e and academic books <strong>or</strong> textbooks sold at a 33% discount off the list<br />
price. There is no equivalent to the reverse discounting <strong>or</strong> “agency plans” that N<strong>or</strong>th<br />
American publishers use to differentiate text and Trade sales on crossover titles, but a<br />
distribut<strong>or</strong> such as UNIREPS will class crossover titles as having a 40% discount to start,<br />
dropping to 35% after one year. There seems to be a broad degree of acceptance of high<br />
prices, though perhaps “acquiescence” is a better w<strong>or</strong>d—I did speak to a number of<br />
students and f<strong>or</strong>mer students who were somewhat resentful at the high prices charged f<strong>or</strong><br />
textbooks. In most cases prices are perhaps 20% beyond what one would project from<br />
bank conversion rates, which is quite bearable if one is looking at a paperback novel<br />
costing $25 rather than $20, but starts to bite if an already somewhat overpriced textbook<br />
from a N<strong>or</strong>th American multinational costs $120 rather than $95. Australian universities<br />
are also broadly similar to those in the UK in many respects. The 19th-century buildings<br />
at the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, f<strong>or</strong> example, are<br />
remarkably similar to those of an old college at Oxf<strong>or</strong>d <strong>or</strong> Cambridge, and similarly the<br />
physical layout of the University of New South Wales is not unlike that of a “redbrick”<br />
such as the University of Reading. Like the UK, there are often undergraduate courses<br />
co-taught by several people with one convener <strong>or</strong> co<strong>or</strong>dinat<strong>or</strong>. Australia seems to have<br />
gone even farther down the route of courses on focused topics than have Canada, the<br />
United States, and the UK; particularly in English Studies, there are surprisingly few<br />
survey courses on, f<strong>or</strong> example, Romantic <strong>or</strong> Vict<strong>or</strong>ian literature and conversely even<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e courses focused on a special topic within Romantic <strong>or</strong> Vict<strong>or</strong>ian studies. In many<br />
areas, though, the <strong>or</strong>ganization of courses is broadly similar. Courses in Medieval Hist<strong>or</strong>y,<br />
International Relations, Anthropological The<strong>or</strong>y, Philosophy of Mind and many m<strong>or</strong>e of<br />
the common categ<strong>or</strong>ies found in N<strong>or</strong>th America and the UK are also common in<br />
Australia. In English Studies too, many of the texts used are similar; Penguins and<br />
Oxf<strong>or</strong>d W<strong>or</strong>lds Classics are ubiquitous. University bookshops tend to be arranged in a
similar way to those in the UK. As in the UK, university bookshops do not have separate<br />
sections f<strong>or</strong> textbooks, which are stacked everywhere at the beginning of term, with the<br />
copies remaining after the first week <strong>or</strong> two simply shelved in the n<strong>or</strong>mal way among the<br />
other titles. Though bookshop staff are sometimes not used to being asked f<strong>or</strong> inf<strong>or</strong>mation<br />
as to which academics have been recommending particular titles f<strong>or</strong> their students, a<br />
substantial number seem quite happy to try to provide the inf<strong>or</strong>mation when asked.<br />
Similarly, departmental staff are generally quite friendly and f<strong>or</strong>thcoming when asked f<strong>or</strong><br />
inf<strong>or</strong>mation. Unlike either N<strong>or</strong>th America <strong>or</strong> the UK, many university bookshops are<br />
under a cooperative umbrella; the co-op Bookshop (University Cooperative Ltd.) operates<br />
shops at almost half the university campuses. (Their website, http://www.coop-bookshop.<br />
com.au, includes textbook lists, often with lecturer notes f<strong>or</strong> all these campuses.) In<br />
contrast to the s<strong>or</strong>t of marking-up of retail prices that is not uncommon in N<strong>or</strong>th America<br />
in university shops, Australian co-op bookshops and some other university bookshops<br />
typically offer a slight discount off the retail price. There has been some pressure at a few<br />
departments to get booklists in extremely early—as early as August f<strong>or</strong> the full academic<br />
year beginning in February, and at some departments the booklists are “cast in stone”<br />
early on by inclusion in the departmental handbook. In the maj<strong>or</strong>ity of departments, however,<br />
people do not have to focus on text choices f<strong>or</strong> the coming year until October, and<br />
the end of October seems to be a very common time f<strong>or</strong> decisions having to be made. The<br />
n<strong>or</strong>m does seem to be f<strong>or</strong> decisions to be made at this point f<strong>or</strong> both terms. In September<br />
directly bef<strong>or</strong>e the mid-term break <strong>or</strong> in early October directly after the mid-term break is<br />
thus an ideal time f<strong>or</strong> academic calling, whereas calling in the middle of the first term<br />
would probably have much less potential f<strong>or</strong> immediate impact. As in the UK, academic<br />
calling (sometimes called “c<strong>or</strong>rid<strong>or</strong> calling” in Australia) is not practiced by all firms.<br />
Several people did mention to me that they had been called on at one time <strong>or</strong> another by<br />
representatives from N<strong>or</strong>ton (represented jointly with John Wiley in Australia). The<br />
largest multinationals (Pearson, Thomson, McGraw Hill) have regular academic sales<br />
representation much as they do in N<strong>or</strong>th America; David Levimalouf, the text buyer at<br />
the ANU bookshop, told me that he would typically expect to see the reps from those<br />
companies twice a year—once in September/October, and then again in April/May. One<br />
academic I spoke of was particularly frank about the influence that even occasional inperson<br />
contact from the N<strong>or</strong>ton representative had had over the years; he acknowledged<br />
that as a result he had been much m<strong>or</strong>e likely to recommend N<strong>or</strong>ton Critical Editions. It<br />
is also notew<strong>or</strong>thy that the N<strong>or</strong>ton Anthology of English Literature seems to be used f<strong>or</strong> a<br />
variety of courses in all of the larger English departments in Australia. There was almost<br />
no resistance that I experienced from academics to someone coming round to knock on<br />
their do<strong>or</strong> and let them know about new publications in their area—particularly if<br />
complimentary copies were on offer! Indeed, academics on the whole were very<br />
welcoming, and particularly if and when they discover that <strong>Broadview</strong> is a Canadian<br />
press; there really does seem to be a strong sense of affinity—not surprisingly, no doubt,<br />
given the shared British heritage. There is also among academics (at least in the<br />
Humanities and Social Sciences) a high degree of sensitivity to issues of price and<br />
availability. Given the frequent difficulties many have experienced in obtaining books<br />
from N<strong>or</strong>th America <strong>or</strong> the UK and given the relatively high prices, it is not surprising<br />
that course pack readers are used even m<strong>or</strong>e frequently in Australia than they are in N<strong>or</strong>th
America <strong>or</strong> the UK—a fair bit m<strong>or</strong>e frequently though this does vary considerably. (In the<br />
Hist<strong>or</strong>y Dept. at the University of Sydney, f<strong>or</strong> example, only one <strong>or</strong> two courses had<br />
course packs as texts, whereas in the Hist<strong>or</strong>y Dept. at the University of Melbourne only<br />
one <strong>or</strong> two courses did not have course packs as texts.) In the sh<strong>or</strong>t term that makes it<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e difficult to sell a reader such as First Philosophy <strong>or</strong> Readings in Medieval Hist<strong>or</strong>y.<br />
But there do seem to be quite a number of academics who would prefer to use books<br />
rather than course packs (also sometimes called “bricks”) in these situations, and if we<br />
can establish something of a reputation f<strong>or</strong> making our books available in Australia on a<br />
reliable basis and at reasonable prices, I think we may be able to develop significant<br />
markets f<strong>or</strong> these s<strong>or</strong>ts of titles bef<strong>or</strong>e too long. In the meantime, substantial markets<br />
seem to exist already f<strong>or</strong> texts such as A Sh<strong>or</strong>t Hist<strong>or</strong>y of the Middle Ages, books such as<br />
Human Rights and Propaganda, and certainly f<strong>or</strong> the <strong>Broadview</strong> Literary Texts series.<br />
Though the latter is still not well known in Australia, academics respond very positively<br />
to the editions—as have bookshops when contacted by UNIREPS.<br />
3) Organize the following passage from an essay into six paragraphs, as follows:<br />
• introduction: symbolic imp<strong>or</strong>tance of skyscrapers<br />
• skyscrapers in the hist<strong>or</strong>y of painting<br />
• skyscrapers in the modern imagination<br />
• skyscrapers as w<strong>or</strong>ks of art in themselves<br />
• period in the hist<strong>or</strong>y of painting and photography in which skyscrapers were imp<strong>or</strong>tant<br />
subjects<br />
Skyscraper Art<br />
There is no image m<strong>or</strong>e symbolic of the twentieth century than the skyscraper, and the<br />
attacks on the W<strong>or</strong>ld Trade Center in 1993 and 2001 indelibly mark the century’s end.<br />
The second of these in particular prompted considerable discussion of the degree to<br />
which cities and skyscrapers act as symbols of the Western w<strong>or</strong>ld, and as such become<br />
focal points f<strong>or</strong> distrust and hatred of the Western w<strong>or</strong>ld. Skyscrapers are symbols of<br />
capitalism; they are symbols of finance; and they are symbols of ambition. F<strong>or</strong> all that<br />
they have been central images in Western (and especially in N<strong>or</strong>th American) culture,<br />
skyscrapers have a remarkably low profile in twentieth-century Western painting. A<br />
number of imp<strong>or</strong>tant artists (Edward Hopper, L.S. Lowery, David Milne) focused on<br />
p<strong>or</strong>traying city life at street level, and on a human scale. A number (Fernand Léger,<br />
Charles Demuth) focused on the stark <strong>or</strong> brutal lines of industrial f<strong>or</strong>ms; and a number<br />
(Andre Derain, Raoul Dufy, Fred Varley, James Wilson M<strong>or</strong>rice) painted cityscapes<br />
that had the feel of landscapes—views across water that are lovely but have to them<br />
no sense of the urban, let alone anything resembling a skyscraper. Some of the finest<br />
of twentieth century city painting has been characterized in one way <strong>or</strong> another with<br />
disengagement. Edward Hopper’s city paintings (never from a vantage point that would<br />
allow a skyscraper to be seen in its entirety) convey something essential of the feel of the<br />
American city, and yet are eerily withdrawn from it; “I don’t think I ever tried to paint<br />
the American scene,” he said; “I’m trying to paint myself.” Oskar Kokoschka, f<strong>or</strong> his
part, withdrew from the art w<strong>or</strong>ld in his later years, and upwards, into the air; his later<br />
cityscapes of European centers, painted from a birds-eye view, are among the finest of<br />
twentieth century expressionist w<strong>or</strong>ks. But they evoke the city as a place of hist<strong>or</strong>y and of<br />
nature writ large, not the city that the skyscraper has come to symbolize and to dominate.<br />
The ambition associated with skyscrapers is in part of course economic, but it is just as<br />
fully an aesthetic ambition. And, as Ian Buruma and Avishai Margalit have pointed out<br />
in discussing why skyscrapers have been a target f<strong>or</strong> ‘occidentalist’ terr<strong>or</strong>ists, it is “an<br />
explicitly secular ambition challenging the natural <strong>or</strong>der of things. In the minds of the<br />
occidentalists, these qualities are linked as well to the notions of cities as reposit<strong>or</strong>ies of<br />
“mixed populations, artistic freedom, sexual license.” But here lies a significant irony,<br />
f<strong>or</strong> within the Western urban w<strong>or</strong>ld—and especially within the w<strong>or</strong>ld of artists in the<br />
city—artistic freedom and economic free enterprise are m<strong>or</strong>e often seen as antithetical<br />
than as inextricably linked. Within the city, the group that has most often shared the<br />
occidentalist distrust of economic freedom and its icons has been that which has flocked<br />
to the city in <strong>or</strong>der to enjoy and to exercise artistic freedom. (Not infrequently, of course,<br />
these artistic communities have also comprised “mixed populations” and have enjoyed<br />
a disprop<strong>or</strong>tionate share of whatever “sexual license” was in the offing.) But, however<br />
much artists have flocked to the city of skyscrapers, they have never tended to feel<br />
entirely comf<strong>or</strong>table with the w<strong>or</strong>ld the skyscraper represents. No doubt largely f<strong>or</strong> that<br />
reason, the skyscraper’s place in the modern imagination as a whole is a good deal larger<br />
than its place in the hist<strong>or</strong>y of twentieth-century art. The ancient tensions between the<br />
w<strong>or</strong>lds of art and of commerce in the Western w<strong>or</strong>ld, however, may not in themselves be<br />
enough to explain why the most prominent symbol of Western society in the twentieth<br />
and early twenty-first century has not been a m<strong>or</strong>e significant artistic presence. Robert<br />
Hughes argues that “no American painting <strong>or</strong> sculpture between W<strong>or</strong>ld War I and W<strong>or</strong>ld<br />
War II was able to accumulate, at least in the <strong>or</strong>dinary public’s eye, the kind of cultural<br />
power that the skyscraper had,” and even if they were ambivalent as to what skyscrapers<br />
symbolized, the artists themselves may have partaken of the general public’s shared<br />
sense that skyscrapers were themselves w<strong>or</strong>ks of art of the highest imp<strong>or</strong>tance. To the<br />
extent that such was the case, one may imagine a certain reluctance to “appropriate”<br />
the extra<strong>or</strong>dinary lines of, say, the Chrysler Building f<strong>or</strong> the purposes of a painting. F<strong>or</strong><br />
perhaps twenty years from the early teens through to the early 1930s, of course, the<br />
skyscraper did have a significant presence in Western art, and American art in particular.<br />
Photographers led the way, and the images of Steichen, of Steiglitz, of Berenice Abbott,<br />
and of Lewis Hine have remained popular icons ever since. To a large extent it may be<br />
that subsequent artists—painters at least as much as photographers—have been unable<br />
to escape the shadow cast by those great images. Gone by the late thirties was the<br />
extra<strong>or</strong>dinary enthusiasm over the buildings themselves as something new and something<br />
extra<strong>or</strong>dinary in human hist<strong>or</strong>y; such enthusiasm saturated New Y<strong>or</strong>k and Chicago in the<br />
early years of century, and through to the end of the twenties. And then too, there was the<br />
Depression; it is no doubt not a coincidence that the great photographic images which<br />
best convey the strength, grandeur, and excitement of New Y<strong>or</strong>k skyscrapers almost all<br />
date from the years bef<strong>or</strong>e the Depression began to bite deepest.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Summary<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each of the above three passages, write a summary of between 75 and 125 w<strong>or</strong>ds.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Joining W<strong>or</strong>ds (C14–C46)<br />
Fill in appropriate joining w<strong>or</strong>ds from the following list: but, however, though, although, despite,<br />
whereas, yet, also, and, as well, indeed, in fact, further, m<strong>or</strong>eover, not only…but also.<br />
1) Surrey has been growing en<strong>or</strong>mously in recent years; ___________, it now has twice the<br />
population that it had only ten years ago.<br />
2) The opening of the Coquihalla Highway in 1987 made it much easier f<strong>or</strong> cars to travel<br />
from Vancouver to Kamloops; ____________, it cut almost two hours off the journey.<br />
Trucks, ___________, found it almost as slow as the old route via Cache Creek,<br />
_____________ the very steep grades f<strong>or</strong>ce them to slow down considerably.<br />
3) ______________ the opening of the Coquihalla Highway in 1987 as a toll road made it<br />
much easier f<strong>or</strong> cars to travel from Vancouver to Kamloops, it was not much of a help<br />
to heavy trucks. A fully-loaded transp<strong>or</strong>t truck could only climb the steep grades very<br />
slowly. _______________, the toll charges levied made the journey m<strong>or</strong>e expensive than<br />
travel via the Trans-Canada Highway. (Tolls on the route were removed in 2008.)<br />
4) ______________ were fully-loaded transp<strong>or</strong>t trucks unable to climb the steep grades at<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e than a snail’s pace, __________ they had to _________ pay f<strong>or</strong> the privilege.<br />
5) Deconstructionists followed Derrida’s lead in arguing that nothing but the text is<br />
deserving of study—indeed, that there is nothing but the text. Some have argued that to<br />
refer to an auth<strong>or</strong>’s life is to engage in idle speculation. Surely in at least some cases,<br />
_____________, what the auth<strong>or</strong> intended to say is of m<strong>or</strong>e than passing interest. Surely<br />
in at least some cases, _______________, inf<strong>or</strong>mation about the auth<strong>or</strong>’s life will help to<br />
shed life on the text.<br />
6) Deconstruction argues in fav<strong>or</strong> of a separation between the text and the w<strong>or</strong>ld when<br />
it comes to any consideration of the auth<strong>or</strong> as an individual. Deconstruction is eager<br />
to show, ______________, how a text is conditioned by the society in which it was<br />
created—and the dominant ideology of that society. The bias is towards the collective<br />
and the unconscious. The conscious motivations and intentions of the auth<strong>or</strong> are deemed<br />
to be irrelevant, ______________ it is the job of the critic to reveal the unconscious<br />
motivations.<br />
7) _____________ the legal drinking age in Alberta is 18, it is 19 in most other Canadian<br />
provinces.<br />
8) Wearing yellow on camera can make a person appear larger than they are, __________<br />
wearing green can make someone look smaller.<br />
9) ____________ the apparent length of certain dreams, on average they last only between<br />
5 and 20 minutes.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Joining W<strong>or</strong>ds (C16–C20, C22)<br />
Fill in but, however, though, although, despite <strong>or</strong> whereas—whichever is c<strong>or</strong>rect.<br />
1) There is no question that the Padres have on balance lost run-sc<strong>or</strong>ing potential with the<br />
replacement of Smith, Jones and Brown with Martinez, Womack and White. They have<br />
gained better defense, ____________, and a m<strong>or</strong>e positive attitude. Whether <strong>or</strong> not these<br />
will be enough to enable them to win the W<strong>or</strong>ld Series championship that has so far<br />
eluded them is not yet clear, ______________ most fans seem glad of the changes.<br />
2) _____________ the Padres have on balance lost run-sc<strong>or</strong>ing potential with the<br />
replacement of Smith, Jones and Brown with Martinez, Womack and White, they have<br />
gained better defense and a m<strong>or</strong>e positive attitude.<br />
3) _____________ the loss of the run-sc<strong>or</strong>ing potential of Smith, Jones and Brown, the<br />
Padres should still produce a lot of runs from the bats of Martinez, Womack and White.<br />
M<strong>or</strong>eover, they have gained better defense and a m<strong>or</strong>e positive attitude.<br />
4) Some aspects of deconstruction proved easy to mock—none m<strong>or</strong>e so, perhaps, than its<br />
emphasis on the text rather than the auth<strong>or</strong>. “Do deconstructionists think the text writes<br />
itself?” skeptics sneered. _________________ it may well sometimes be a w<strong>or</strong>thwhile<br />
endeav<strong>or</strong> to act as if the text has no auth<strong>or</strong>.<br />
5) Some aspects of deconstruction proved easy to mock—none m<strong>or</strong>e so, perhaps, than its<br />
emphasis on the text rather than the auth<strong>or</strong>. “Do deconstructionists think the text writes<br />
itself?” skeptics sneered. In fact, _____________, it may sometimes be an entirely<br />
w<strong>or</strong>thwhile endeav<strong>or</strong> to act as if the text has no auth<strong>or</strong>.<br />
6) ____________ their skepticism, those opposed to deconstruction were sometimes<br />
influenced by deconstructionist techniques of analysis.<br />
7) In the beginning of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, it seems as though Elizabeth<br />
Bennett and Mr. Darcy would be the last two people in the w<strong>or</strong>ld to fall in love. As the<br />
st<strong>or</strong>y progresses, ___________, things slowly start to change.<br />
8) In general, cats are very independent and self-sufficient, ____________ dogs tend to be<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e reliant on their owners.<br />
9) _____________ driving a car is very convenient, riding the bus is better f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
environment.<br />
10) ______________ seals and pandas appear to be gentle and docile, they can, in fact, be<br />
very aggressive and violent if provoked.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Putting Ideas Together—Cause and Effect (C31–C38)<br />
List as many effects as you can of any two of the following events:<br />
1) the aging of the N<strong>or</strong>th American population<br />
2) the spread of social netw<strong>or</strong>king sites such as Facebook<br />
3) the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in 1989–90<br />
4) an increase in the value of the American dollar<br />
5) the introduction of the shot-clock in basketball<br />
Predict as many effects as you can f<strong>or</strong> any one of the following:<br />
1) a sudden downward revision in estimates of total w<strong>or</strong>ld oil and gas reserves<br />
2) a significantly increased percentage of the population coming to believe that modern<br />
intensive farming practices entail widespread cruelty to animals<br />
3) a change in the rules of basketball such that each team would play four players rather<br />
than five<br />
List as many causes as you can f<strong>or</strong> any two of the following events:<br />
1) Tiger Woods winning four consecutive maj<strong>or</strong> golf tournaments
2) Michelle Wie and some other women golfers occasionally filling “spons<strong>or</strong>’s slots” at<br />
men’s golf tournaments<br />
3) the recent rise/fall in supp<strong>or</strong>t f<strong>or</strong> the federal government<br />
4) 20th- and 21st-century American interventions in Central America<br />
5) global warming<br />
6) the rapid pace of economic growth in southeast Asia over the past thirty years<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Cause and C<strong>or</strong>relation (C31–C38)<br />
What causal relationships (if any) do you think underlie the following c<strong>or</strong>relations? In each case<br />
one may be the cause of the other; it may be one of the causes of the other; <strong>or</strong> there may be no<br />
causal relationship. If you think there is a causal connection, state if you think it likely to be the<br />
only cause; if not, list as many other possible contributing causes as you can think of.<br />
1) a rise in crime/a rise in unemployment<br />
2) a rise in violent crimes (such as rape and murder)/a rise in unemployment<br />
3) a reduction in the whale population off the Pacific coast of N<strong>or</strong>th America; a reduction in<br />
the salmon population off the Pacific coast of N<strong>or</strong>th America<br />
4) increases in government supp<strong>or</strong>t f<strong>or</strong> the perf<strong>or</strong>ming arts/better plays being written and<br />
perf<strong>or</strong>med
5) K<strong>or</strong>ean children spending far m<strong>or</strong>e time in school than do N<strong>or</strong>th Americans/higher<br />
productivity in the K<strong>or</strong>ean economy<br />
6) a large decrease in rain in Somalia/famine in Somalia<br />
7) rec<strong>or</strong>d potato crops in the 1840s in Ireland/the potato famine in the 1840s in Ireland<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Putting Ideas Together (C16–C20, C31–C32, C35)<br />
Fill in but, although, however, despite, because <strong>or</strong> as a result. Pay close attention to the<br />
punctuation.<br />
1) ___________ he was sick, he could not come to w<strong>or</strong>k yesterday.<br />
2) __________ he was sick, he came to w<strong>or</strong>k yesterday.<br />
3) He was sick yesterday. _____________, he still came to w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
4) ___________ his sickness, he still came to w<strong>or</strong>k yesterday.<br />
5) He was sick yesterday. _____________, he did not come to w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
6) He was sick yesterday, __________ he still came to w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
7) She has practiced f<strong>or</strong> many long hours. ___________, she is now a good player.<br />
8) She has practiced f<strong>or</strong> many long hours,___________ she is still not a good player.<br />
9) She is now a good player ______________ she has practiced f<strong>or</strong> many long hours.<br />
10) ____________ she has practiced f<strong>or</strong> many long hours, she is not yet a good player.<br />
11) She has practiced f<strong>or</strong> many long hours. ____________, she is not yet a good player.<br />
12) ____________ her long hours of practice, she is not yet a good player.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: But (C18)<br />
Rephrase so that consecutive sentences do not include the w<strong>or</strong>d but.<br />
1) There is no question that the Padres on balance have lost run-sc<strong>or</strong>ing potential with the<br />
replacement of Smith, Jones and Brown with Martinez, Womack and White. But they<br />
have gained better defense and a m<strong>or</strong>e positive attitude. But it is not at first clear whether<br />
these will be enough to enable them to win the W<strong>or</strong>ld Series championship that has so far<br />
eluded them.
2) Having the right to own private property is generally considered an imp<strong>or</strong>tant liberty in<br />
this society, but f<strong>or</strong> many people there is m<strong>or</strong>e interference with liberty under a system of<br />
private ownership than there would be under a system such as that of the native peoples<br />
of N<strong>or</strong>th America (under which the land is held in common). But this does not show that<br />
a system of common use <strong>or</strong> common ownership is necessarily right f<strong>or</strong> Western society<br />
today. But it should make us question our often unthinking allegiance to private property<br />
rights.<br />
3) I love cooking. There is nothing better in the w<strong>or</strong>ld than sitting down to a homemade<br />
meal, especially after it has been customized to include your fav<strong>or</strong>ite flav<strong>or</strong>s. There are<br />
some people who prefer to go out and eat. But this is very expensive and not always<br />
healthy. But I prefer knowing what is going into my food and that it is being cooked<br />
exactly how I like it.<br />
4) My grandfather is Spanish and my grandmother is French. They met during WWII when<br />
my grandfather was in the army. But it wasn’t easy f<strong>or</strong> them in the beginning. It took<br />
some time f<strong>or</strong> my grandmother to learn how to communicate with my grandfather. But<br />
they eventually got the hang of it after using a lot of hand gestures and dictionaries.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Because (C31–C34)<br />
In each of the following sentences because is used inc<strong>or</strong>rectly. Explain why, and rephrase to<br />
c<strong>or</strong>rect the problem. (You may replace because if you wish.)<br />
1) The compound in the red beaker is lighter than the compound in the black beaker because<br />
it weighs less.<br />
2) Shakespeare mixes comedy with tragedy frequently because he includes comic material<br />
such as the gravediggers’ scene in Hamlet and the Fool’s banter in King Lear.<br />
3) The Danish family unit has broken down, because statistics show that the prop<strong>or</strong>tion of<br />
Danish children b<strong>or</strong>n illegitimately has tripled over the past twenty years.<br />
4) The fact that the prop<strong>or</strong>tion of Danish children b<strong>or</strong>n illegitimately has tripled over the<br />
past twenty years does not in fact indicate any increase in the number of single parents,<br />
because two-parent families are having fewer children.<br />
5) Everyone had a good time because the party was a success.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Because, So, As a Result (C31, C32, C36)<br />
Fill in because, so <strong>or</strong> as a result.<br />
1) _____________ he writes carefully and checks his w<strong>or</strong>k, he usually does well.<br />
2) He writes carefully and checks his w<strong>or</strong>k, ____________ he usually does well.<br />
3) He writes carefully and checks his w<strong>or</strong>k. ___________, he usually does well.<br />
4) I think that party has done a good job in government, ____________ I will vote f<strong>or</strong> it.<br />
5) I will vote f<strong>or</strong> that party, __________ I think it has done a good job governing.<br />
6) I think that party has done a good job governing. ___________, I will vote f<strong>or</strong> it.<br />
7) In the past I used to eat a lot of take-out, but now I like to eat food that is healthy.<br />
_____________, I have lost weight and have m<strong>or</strong>e energy.<br />
8) I have lost weight and have m<strong>or</strong>e energy ____________ I now eat food that is healthy.<br />
9) I eat food that is healthy __________ that I can have m<strong>or</strong>e energy.<br />
10) I missed the bus and showed up late f<strong>or</strong> my job interview. ____________, I didn’t get the<br />
job!<br />
11) I showed up late f<strong>or</strong> my job interview, __________ I didn’t get the job.<br />
12) I didn’t get the job _______________ I missed the bus and showed up late f<strong>or</strong> my job<br />
interview.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Punctuation and Joining W<strong>or</strong>ds (C16, C18, C19, C36, C38)<br />
Punctuate the following.<br />
1) Jones was not even in the same city at the time hence he could not have committed the<br />
murder<br />
2) The team was heavily fav<strong>or</strong>ed to win the division three of its best pitchers however were<br />
injured f<strong>or</strong> long periods hence it was unable to finish better than fourth<br />
3) Gauthier’s proviso is a general principle hence it applies both to property owners and to<br />
those whose land has been expropriated as we shall see however it is not a principle that<br />
can successfully be used as a ground on which to base private property rights<br />
4) Ge<strong>or</strong>ge H. W. Bush was sometimes thought of as being too concerned with popularity<br />
and unwilling to lead in his actions however he frequently went against the dictates of<br />
public opinion the N<strong>or</strong>th American Free Trade Agreement f<strong>or</strong> example was opposed by a<br />
maj<strong>or</strong>ity of Americans should politicians in fact always follow public opinion <strong>or</strong> do they<br />
have a duty to do what they believe to be right regardless of what the maj<strong>or</strong>ity feels if we<br />
on the left try to deny conservative governments the right to make unpopular decisions<br />
then in <strong>or</strong>der to remain consistent we will also have to insist that liberal <strong>or</strong> social<br />
democratic governments only put f<strong>or</strong>ward legislation that is popular
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: F<strong>or</strong> Example and Such As (C40, C42)<br />
Fill in f<strong>or</strong> example <strong>or</strong> such as.<br />
1) A number of his friends, ____________ Frank Jones and Joshua Smith, have criminal<br />
rec<strong>or</strong>ds.<br />
2) A number of his friends have criminal rec<strong>or</strong>ds. Frank Jones and Joshua Smith,<br />
____________, have each spent several years in jail.<br />
3) At several points in the play, Antonio acts cruelly. ____________, he insults Shylock<br />
even when the Jew is prepared to lend him money.<br />
4) Christian characters _____________ Antonio and Gratiano act cruelly towards Jews<br />
throughout The Merchant of Venice.<br />
5) Certain f<strong>or</strong>ms of transp<strong>or</strong>tation, ____________ bicycles and canoes, cause no damage<br />
whatsoever to the environment.<br />
6) Certain f<strong>or</strong>ms of transp<strong>or</strong>tation are friendly to the environment. Bicycles and canoes,<br />
______________, cause no damage whatsoever.<br />
7) There is a connection here between literary tendencies and political ones. Just as<br />
postmodern the<strong>or</strong>ists are m<strong>or</strong>e alive to the collective influences at w<strong>or</strong>k upon the<br />
creation of a text, so too they tend to be m<strong>or</strong>e concerned in the political sphere with<br />
collective rights than with individual ones. The collective rights of women and of<br />
min<strong>or</strong>ities, ______________, tend to be given m<strong>or</strong>e weight than the individual rights<br />
(_____________ freedom of speech) that have traditionally been the concern of the<br />
British and N<strong>or</strong>th American tradition. This distinction lies close to the heart of the debate<br />
over “political c<strong>or</strong>rectness.”<br />
8) Many people believe that the age of the “sitcom” came to an end with the rise of<br />
reality TV. Shows ___________ American Idol began to earn higher ratings than their<br />
competition.<br />
9) There are several surprising things that people with peanut allergies cannot eat. Ice cream<br />
and candy, _____________, may have come in contact with nuts during their production<br />
and are considered risky.<br />
10) There are several surprising things that people with peanut allergies cannot eat. Foods<br />
____________ ice cream and candy may have come in contact with nuts during their<br />
production and are considered risky.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: So That, So…That <strong>or</strong> Such…That (C44, C45)<br />
Fill in so that, so…that <strong>or</strong> such…that.<br />
1) His prose is _______ convoluted ________ it is difficult to understand what he means.<br />
2) It is _______ a convoluted prose style _________ it is difficult to understand what he<br />
means.<br />
3) He writes in an inaccessible way _________ the reader will sense the difficulty inherent<br />
in the ideas themselves.<br />
4) Her actions were __________ rude __________ I do not want to speak to her again.
5) It was __________ a fast car ___________ it spun out of control.<br />
6) She was _________ rushed getting dressed __________ she f<strong>or</strong>got to tuck in her blouse.<br />
7) The dog was __________ hungry __________ he started to eat the grass.<br />
8) There was ________ a commotion __________ I could not study f<strong>or</strong> my exam.<br />
9) The show was ________ funny _________ I had tears in my eyes from laughing too<br />
hard.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Comparisons (C44, C45)<br />
too so…that so that such…that very<br />
From this list of expressions choose the one that fits into each of the sentences below.<br />
1) After the birth of their first child they both felt ________ happy.<br />
2) He was _________ late _________ the meeting was almost over.<br />
3) She is now __________ a big girl ___________ none of her clothes fit properly.<br />
4) The sun is ___________ bright today.<br />
5) The sun is ___________ bright today ____________ you have to shield your eyes.<br />
6) There is ____________ a bright sun today ____________ you have to shield your eyes.<br />
7) I shielded my eyes ____________ I could see m<strong>or</strong>e clearly.<br />
8) You should do your w<strong>or</strong>k now ____________ you will be able to enjoy yourself this<br />
evening.<br />
9) This table is _________ big; it will not fit through the do<strong>or</strong>.<br />
10) This table is __________ big _________ it will not fit through the do<strong>or</strong>.<br />
11) This table is _________ big to fit through the do<strong>or</strong>.<br />
12) The tea is __________ sweet f<strong>or</strong> me. I can’t drink it.<br />
13) The tea is __________ sweet _________ I can’t drink it.<br />
14) This tea is __________ sweet. I can’t drink it.<br />
15) He was ___________ a good-mannered person ___________ he impressed my mother<br />
immediately.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: That <strong>or</strong> Which (C46)<br />
Fill in that <strong>or</strong> which.<br />
1) The essay ________ I wrote last week was eleven pages long.<br />
2) The essay, ________ I wrote in only one night, was eleven pages long.<br />
3) This comparison, ____________ Fitzgerald first makes in the book’s opening paragraph,<br />
is repeated frequently throughout the text.<br />
4) The comparison ________ Fitzgerald makes in the book’s opening paragraph is repeated<br />
frequently throughout the text.<br />
5) A button fell off the shirt __________ I had only w<strong>or</strong>n once.<br />
6) The movie, __________ was based on a true st<strong>or</strong>y, was filmed in Chicago.
7) In her diary, Anne Frank wrote __________ she wanted to become a famous journalist<br />
one day.<br />
8) There are still many people who believe ___________ Elvis is still alive.<br />
9) When you are an amateur, the odds of hitting a hole-in-one are 1 in 12,750. These are<br />
odds _________ my brother believes he can beat.<br />
10) Some scientists believe _________ goose bumps, _________ occur when you’re cold<br />
<strong>or</strong> frightened, evolved as part of a fight-<strong>or</strong>-flight reaction to attackers. This heightened<br />
reaction increases your heart rate, causing blood to rush to your muscles, giving them<br />
additional oxygen.<br />
In which of the above could that <strong>or</strong> which be omitted?<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Putting Ideas Together (C14–C46)<br />
In each of the following there is one mistake. C<strong>or</strong>rect it.<br />
1) He went away in the m<strong>or</strong>ning and he came home the same night and he told me that he<br />
had had a good trip. (C26)<br />
2) Although he has sh<strong>or</strong>t legs, but he is a fast runner. (C16)<br />
3) Despite that the profess<strong>or</strong> marked hard, we all passed. (C19)<br />
4) Mark was sick because he stayed in bed all day. (C32)<br />
5) Because the players would not give up, so they achieved vict<strong>or</strong>y. (C37)<br />
6) Michipicoten Island on Lake Superi<strong>or</strong> is very beautiful, but it is also very inaccessible.<br />
However, it is possible to reach it by private boat. (C18)
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Putting Ideas Together (C14–C46)<br />
Fill in appropriate joining w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> expressions, choosing from those in the lists provided.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> (1), choose from:<br />
as well as a result however despite<br />
and ; [semicolon] though<br />
1) The idea of building a canal from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea is centuries<br />
old_____________ it was considered even in the time of the Roman Empire.<br />
______________, it was not until the late nineteenth century that the project was actually<br />
begun. ______________many difficulties, the canal was finally completed early in this<br />
century, ________________f<strong>or</strong> many years most ships bypassed the Cape of Good Hope.<br />
In the late 1960s and the 1970s, ________________, ships that were too large f<strong>or</strong> the<br />
canal began to be built. ________________, conflict between Israel and Egypt caused the<br />
canal to be closed at various times. _________________, a great deal of sea traffic now<br />
once again travels right around Africa, just as it did bef<strong>or</strong>e the Suez Canal was built.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> (2), choose from:<br />
despite although such as as a result<br />
and m<strong>or</strong>eover however<br />
2) Uganda is again becoming one of Africa’s m<strong>or</strong>e developed countries. ___________ it<br />
has certain natural disadvantages, ______________ having no sea p<strong>or</strong>t, it has a relatively<br />
good infrastructure, ___________ its agricultural sect<strong>or</strong> is increasingly productive.<br />
___________, it exp<strong>or</strong>ts m<strong>or</strong>e products than do most of its neighb<strong>or</strong>s. _____________<br />
political difficulties with rebels in the n<strong>or</strong>th of the country, the government remains<br />
stable. _______________, many nearby nations look to Uganda f<strong>or</strong> leadership.<br />
_______________, Uganda is of course much less well-off than are most European<br />
countries.<br />
F<strong>or</strong> (3), choose from:<br />
such as and although<br />
but despite<br />
3) It’s not exactly a guilt-free pleasure, __________ food researchers say cocoa beans could<br />
be good f<strong>or</strong> you. Cocoa beans have natural compounds called flavanols, __________<br />
a growing pile of scientific research suggests they do good things to blood vessels.<br />
___________ the enthusiasm, flavanols are missing from much of the chocolate on st<strong>or</strong>e<br />
shelves today. Flavanols make chocolate and cocoa taste bitter, _________ confectioners<br />
have spent years trying to perfect ways to remove the pungent flav<strong>or</strong>. Flavanols are<br />
found in other foods, ___________ red wine, grapes, apples __________ green tea,<br />
__________ cocoa beans are a particularly rich source. (CNN.com)
F<strong>or</strong> (4), choose from:<br />
nevertheless because ; [semicolon]<br />
even if as well and<br />
4) Controversy usually surrounds Michael Mo<strong>or</strong>e. This is ___________ his documentaries<br />
often challenge political leaders __________ right-wing <strong>or</strong>ganizations. He has a<br />
reputation f<strong>or</strong> going against the n<strong>or</strong>mal style of traditional documentary making.<br />
____________, Mo<strong>or</strong>e has won many awards f<strong>or</strong> his w<strong>or</strong>k. He has gained many<br />
adversaries __________. Many of his critics feel that his films are biased and misleading.<br />
____________ you do not agree with Mo<strong>or</strong>e’s opinions, his movies are w<strong>or</strong>th<br />
seeing___________ they are usually very entertaining.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>S: Sentence Combining (C47)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Joining Whole Kernels (C47-a)<br />
Using co<strong>or</strong>dinating conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs, sub<strong>or</strong>dinating conjunctions, <strong>or</strong> marks<br />
of punctuation alone, join the following groups of kernels into single sentences, eliminating<br />
unnecessary repetition. Try out different variations f<strong>or</strong> each group, and compare the results; be<br />
prepared to justify your preferred arrangements.<br />
Examples:<br />
1) Peacocks are g<strong>or</strong>geous.<br />
2) Peacocks sure make a racket.<br />
Peacocks are g<strong>or</strong>geous, but they sure make a racket.<br />
Although peacocks are g<strong>or</strong>geous, they sure make a racket.<br />
While they sure make a racket, peacocks are g<strong>or</strong>geous.<br />
1) He plugged in the flash drive.<br />
2) The power went out.<br />
After he plugged in the flash drive, the power went out.<br />
He plugged in the flash drive—the power went out.<br />
The power went out just as he plugged in the flash drive.<br />
1) The barbecue was smoking.<br />
2) The burgers were black.<br />
3) The st<strong>or</strong>m roared on.<br />
4) Lulu hid under the bed.<br />
5) Dinner was finished.<br />
6) Darren showed up.
7) The ship docked.<br />
8) Queasy people staggered off the ship.<br />
9) The invitation specified f<strong>or</strong>mal dress.<br />
10) Melvyn w<strong>or</strong>e paisley.<br />
11) Aunt Selma knitted a “Call of the Wild” sweater.<br />
12) Franklin had to wear the “Call of the Wild” sweater.<br />
13) The party really perked up.<br />
14) Bob brought out the puppets.<br />
15) The weather was bad.<br />
16) The tent leaked.<br />
17) The Plimleys went camping.<br />
18) The party goers yelled, “Surprise!”<br />
19) Felicity’s do<strong>or</strong> burst open.<br />
20) Felicity’s mouth was full of spinach.<br />
21) Fluffy wouldn’t get out of the basket.<br />
22) Fluffy was sulking.<br />
23) No one would open a can of tuna.<br />
24) Shirley is laundry-challenged.<br />
25) Shirley washed lights and darks together.<br />
26) All my underwear is purpley-brown.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Embedding Kernels with Punctuation (C47-b)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each pair, embed one kernel in another using punctuation (parentheses <strong>or</strong> dashes) only.<br />
Example:<br />
1) Abbey is such a geek.<br />
2) Abbey w<strong>or</strong>e Vulcan ears to the Star Trek movie.<br />
Abbey (she is such a geek) w<strong>or</strong>e Vulcan ears to the Star Trek movie.<br />
1) The trees are very tall.<br />
2) The trees loom over the little house.<br />
3) The equations seemed unsolvable.<br />
4) The math is fairly difficult.
5) Sherman’s personal life is terribly complicated.<br />
6) Sherman’s personal life is a mess.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Embedding Kernels as Relative Clauses (C47-c)<br />
Convert one of each pair of kernels into a relative clause and combine it with the other. Try to<br />
come up with a variety of different combinations, and evaluate the effectiveness of each. Choose<br />
an appropriate relative pronoun from this list: who, which, that, where, and when. Remember that<br />
who takes different f<strong>or</strong>ms: it is who if it takes the place of the subject of a verb, whom if it takes<br />
the place of the object of a verb, and whose if it takes the place of a possessive noun. Bef<strong>or</strong>e<br />
choosing between which and that, review C46, and punctuate all completed sentences acc<strong>or</strong>ding<br />
to the advice given in F8.<br />
Example:<br />
1) The chipmunk lobbed berries.<br />
2) The berries landed on Tillie’s head.<br />
The chipmunk lobbed berries, which landed on Tillie’s head.<br />
The berries that the chipmunk lobbed landed on Tillie’s head.<br />
Berries that were lobbed by the chipmunk landed on Tillie’s head.<br />
Berries landed on Tillie’s head, which were lobbed by the chipmunk.<br />
Note the awkward placement of the relative clause in the last combination. As such examples<br />
illustrate, it is generally best to put relative clauses next to the w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> phrases they modify.<br />
1) Lloyd’s car is a clunker.<br />
2) Lloyd’s car died on the way to Pe<strong>or</strong>ia.<br />
3) Lloyd remembers the precise moment.<br />
4) The car stalled at a precise moment.<br />
5) Josie is a gourmet wannabe.<br />
6) Josie subscribes to fifteen food magazines.<br />
7) Perkins loves his dictionary.<br />
8) Perkins says his dictionary is the only book w<strong>or</strong>th having.<br />
9) The coffee mug has a dancing pig on it.<br />
10) The coffee mug stays in the cupboard.<br />
11) Harlen is proud of the spice rack.<br />
12) Harlen made the spice rack himself.
13) The w<strong>or</strong>kers just finished pouring the sidewalk.<br />
14) Wanda couldn’t help scratching her initials into the sidewalk.<br />
15) The customer always gives me a headache.<br />
16) The customer just walked in the do<strong>or</strong>.<br />
17) Lucy tries to avoid the restaurant.<br />
18) The Swainsons always go to the restaurant.<br />
19) Sweeney’s socks were mismatched.<br />
20) Sweeney kept crossing his ankles.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Embedding Kernels as Present Participle Phrases (C47-d)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each kernel pair, choose one to embed into the other as a present participle. Then change the<br />
kernel <strong>or</strong>der and see if the sentence still means the same thing. Finally, see if you can transf<strong>or</strong>m<br />
the kernel that became the main clause into the participle; note the change of emphasis in each<br />
combined sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
1) Patty pretended to listen to Bea.<br />
2) Patty played computer solitaire.<br />
Playing computer solitaire, Patty pretended to listen to Bea.<br />
Patty pretended to listen to Bea playing computer solitaire.<br />
Pretending to listen to Bea, Patty played computer solitaire.<br />
Patty played computer solitaire, pretending to listen to Bea.<br />
Patty, playing computer solitaire, pretended to listen to Bea.<br />
Patty, pretending to listen to Bea, played computer solitaire.<br />
Note that sentence two, which says that Bea is playing computer solitaire, does not mean the<br />
same thing as the other sentences.<br />
1) She wasted the day.<br />
2) She waited f<strong>or</strong> Sheldon.<br />
3) The frying pan lay by the side of the road.<br />
4) The frying pan filled with rain.<br />
5) Ralph hovered over the menu.<br />
6) Ralph agonized over his choice.<br />
7) Tipsy flirted shamelessly.<br />
8) Tipsy rolled on her back f<strong>or</strong> a belly rub.
9) Sherilee fumed inside.<br />
10) Sherilee calmly picked up the pieces of the vase.<br />
11) M<strong>or</strong>ton cheered Number Seven on.<br />
12) M<strong>or</strong>ton waved enthusiastically at Number Seven.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Embedding Kernels as Past Participle Phrases (C47-e)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each kernel pair, choose one to embed into the other as a past participle. Then change the<br />
kernel <strong>or</strong>der and see if the sentence still means the same thing. Finally, see if you can transf<strong>or</strong>m<br />
the kernel that became the main clause into the participle; note the change of emphasis in each<br />
combined sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
1) Millions saw the show.<br />
2) A shy man wrote the show.<br />
Seen by millions, the show was written by a shy man.<br />
The show, seen by millions, was written by a shy man.<br />
Seen by millions, a shy man wrote the show.<br />
Written by a shy man, the show was seen by millions.<br />
Written by a shy man, millions saw the show.<br />
Millions saw the show written by a shy man.<br />
The show, seen by millions, was written by a shy man.<br />
The show was written by a shy man seen by millions.<br />
The show was seen by millions written by a shy man.<br />
Note that not all the sentences above mean the same thing; while most of the sentences say that<br />
the show was seen by millions, sentences three and eight say that the man was seen by millions.<br />
Also, whereas in most of the sentences the shy man wrote the show, in sentences five and nine,<br />
the shy man wrote millions. Not only do the various rearrangements sometimes mean different<br />
things, they also don’t all make good sense. Note these kinds of effects as you recombine each<br />
pair of kernels.<br />
1) The cat condo was shabbily maintained.<br />
2) The cat condo hung in shreds.<br />
3) The gnome lay partly buried in a dim c<strong>or</strong>ner of the yard.<br />
4) The gnome lay face down.<br />
5) Brad was cursed by powers of darkness.<br />
6) Brad could never make can openers w<strong>or</strong>k.
7) The old movie house slumped across the street.<br />
8) The old movie house was slated f<strong>or</strong> demolition.<br />
9) No one f<strong>or</strong>got Fran’s careless remark.<br />
10) Fran’s careless remark lived on.<br />
11) Erwin’s prank was spectacularly ill-timed.<br />
12) Erwin’s prank fell flat.<br />
13) Beulah’s neon afghan was made out of polyester.<br />
14) No one fully appreciated Beulah’s neon afghan.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Embedding Kernels as Noun, Verb, Infinitive, and Prepositional Phrases and<br />
Single-W<strong>or</strong>d Adjectives and Adverbs (C47-f)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> each of the following groups of kernels, choose one kernel to be a main clause, and then<br />
sh<strong>or</strong>ten the others into an appropriate modifying w<strong>or</strong>d <strong>or</strong> phrase and combine all into a single<br />
sentence. You will need to choose how to sh<strong>or</strong>ten the sub<strong>or</strong>dinate kernels; the examples below<br />
will give you some guidelines. Combine each set of kernels into as many arrangements as you<br />
can think of, and again judge whether all the resulting sentences f<strong>or</strong> a given kernel group mean<br />
the same thing <strong>or</strong> have the same stylistic effect.<br />
Examples:<br />
Verb phrase:<br />
1) Bertha puts on sunglasses.<br />
2) Bertha lurks by the water fountain.<br />
Bertha puts on sunglasses and lurks by the water fountain.<br />
Noun phrase:<br />
1) A bucket of popc<strong>or</strong>n is never enough f<strong>or</strong> a double bill.<br />
2) A can of root beer is never enough f<strong>or</strong> a double bill.<br />
A bucket of popc<strong>or</strong>n and a can of root beer are never enough f<strong>or</strong> a double bill.<br />
Infinitive phrase:<br />
1) Stewart likes something.<br />
2) Stewart runs backward into the ocean.<br />
Stewart likes to run backwards into the ocean.
Prepositional phrase:<br />
1) The donut is on the left.<br />
2) The donut looks especially appealing.<br />
The donut on the left looks especially appealing.<br />
Single-w<strong>or</strong>d adjective:<br />
1) Opening m<strong>or</strong>e champagne is an idea.<br />
2) The idea is fabulous.<br />
Opening m<strong>or</strong>e champagne is a fabulous idea.<br />
Single-w<strong>or</strong>d adverb:<br />
1) The refrigerat<strong>or</strong> rumbled.<br />
2) The rumbling was ominous.<br />
The refrigerat<strong>or</strong> rumbled ominously.<br />
Kernel groups f<strong>or</strong> combining:<br />
1) We have meetings.<br />
2) The meetings are many.<br />
3) The meetings are tedious.<br />
4) We discuss policies.<br />
5) Barb sleeps at a certain time.<br />
6) Nolan sleeps at a certain time.<br />
7) The time is through all our meetings.<br />
8) Barb sn<strong>or</strong>es.<br />
9) The sn<strong>or</strong>ing is gentle.<br />
10) Barb’s head tilts back.<br />
11) Barb’s head is heavy.<br />
12) Barb’s mouth opens.<br />
13) The opening is slight.<br />
14) Nolan’s head falls.<br />
15) The falling is f<strong>or</strong>ward.<br />
16) Nolan’s head hits the table.<br />
17) The hitting happens with a thunk.
18) Everyone pretends something.<br />
19) No one notices.<br />
20) Barb misses the muffins.<br />
21) Barb misses the coffee.<br />
22) Nolan misses the muffins.<br />
23) Nolan misses the coffee.<br />
24) We get goodies.<br />
25) The goodies are extra.<br />
26) Someone wakes Barb up.<br />
27) Someone wakes Nolan up.<br />
28) The waking happens at a certain time.<br />
29) The meeting is over.<br />
30) Barb pretends something.<br />
31) Nolan pretends something.<br />
32) Barb is thinking.<br />
33) Nolan is thinking.<br />
34) The thinking concerns policies.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Spotting and C<strong>or</strong>recting Ambiguous Sentences (C47-g)<br />
The meaning of each of the following sentences is ambiguous. “De-combine” each into two<br />
different sets of kernels, and then recombine each set into a distinct sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
Louise has a fake alligat<strong>or</strong>-skin purse.<br />
1) Louise has a purse.<br />
2) The purse is made of alligat<strong>or</strong> skin.<br />
3) The alligat<strong>or</strong> skin is fake.<br />
Louise has a purse made of fake alligat<strong>or</strong> skin.<br />
4) Louise has a purse.<br />
5) The purse is made of alligat<strong>or</strong> skin.<br />
6) The purse is fake.<br />
Louise has a fake purse made of alligat<strong>or</strong> skin.
1) Entertaining children can be fun.<br />
2) He’s too hairy to see.<br />
3) I found a penny rollerblading.<br />
4) Lester is a pedantic book lover.<br />
5) Garth spotted a spider mite with his reading glasses.<br />
6) Penelope bathes and cuts her hair monthly.<br />
7) Passing cars should be allowed here.<br />
8) The Web site sells col<strong>or</strong>ful elephant paintings.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Combining Several Kernels into a Single Sentence (C47-h)<br />
Combine each set of kernels into a single sentence, then recombine them twice m<strong>or</strong>e. Add any<br />
transitional w<strong>or</strong>ds you feel are appropriate. Compare the recombinations f<strong>or</strong> each set. What does<br />
each arrangement emphasize? Which are stylistically m<strong>or</strong>e effective and why?<br />
1) Jenkins was fascinated.<br />
2) Earlobes fascinated him.<br />
3) The earlobes were Vanessa’s.<br />
4) The earlobes were uneven.<br />
5) Jenkins tried not to stare.<br />
6) Not staring was impossible.<br />
7) The afternoon was sultry.<br />
8) The afternoon was hot.<br />
9) Bebe suggested watermelon.<br />
10) Hubert harb<strong>or</strong>ed a desire.<br />
11) The desire was secret.<br />
12) Hubert wanted beef.<br />
13) The beef was roasted.<br />
14) Hubert wanted potatoes.<br />
15) The potatoes were mashed.<br />
16) Hubert was disappointed.<br />
17) Grant was alarmed.<br />
18) Eliot was alarming.<br />
19) Eliot collected spiders.<br />
20) The spiders lived in a room.<br />
21) The room was Eliot’s.<br />
22) The spiders crawled.<br />
23) The spiders were loose.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Combining Many Kernels into a Passage (C47-i)<br />
Look carefully at the following list of kernels:<br />
1) Mary Shelley wrote a novel.<br />
2) The novel’s title is Frankenstein.<br />
3) The Monster is a character in the novel.<br />
4) The Monster has murdered people.<br />
5) The victims are innocent.<br />
6) The Monster feels justified.<br />
7) Human society has rejected the Monster.<br />
8) The Monster cannot be judged.<br />
9) The judgment is not fair.<br />
10) The judgment is done acc<strong>or</strong>ding to laws.<br />
11) The human society made the laws.<br />
12) The Monster believes these things.<br />
13) This conclusion does not stop the Monster.<br />
14) The Monster judges himself.<br />
15) The Monster condemns himself.<br />
16) The judgment has a basis.<br />
17) The condemnation has a basis.<br />
18) The basis is a m<strong>or</strong>al standard.<br />
19) The standard governs conduct.<br />
20) The standard does not apply to the Monster.<br />
21) The Monster argues this.<br />
22) The Monster rationalizes his crimes.<br />
23) The Monster is t<strong>or</strong>mented.<br />
24) The Monster loathes himself.<br />
Below is one possible combination of these kernels.<br />
The Monster of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein feels he murders the innocent<br />
justifiably, because humans have rejected him from their society and so cannot<br />
fairly judge him by their own laws. Coming to this conclusion, however, does<br />
not stop him from using that same code of conduct to pass judgment on and<br />
subsequently condemn himself, even as he argues that the code has no application<br />
to him. He is t<strong>or</strong>n between rationalizing his crimes and punishing himself with the<br />
t<strong>or</strong>ment of self-loathing.<br />
Write two m<strong>or</strong>e combinations, and compare all three. Which parts of which ones do you feel are<br />
most effective, and why?
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: “De-Combining” and Recombining Sentences (C47-j)<br />
“De-combine” the following sentences into kernels, then recombine them into at least two m<strong>or</strong>e<br />
arrangements each.<br />
1) If Kathy had only paid enough attention to Roland, we wouldn’t be in this mess.<br />
2) Slugs are definitely slimy and devastating in the vegetable garden, but they have a certain<br />
scientific fascination, too.<br />
3) Jonquil’s ballet career came to a sudden halt when she discovered the seductive pleasures<br />
of the polka.<br />
4) Everyone had high hopes f<strong>or</strong> Julian’s innovative plumbing scheme, but the plan was<br />
fraught with problems from the start.<br />
5) No longer graced with software supp<strong>or</strong>t, the once-expensive laser printer lay sadly on the<br />
recycling pile.<br />
6) During a sudden and prolonged downpour, my umbrella got soaked right through and<br />
started raining on me.<br />
7) Those cheap headphones cannot do justice to Wilma’s latest composition f<strong>or</strong> acc<strong>or</strong>dion<br />
and bassoon.<br />
8) Jerry was skeptical, but D<strong>or</strong>a knew that the closet <strong>or</strong>ganizers would change their lives<br />
f<strong>or</strong>ever.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Analyzing Challenging Texts (C47-k)<br />
Examine the following pieces of writing. Break each into a list of kernels, then recombine them<br />
into a paraphrase to help you better understand the <strong>or</strong>iginal. Make special note of places where<br />
your paraphrase must supply material that is not explicit in the passage; can you justify your<br />
inclusions? Are other readings possible? It will be illuminating to do this exercise with one <strong>or</strong><br />
two other people; discuss and compare your various readings.<br />
1) Lines 1–8 from the poem “On Shakespeare,” by John Milton<br />
What needs my Shakespeare f<strong>or</strong> his hon<strong>or</strong>ed bones<br />
The lab<strong>or</strong> of an age in piled stones,<br />
Or that his hallowed relics should be hid<br />
Under a star-ypointing pyramid?<br />
Dear son of mem<strong>or</strong>y, great heir of fame,<br />
What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name?<br />
Thou in our wonder and astonishment<br />
Hast built thyself a livelong monument.
2) From Preface to Lyrical Ballads, with Past<strong>or</strong>al and Other Poems, an essay on poetry<br />
by William W<strong>or</strong>dsw<strong>or</strong>th<br />
I have said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes<br />
its <strong>or</strong>igin from emotion recollected in tranquillity: the emotion is contemplated<br />
till by a species of reaction the tranquillity gradually disappears, and an emotion,<br />
kindred to that which was bef<strong>or</strong>e the subject of contemplation, is gradually<br />
produced, and does itself actually exist in the mind. In this mood successful<br />
composition generally begins, and in a mood similar to this it is carried on; but<br />
the emotion, of whatever kind and in whatever degree, from various causes is<br />
qualified by various pleasures, so that in describing any passions whatsoever,<br />
which are voluntarily described, the mind will upon the whole be in a state of<br />
enjoyment.<br />
3) Lines 1–9 of “Spring and Fall: To a Young Child,” by Gerard Manley Hopkins<br />
Margaret, are you grieving<br />
Over Goldengrove unleaving?<br />
Leaves, like the things of man, you<br />
With your fresh thoughts care f<strong>or</strong>, can you?<br />
Ah! as the heart grows older<br />
It will come to such sights colder<br />
By and by, n<strong>or</strong> spare a sigh<br />
Though w<strong>or</strong>lds of wanwood leameal lie;<br />
And yet you will weep and know why.<br />
4) Choose another puzzling passage of writing, perhaps something you’ve been asked to<br />
read f<strong>or</strong> coursew<strong>or</strong>k. Follow the “de-combining” and recombining instructions above.<br />
It would be helpful to do that exercise with another one <strong>or</strong> two people.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Analyzing Style (C47-l)<br />
Examine the following passages of writing. Break each into a list of kernels, and examine the<br />
result carefully. What elements of structure make up the passage’s style? It will be helpful to do<br />
this exercise with one <strong>or</strong> two other people.<br />
1) From The Penelopiad, a novel by Margaret Atwood (T<strong>or</strong>onto: Knopf, 2005. Print.).<br />
Here the speaker is the shade of Penelope, who is the wife of Odysseus in Homer’s<br />
Odyssey, and who is now in Hades, the afterw<strong>or</strong>ld:<br />
It’s dark here, as many have remarked. “Dark Death,” they used to say. “The<br />
gloomy halls of Hades,” and so f<strong>or</strong>th. Well, yes, it is dark, but there are<br />
advantages—f<strong>or</strong> instance, if you see someone you’d rather not speak to you can<br />
always pretend you haven’t recognized them.
There are of course the fields of asphodel. You can walk around in them<br />
if you want. It’s brighter there, and a certain amount of vapid dancing goes on,<br />
though the region sounds better that it is—the fields of asphodel has a poetic lilt to<br />
it. But just consider. Asphodel, asphodel, asphodel—pretty enough white flowers,<br />
but a person gets tired of them after a while. (15)<br />
2) From Time’s Arrow, Time’s Cycle: Myth and Metaph<strong>or</strong> in the Discovery of Geological<br />
Time, a w<strong>or</strong>k of non-fiction by Stephen Jay Gould (Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP,<br />
1987. Print.):<br />
We live embedded in the passage of time—a matrix marked by all possible<br />
standards of judgment: by immanent things that do not appear to change;<br />
by cosmic recurrences of days and seasons; by unique events of battles and<br />
natural disasters; by an apparent directionality of life from birth and growth to<br />
decrepitude, death, and decay. (10)<br />
3) From Six Memos f<strong>or</strong> the New Millennium, a w<strong>or</strong>k of non-fiction by Italo Calvino (New<br />
Y<strong>or</strong>k: Vintage, 1988. Print.):<br />
We might say that throughout the centuries two opposite tendencies have<br />
competed in literature: one tries to make language into a weightless element that<br />
hovers above things like a cloud <strong>or</strong> better, perhaps, the finest dust <strong>or</strong>, better still,<br />
a field of magnetic impulses. The other tries to give language the weight, density,<br />
and concreteness of things, bodies, and sensations. (15)<br />
4) From Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, a w<strong>or</strong>k<br />
of non-fiction by Lynne Truss (New Y<strong>or</strong>k: Gotham-Penguin, 2003. Print.). Here Truss<br />
is describing the arguments about commas between writer James Thurber and Harold<br />
Ross, his edit<strong>or</strong> at The New Y<strong>or</strong>ker magazine:<br />
It is pleasant to picture the scene: two hard-drinking alpha males in serious trilbies<br />
smacking a big desk and barking at each other over the niceties of punctuation.<br />
Acc<strong>or</strong>ding to Thurber’s account of the matter (in The Years with Ross [1959]),<br />
Ross’s “clarification complex” tended to run somewhat to the extreme: he seemed<br />
to believe there was no limit to the amount of clarification you could achieve if<br />
you just kept adding commas. Thurber, by self-appointed virtuous contrast, saw<br />
commas as so many upturned office chairs unhelpfully hurled down the wideopen<br />
c<strong>or</strong>rid<strong>or</strong> of readability. (68)<br />
5) From Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a play by Tom Stoppard (New Y<strong>or</strong>k:<br />
Grove, 1967. Print.). The play focuses on the two title characters, who are also min<strong>or</strong><br />
characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and are here explaining to a traveling player that<br />
they have been charged with finding out what is wrong with Prince Hamlet:
Ros: Hamlet is not himself, outside <strong>or</strong> in. We have to glean what afflicts him.<br />
Guil: He doesn’t give much away.<br />
Player: Who does, nowadays?<br />
Guil: He’s—melancholy.<br />
Player: Melancholy?<br />
Ros: Mad.<br />
Player: How is he mad?<br />
Ros: Ah. (To Guildenstern) How is he mad?<br />
Guil: M<strong>or</strong>e m<strong>or</strong>ose than mad, perhaps.<br />
Player: Melancholy.<br />
Guil: Moody.<br />
Ros: He has moods.<br />
Player: Of m<strong>or</strong>oseness?<br />
Guil: Madness. And yet.<br />
Ros: Quite.<br />
Guil: F<strong>or</strong> instance.<br />
Ros: He talks to himself, which might be madness.<br />
Guil: If he didn’t talk sense, which he does.<br />
Ros: Which suggests the opposite. (67)<br />
6) Lines 1-9 from the poem “Ancest<strong>or</strong>s,” by P. K. Page (The Glass Air: Selected Poems.<br />
T<strong>or</strong>onto: Oxf<strong>or</strong>d UP, 1985. 143-44. Print.):<br />
The cavernous theatre filled with them,<br />
going back<br />
generation on generation,<br />
dressed in the colours of power:<br />
scarlet and purple and black,<br />
plumed and surpliced and gowned.<br />
Men with arrogant Roman faces,<br />
women like th<strong>or</strong>oughbred h<strong>or</strong>ses<br />
held in check.<br />
7) Choose a passage of a text that you find admirable <strong>or</strong> intriguing, and use sentence “decombining”<br />
to help you analyze its style.<br />
STYLE (D1–D58)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Slang and Inf<strong>or</strong>mal English (D1–D14)<br />
Rewrite each sentence to eliminate slang w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> expressions.<br />
1) She has five kids and fifteen grandchildren.<br />
2) The w<strong>or</strong>k he handed in was truly awful.
3) It is kind of difficult to understand why public perceptions of British Prime Minister<br />
G<strong>or</strong>don Brown changed so quickly.<br />
4) There is a bunch of reasons why the federal government’s debt became so large in the<br />
1980s and early 1990s.<br />
5) I was kind of disappointed that she did not join us f<strong>or</strong> the outing.<br />
6) Bill Gates became rich after he bought an 8086 operating system off Tim Patterson at<br />
Seattle Computer Products. He then rew<strong>or</strong>ked it, and sold it to IBM as PC-DOS.<br />
7) A bunch of people gathered around the band and started dancing.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Too Many W<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> Too Few W<strong>or</strong>ds (D15–D48)<br />
In each of the following there are either too many <strong>or</strong> too few w<strong>or</strong>ds. Improve each sentence.<br />
1) I myself I think that it is not wise to have m<strong>or</strong>e than three <strong>or</strong> four children. (D32)<br />
2) In my opinion I think men are just as intelligent as women. (D31)<br />
3) It was the general consensus of opinion that no new projects of an expensive nature<br />
should be embarked upon at that point in time. (D42, D45, D39)<br />
4) The protagonist has fallen in love a girl he met at the fair the previous weekend. (D45)<br />
5) She said that she did not to w<strong>or</strong>k at the fact<strong>or</strong>y, no matter how much she was paid. (D45)<br />
6) Insects such as moths, butterflies, fruitflies, etc. can adapt very quickly to environmental<br />
changes. (D27)<br />
7) It is interesting to note that Harris and Rosenwein’s findings supp<strong>or</strong>t this hypothesis. (D35)<br />
8) Nob Hill is in close proximity to the San Francisco harb<strong>or</strong>. (D25)<br />
9) Due to the fact that many people are not attending church anym<strong>or</strong>e, many parishes have<br />
had to close. (D29)<br />
10) We decided to finish the conversation at a later date. (D20)<br />
11) There are many parents who believe too much television is bad f<strong>or</strong> their children. (D44)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Choosing the C<strong>or</strong>rect Tense (D55–D56)<br />
Put the following sentences in the c<strong>or</strong>rect tense.<br />
1) The Rolling Stones are the first rock group to blend American strands of music into a new<br />
f<strong>or</strong>m of pop music. Their first rec<strong>or</strong>dings include covers of Hank Williams and Chuck<br />
Berry. They were considered to encompass the true essence of rock and roll.<br />
2) Yann Martel challenged the limits of your imagination and faith in his book, Life of Pi.<br />
He left it up to readers to decide if they believed Pi’s first recollection of his journey to<br />
the detectives <strong>or</strong> if they believed the second instead.<br />
3) Rhett Butler’s decision to leave Scarlett at the end of Gone with the Wind was a very<br />
famous scene. When Margaret Mitchell’s publishers first read the manuscript they ask her<br />
to change the ending so that they ended up together. Mitchell, however, remains steadfast<br />
and refuses. There was only one account of Mitchell commenting on Scarlett and Rhett’s<br />
future. When writing to her publisher she writes, “I think she gets him in the end.”
4) Douglas Adams displayed his hum<strong>or</strong>ous writing style in the opening paragraphs of his<br />
book, The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the third paragraph, he wrote: “This<br />
planet has—<strong>or</strong> rather had—a problem, which was this: most of the people living on<br />
it were unhappy f<strong>or</strong> pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested f<strong>or</strong> this<br />
problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green<br />
pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of<br />
paper that were unhappy.” (15)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Gender Bias in Language (D58)<br />
Rewrite each of the following so as to make it gender-neutral.<br />
1) Any doct<strong>or</strong> is obliged to put his patients’ concerns ahead of his own.<br />
2) Simply increasing the number of policemen on the streets will not necessarily lead to a<br />
decrease in crime.<br />
3) The hist<strong>or</strong>y of mankind f<strong>or</strong>ms only a sh<strong>or</strong>t chapter in the hist<strong>or</strong>y of the planet.<br />
4) A maj<strong>or</strong>ity of the freshmen at American universities are now women.<br />
5) In sh<strong>or</strong>t, except f<strong>or</strong> his reproductive power, a child has a fully developed capacity f<strong>or</strong> love<br />
long bef<strong>or</strong>e puberty. (Sigmund Freud, “The Sexual Enlightenment of Children”)<br />
6) In most cases the genius has reached the height of his intellectual powers by his early<br />
twenties.<br />
7) Our Stone Age ancest<strong>or</strong>s are often crudely characterized as cavemen.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Biased and Bias-free Usage (D58, D59)<br />
Each of the following sentences contains at least one example of language col<strong>or</strong>ed by gender,<br />
ethnic <strong>or</strong> religious bias; rewrite each sentence using bias-free w<strong>or</strong>ding.<br />
1) Man’s war-like behavi<strong>or</strong> has often been linked to the effects of testosterone.<br />
2) Man’s gestation period is nine months.<br />
3) Early man walked upright, but had developed only rudimentary language skills.<br />
4) Calif<strong>or</strong>nia’s population now includes a large number of <strong>or</strong>ientals.<br />
5) There was no night watchman on duty that night at the warehouse.<br />
6) Flutie, the quarterback, stands only 5 foot nine; Smith, the center, is a huge black man—6<br />
foot ten, 330 pounds.<br />
7) The first spaceman was the Russian, Yuri Gagarin.<br />
8) She has been a keen fisherman since she was very young.<br />
9) She is Jewish with her money.<br />
10) He acts like a Christian towards panhandlers and beggars.
11) She has occupied the Chairman’s position in the <strong>or</strong>ganization f<strong>or</strong> many years.<br />
12) Of the eight policemen at the scene, six were men and two were women.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Biased and Bias-free Usage (D58, D59)<br />
F<strong>or</strong> discussion: Of the following w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> expressions, which (if any) seem to you to express<br />
bias towards a particular group; which (if any) seem to you to entail euphemistic <strong>or</strong> unnecessary<br />
concessions to “political c<strong>or</strong>rectness”; and which seem to you to express a proper concern f<strong>or</strong><br />
appropriate language and f<strong>or</strong> the feelings of those being referred to? (In some cases you may feel<br />
that both <strong>or</strong> all terms in a grouping are appropriate <strong>or</strong> inappropriate.)<br />
1) This new tax measure will help the rich and hurt po<strong>or</strong> people / help those with higher levels<br />
of income and wealth, and hurt the economically disadvantaged.<br />
2) Over 20% of the American population is fat / overweight / obese.<br />
3) The young man was retarded. / The young man suffered from a mental disability. / The<br />
young man was mentally challenged.<br />
4) Both the husband and the wife should see a shrink / a counsell<strong>or</strong> / a facilitat<strong>or</strong>.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Articles (E1–E2)<br />
ESL (E1–E18)<br />
Fill in the appropriate article(s) where necessary; take them out when they are not needed.<br />
1) Could you <strong>or</strong>der ice cream cone f<strong>or</strong> me?<br />
2) My father painted fence last year, but col<strong>or</strong> is already fading.<br />
3) Book was really good; I couldn’t put it down.<br />
4) The yogurt is a great source of calcium.<br />
5) This weekend we’re going skiing. Weather is supposed to be nice and snow will be just<br />
right.<br />
6) In Canada, the hockey is a popular sp<strong>or</strong>t. In 1988, Winds<strong>or</strong>, Nova Scotia, declared itself<br />
to be birthplace of the sp<strong>or</strong>t, but several other cities across country claim the same title.<br />
7) Building the log homes can be long and complicated process.<br />
8) It takes hour to get to my school on bus. The traffic is usually backed up in m<strong>or</strong>ning.<br />
9) Riding unicycle is a lot harder than riding a bike. It requires lot m<strong>or</strong>e balance and the<br />
focus.<br />
10) What is in box? I think it is moving!
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Subjects and Predicates (E3–E4)<br />
Fill in the appropriate article(s) <strong>or</strong> pronoun(s) where necessary; take them out when they are not<br />
needed.<br />
1) Is dangerous not to carry around an inhaler when you have asthma.<br />
2) Currently, the moon it is approximately 225,745 miles from Earth; moves 1.5 inches<br />
further away from our planet each year.<br />
3) The cake we made f<strong>or</strong> Ethan’s birthday it was coconut cream.<br />
4) It will be easy to sell our house. My brother-in-law is real estate agent, and he will get<br />
good price f<strong>or</strong> quickly.<br />
5) The pizza it is from Healthy Pies. The cook was gourmet chef at a high-end restaurant<br />
in his youth, but he quit and decided to open his own pizza shop instead. He uses only<br />
<strong>or</strong>ganic ingredients.<br />
6) The Christmas tree it was too big f<strong>or</strong> the house. Was blocking the window.<br />
7) My first time skating was quite an adventure! I fell a few times because my skates they<br />
were very slippery, but by the end I improved.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Plurals (E5)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) Digital watch are great because they tell you the exact time and they usually have added<br />
feature.<br />
2) Many person take the subway in this city; it’s m<strong>or</strong>e convenient than waiting in traffic.<br />
3) Hawth<strong>or</strong>ne Academy is a new high school in our community. Many of the student are<br />
looking f<strong>or</strong>ward to the upcoming year because they will each be given a laptop computer.<br />
4) My wife’s closet is overflowing with stuff. She has twenty-six pairs of shoe that she<br />
claims she needs.<br />
5) Canada’s Food Guide recommends eating 5–12 servings of grain product a day, despite<br />
the new trend of low-carbohydrate diet.<br />
6) How many blades of grasses do you think are on your lawn?<br />
7) Wow, this meal comes with three pieces of fishes, a side salad, a piece of bread, and<br />
french fries!<br />
8) Some nutritionists are now saying that drinking eight glasses of waters is not necessary;<br />
on average, people are able to meet their adequate hydration needs from juice, milk,<br />
coffee, tea, soda, fruits, vegetables, and other foods and beverages.<br />
9) You received a lot of mails today.<br />
10) I went to three concert last month—a jazz concert, a rock show, and an acoustic<br />
perf<strong>or</strong>mance. I love listening to different types of musics.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Gendered/Neutered W<strong>or</strong>ds and Possessives (E6–E7)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) My sister is always taking mine clothes! Sometimes she tries to tell me they belong to<br />
him, but I know the difference!<br />
2) The house down the street is f<strong>or</strong> sale. He has four bedrooms, new appliances and two<br />
bathrooms.<br />
3) Our children, which are very athletic, have a lot of sp<strong>or</strong>ts equipment! Our shed is filled<br />
with soccer balls, tennis rackets, and hockey sticks.<br />
4) Dr. Maria Sanchez checked her watch and sighed. She was already late f<strong>or</strong> her 9:00 a.m.<br />
appointment and she was w<strong>or</strong>ried. The previous time she had been late, her office had<br />
filled up with m<strong>or</strong>e clients than she had had time to see. By the time she walked in the<br />
do<strong>or</strong>, her office was as bad as she had anticipated; he was bursting with a mass of people.<br />
5) My uncle, that I greatly admire, won a humanitarian award yesterday, f<strong>or</strong> all the charity<br />
w<strong>or</strong>k he does.<br />
6) Even though it was raining when I first went to the Calgary Stampede, he was still<br />
crowded.<br />
7) After dining at the restaurant twice, they decided she did not have a nice atmosphere.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Negatives and Double Negatives (E8–E9)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) After my wife cheated on me, I not want to speak to her f<strong>or</strong> a long time.<br />
2) It is difficult to do well in a calculus class without no scientific calculat<strong>or</strong>.<br />
3) I never not eat greasy food twice in one week.<br />
4) I enjoy going to the beach, but I not like swimming in water that is deeper than my waist.<br />
5) She does not be a good enough actress to star in her own movie.<br />
6) My baby sucks never not her thumb.<br />
7) Massachusetts not allow capital punishment.<br />
8) Inf<strong>or</strong>mation on the Internet is never not always reliable.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Comparatives and Superlatives (E10)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following inaccurate comparatives/superlatives.<br />
1) I wanted to have the most largest cake the st<strong>or</strong>e could make f<strong>or</strong> my wedding.<br />
2) That was the most bestest movie I have ever seen.<br />
3) The sandwich st<strong>or</strong>e down the street makes the m<strong>or</strong>e largest sub in town.<br />
4) Our daughter did not want the less smaller sized ice cream cone.<br />
5) Shannon believes that her dog behaves m<strong>or</strong>e better than mine.<br />
6) Last summer had the most w<strong>or</strong>st weather our city has seen in 40 years.
7) Monet’s Water Lilies is the beautifullest painting in his collection.<br />
8) The Eiffel Tower in Paris is m<strong>or</strong>e higher than the Space Needle in Seattle.<br />
9) Mrs. Jenkins is the goodest teacher in the school.<br />
10) The last apartment we saw had the lesser amount of new appliances.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Compound Verb F<strong>or</strong>mations and Phrasal Verbs (E11, E13)<br />
Each sentence contains a mistake. Fill in the appropriate verb f<strong>or</strong>mations <strong>or</strong> infinitives.<br />
1) The flowers blooming early this year.<br />
2) She took the wrong crowd up in school, and her grades started suffering.<br />
3) The robber broke the house in last night when everyone asleep.<br />
4) No one in the neighb<strong>or</strong>hood heard the noise, so the police not called.<br />
5) My father ran my bike over because I left it in the driveway.<br />
6) They not know how to sail, so they are nervous about the boat trip.<br />
7) Could you please remember to take your shoes at the do<strong>or</strong> off?<br />
8) There is a st<strong>or</strong>e downtown where you can trade your recyclables f<strong>or</strong> money in.<br />
9) I mowing the grass when I noticed the bird’s nest.<br />
10) The janit<strong>or</strong> not like picking the students’ garbage up because it was often disgusting.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Infinitives and Gerunds (E12, E15)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the following sentences.<br />
1) She was just starting dancing when she was paged over the intercom.<br />
2) The police officer was thinking of to run after the suspect after he heard his partner could<br />
not keep up.<br />
3) We realized that no one was going showing up f<strong>or</strong> the perf<strong>or</strong>mance ten minutes after the<br />
curtain went up.<br />
4) Sarah was discouraged from to help her blind daughter walk around the room so that her<br />
daughter would learn how to do it herself.<br />
5) I was looking f<strong>or</strong>ward to go on the camping trip, but I was called in to doing an extra<br />
shift at w<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Prepositions (E16)<br />
Fill in the appropriate preposition.<br />
1) My teacher was angry ______ me because I had not handed in my homew<strong>or</strong>k.<br />
2) I believe this product is inferi<strong>or</strong> ______ that one.<br />
3) What could be w<strong>or</strong>se ______ having a hurricane flood your home?<br />
4) Janice argued ______ the hotel manager, who was falsely accusing her of making longdistance<br />
calls from her room.
5) Sometimes people b<strong>or</strong>row food _______ their neighb<strong>or</strong>s.<br />
6) The lawyer was interested _______ the case because it seemed like a challenge.<br />
7) President Barack Obama graduated _______ Columbia University in 1983.<br />
8) This type _______ product irritates my skin.<br />
9) I am w<strong>or</strong>ried _______ the rising price of gas.<br />
10) Her boss congratulated her _______ finishing the project on time.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: W<strong>or</strong>d Order (E17–E18)<br />
Put the w<strong>or</strong>ds in their c<strong>or</strong>rect <strong>or</strong>der.<br />
1) Ocean I enjoy swimming in.<br />
2) F<strong>or</strong> her birthday she received three old, beautiful necklaces.<br />
3) The car I was driving very fast.<br />
4) Fell apart the sandwich she was eating.<br />
5) How many wooden homemade bookshelves do you have?<br />
6) The assistant f<strong>or</strong> the celebrity was holding her phone.<br />
7) After he rejected the first set of documents, we the second set gave him.<br />
8) These red, delicious strawberries will be a perfect topping f<strong>or</strong> the cake.<br />
9) That young, energetic w<strong>or</strong>ker is exactly what we need in this office.<br />
10) Big piece of lemon pie f<strong>or</strong> dessert I ate.<br />
PUNCTUATION, FORMAT, AND SPELLING (F1–F38)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Run-on and Incomplete Sentences (F1–F7)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect each of the following run-on <strong>or</strong> incomplete sentences.<br />
1) “She’s miniature, her hands are about the size of my thumb,” he said.<br />
2) How much influence the book might have, how it compares to other philosophical books,<br />
how it fits in with the current trends in philosophy, these are all very hard to determine.<br />
3) It had taken the best part of an hour to put the plan f<strong>or</strong>ward, it took another five minutes<br />
bef<strong>or</strong>e I got my answer. (F.H. Winterbotham, Ultra Secret)<br />
4) The inf<strong>or</strong>mant did not lie to us, he gave us his idea of what the people believed they were<br />
doing.<br />
5) Another positive element is that outside firms will bring new <strong>or</strong> substantially revitalized<br />
agricultural resources into use, they will create new employment to operate the<br />
production facilities.<br />
6) Suppose an industry which is threatened by f<strong>or</strong>eign competition is one which lies at the<br />
very heart of your national defense, where are you then? (Economist W. Hewins, quoted<br />
in The Atlantic)<br />
7) Hydrochl<strong>or</strong>ic acid is a very dangerous substance. So always handle it very carefully.<br />
8) The rookie sidearmer didn’t merely have a fine year in the team’s bullpen, his campaign<br />
ranks as one of the very best seasons in baseball hist<strong>or</strong>y.
9) In Heriot, Scotland, a run on the bank isn’t a sign of financial instability, it’s just the way<br />
things always have been and still are, every Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30. The only time<br />
the bank is open. The good things in life stay that way. (Advertisement)<br />
10) The freedom fighter spun around just in time, then he fired quickly.<br />
11) Getting the right price f<strong>or</strong> your residence is not just good luck, it’s getting the right agent<br />
to help you. (Advertisement)<br />
12) At first Bauer had no trouble with the climbing. At 7.8 km he was second best, only<br />
Delgado was faster.<br />
13) A maj<strong>or</strong> breakthrough came in 1912, two BASF scientists made the w<strong>or</strong>ld’s first synthetic<br />
ammonia, which remains the key ingredient in most fertilizer. (Financial Post)<br />
14) Jones argues that the w<strong>or</strong>ld is overpopulated. This doesn’t make sense because Jones says<br />
that the w<strong>or</strong>ld has too many people but in some areas they don’t have enough. (Sociology<br />
essay)<br />
15) Television executives don’t really care if a show is good <strong>or</strong> not, so long as it is popular,<br />
the larger the audience the better, TV is a mass medium. (Communications essay)<br />
16) When Coca Cola altered its f<strong>or</strong>mula it f<strong>or</strong>got that the biggest ingredient in the brand’s<br />
success was its traditional place in N<strong>or</strong>th American culture. They weren’t just tampering<br />
with a recipe, they were changing a social institution.<br />
17) Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) when he was 18 years<br />
old he was inspired to raise money f<strong>or</strong> cancer research after seeing the plight of young<br />
cancer victims while he was in the hospital he named his campaign the Marathon of<br />
Hope.<br />
18) White bread carries little nutritional value hence it is better to eat loaves that are either<br />
whole wheat <strong>or</strong> multi-grain.<br />
19) Some students have a difficult time making the transition from elementary school to<br />
juni<strong>or</strong> high and they may often feel intimidated by the older students. Who feel the need<br />
to throw their weight around.<br />
20) John Wilkes Booth had <strong>or</strong>iginally planned to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln in an<br />
attempt to use the President as leverage f<strong>or</strong> an exchange of imprisoned Confederate<br />
soldiers his kidnapping plans failed however and after hearing President Lincoln speaking<br />
at the White House declaring that he would give voting rights to f<strong>or</strong>mer slaves Booth<br />
became angry and sw<strong>or</strong>e that would be the last speech he would ever give and ultimately<br />
this statement became true after Booth shot Lincoln in F<strong>or</strong>d’s Theatre.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Common Comma Pairings (F9)<br />
Punctuate the following.<br />
1) she stepped gingerly over the fallen body then she screamed<br />
2) harper’s argument then was that an elected senate would be both m<strong>or</strong>e representative and<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e effective than an appointed one<br />
3) however old you are you can still enjoy the outdo<strong>or</strong>s<br />
4) he would like to go skiing his age and infirmity however prevent him from doing so<br />
5) the complex plot structure that byatt employs in her novel weaves together strands from<br />
many literary traditions
6) byatts novel which employs a complex plot structure weaves together strands from many<br />
literary traditions<br />
7) my profess<strong>or</strong> Dr. Hawth<strong>or</strong>ne likes to give <strong>or</strong>al exams instead of written tests and he<br />
believes <strong>or</strong>al exams are better f<strong>or</strong> showcasing what students have learned<br />
8) the ingredients f<strong>or</strong> the pizza dough are the following c<strong>or</strong>nmeal flour olive oil yeast and<br />
sugar<br />
9) cell phones are causing problems in schools some students, are using them f<strong>or</strong> sending<br />
test answers and messages to their friends in class<br />
10) he walked outside and watered his plants then he pruned his shrubs<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Colon <strong>or</strong> Semicolon (F13, F14)<br />
Add either a colon <strong>or</strong> a semicolon to each of the following sentences.<br />
1) Images of air and sky occur repeatedly in the first three stanzas of Heaney’s poem__ “the<br />
eye concedes to / Encroaching h<strong>or</strong>izon,” “Between the sights of the sun,” “An astounding<br />
crate full of air.”<br />
2) The company is in disarray__ it filed f<strong>or</strong> bankruptcy last week.<br />
3) This was how the Govern<strong>or</strong> phrased it__ “If he wants to choose Shrevep<strong>or</strong>t over New<br />
Orleans, well then I guess he knows something about Shrevep<strong>or</strong>t that I don’t.”<br />
4) A key feature in Locke’s justification of property is the famed Lockean Proviso__ the<br />
claim that property rights can arise without consent “at least where there is enough, and<br />
as good, left in common f<strong>or</strong> others.”<br />
5) David Phillips, Environment Canada’s Seni<strong>or</strong> Climatologist, claims that Medicine Hat,<br />
Alberta, is the sunniest city in the country with 2,512.85 hours of sunshine a year__<br />
Estevan, Saskatchewan, is a close second with 2,434.75 hours.<br />
6) No country in the w<strong>or</strong>ld has an extradition treaty with all other nations__ America, f<strong>or</strong><br />
example, does not have treaties with the following __ the People’s Republic of China,<br />
Namibia, and N<strong>or</strong>th K<strong>or</strong>ea. Canada does not allow extradition to countries that have the<br />
death penalty unless they are assured capital punishment will not be imposed.<br />
7) M<strong>or</strong>e than 100,000 people attended the concluding ceremony in Beijing___ London will<br />
host the next summer Olympics in 2012.<br />
8) Albert Einstein did not believe in Judaism even though he was raised Jewish. Instead,<br />
he admired the beauty of nature and the universe. In 1954, Einstein wrote __ “I do not<br />
believe in a personal God…. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is<br />
the unbounded admiration f<strong>or</strong> the structure of the w<strong>or</strong>ld so far as our science can reveal<br />
it.”<br />
9) Thomas Mann’s personal diaries were revealed to the w<strong>or</strong>ld in 1975__ as the diaries<br />
confirmed, the German novelist had difficulty coming to terms with his bisexuality.<br />
10) Our new union contract states that we will receive pay f<strong>or</strong> the following holidays__ New<br />
Year’s Day, Easter, Lab<strong>or</strong> Day, and Christmas.
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: The Semicolon (F13)<br />
The semicolon is one of the most useful—and one of the most underused—punctuation marks<br />
(see pages 467–470). The following exercise should help to show its usefulness both as a means<br />
to m<strong>or</strong>e concise writing (enabling the writer to eliminate joining w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>or</strong> expressions) and as a<br />
way of eliminating the impression of jerkiness that sh<strong>or</strong>t sentences create.<br />
Rewrite each of the following, using a semicolon in each case.<br />
1) “Liberal” can mean many things. The Oxf<strong>or</strong>d English Dictionary lists thirty-seven<br />
definitions.<br />
2) Great theater companies often have humble beginnings. New Y<strong>or</strong>k’s Public Theater began<br />
as a Shakespeare w<strong>or</strong>kshop.<br />
3) This policy is an unwise one f<strong>or</strong> the government to follow, because it would make the<br />
po<strong>or</strong> even po<strong>or</strong>er.<br />
4) Showing that the law has not been violated during this affair establishes at best that the<br />
Minister is not a criminal, but it fails to show that he deserves to retain a place in the<br />
Cabinet.<br />
5) The law does not require you to compensate others f<strong>or</strong> their loss if you are not at fault. It<br />
only requires you to pay compensation if you have caused the damage.<br />
6) These the<strong>or</strong>ies permit people to be treated as objects because of the way in which they<br />
allow people to be used as material means f<strong>or</strong> the production of m<strong>or</strong>ally good states of<br />
affairs.<br />
7) Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary is loosely based after Jane Austen’s Pride and<br />
Prejudice. This is because Fielding was inspired to write the best-selling novel after<br />
watching the BBC miniseries of Austen’s beloved classic.<br />
8) The Halifax Explosion, one of the largest human-caused explosions in hist<strong>or</strong>y until the<br />
1945 atomic bomb, occurred on December 6, 1917 and it killed 1,632 people and injured<br />
thousands m<strong>or</strong>e.<br />
9) I always have smoothies f<strong>or</strong> breakfast they are nutritional and easy to make.<br />
10) My parents are very traditional when it comes to Christmas preparations and they always<br />
cut down their own tree.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Punctuation (F1–F21)<br />
C<strong>or</strong>rect the punctuation mistake in each of the following.<br />
1) Mbabane which is the capital of Swaziland, is a small town encircled by hills. (F9)<br />
2) “Why did you come here,” he asked me. (F12)<br />
3) We all rode in my brothers car to Detroit. (F20)<br />
4) Both Mandela and de Klerk believed that apartheid couldn’t last much longer. (F19)<br />
5) “Help Wanted.” Full and part time positions available. (F15)<br />
6) My parents who just recently had their 25th wedding anniversary do not believe in eating<br />
sweets between meals. (F17)
7) The manager’s son said that he earned the job as assistant manager in his father’s company<br />
because he was the most: qualified candidate. (F14)<br />
8) She yelled to her two daughters time to come in. (F22)<br />
9) William Golding’s, L<strong>or</strong>d of the Flies, begins with the sentence, “The boy with the fair<br />
hair……began to pick his way towards the lagoon.” (F8)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Punctuation (F1–F23)<br />
Punctuate the following passages.<br />
[Note that it may be possible to c<strong>or</strong>rect the problem in m<strong>or</strong>e than one way.]<br />
1) what did you think of the American election he asked me early in 2001 i was surprised<br />
and disappointed that the supreme court ruled as it did i replied i felt the same way he<br />
agreed i think they should abolish the elect<strong>or</strong>al college so the same thing can never<br />
happen again<br />
2) i just dont know what to do said don i cant seem to punctuate properly in english so i<br />
keep on writing incomplete sentences and run on sentences mary suggested several things<br />
that might help first of all she said you should read each w<strong>or</strong>d out loud and notice when<br />
you pause also she added remember that the w<strong>or</strong>ds so and and should not begin sentences<br />
remember too that the w<strong>or</strong>d because cannot begin a main clause finally the w<strong>or</strong>d that<br />
should not be used to join two clauses together into one sentence don thanked her f<strong>or</strong> this<br />
advice then he began to write<br />
3) f<strong>or</strong> some time she was amused without thinking beyond the immediate cause but as she<br />
came to understand the family better other feelings arose she had taken up a wrong idea<br />
fancying it was a mother and daughter a son and sons wife who all lived together but<br />
when it appeared that the Mr Martin who b<strong>or</strong>e a part in the narrative and was always<br />
mentioned with approbation f<strong>or</strong> his great good nature in doing something <strong>or</strong> other was a<br />
single man that there was no young mrs Martin no wife in the case she did suspect danger<br />
to her po<strong>or</strong> little friend from all this hospitality and kindness and that if she were not<br />
taken care of she might be required to sink herself f<strong>or</strong>ever (Emma 45)<br />
4) she has 27 WTA singles titles and m<strong>or</strong>e than $10 million US in prize money but it is<br />
whats missing from Kim Clijsters resume that gets the most attention despite reaching<br />
four Grand Slam finals the Belgian has yet to hoist a winners trophy and shes getting a bit<br />
tired of hearing about it a lot of people just focus on the things that I dont have she said I<br />
know I havent won a Grand Slam but Ive won a lot of other things Ive been w<strong>or</strong>king very<br />
hard and Im not stopping yet Im at least going to play f<strong>or</strong> a couple <strong>or</strong> three m<strong>or</strong>e years<br />
(The National Post)
5) students at Empire High School started class this year with no textbooks but it wasnt<br />
because of a funding crisis instead the school issued iBooks laptop computers by Apple<br />
Computer Inc to each of its 340 students becoming one of the first US public schools to<br />
shun printed textbooks school officials believe the electronic materials will get students<br />
m<strong>or</strong>e engaged in learning Empire High which opened f<strong>or</strong> the first time this year was<br />
designed specifically to have a textbook free environment weve always been pretty<br />
aggressive in use of technology and we have a hist<strong>or</strong>y of taking risks said Calvin Baker<br />
superintendent of the Vail Unified School District which has 7000 students outside of<br />
Tucson (CNN.com)<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Direct and Indirect Speech (F22–F27)<br />
Rephrase the following so as to make each sentence grammatically c<strong>or</strong>rect.<br />
1) The President asked if “Will the country accept double-digit inflation?”<br />
2) Lentriccia argues: “Regardless of Byron’s intention, the meaning of the text is opaque.”<br />
3) In the mid-1950s social scientists were concerned that perpetually increasing leisure time<br />
“will lead to vast social changes by the year 2000.”<br />
4) The detective turned to the suspect. He yelled, “Where were you on the night of October<br />
12th”?<br />
5) The doct<strong>or</strong> told me that he will try to arrange an operation date as soon as possible.<br />
6) Profess<strong>or</strong> Benson looked at his class and said, “I hope you’ve all studied. Then he passed<br />
out the exams.<br />
<strong>EXERCISE</strong>: Spelling (F35–F38)<br />
Each sentence contains spelling err<strong>or</strong>s. C<strong>or</strong>rect them.<br />
1) At the beggining of the year the commitee made its dicision. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
2) The goverment of Malawi was long d<strong>or</strong>minated by President Banda. (2 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
3) A scene with over fourty charachters in it is a very unusual occurence in a Pinter play. (3<br />
err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
4) We have learned about garmetes, gemination, and photosinthesis. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
5) They tried to leave serreptitiously so that the school principle would not notice their<br />
departure. (2 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
6) The yeild on a stock like this is likely to be non-existant; one buys it only f<strong>or</strong> the capitol<br />
gain. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
7) Socialist groups around the w<strong>or</strong>ld often critacize the United States president.<br />
(1 err<strong>or</strong>)<br />
8) I like to bath late at night when my children are in bed. During the day they are always<br />
running around the house, weather <strong>or</strong> not they’re friends are over. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
9) British hum<strong>or</strong> is quiet diffrent from the comedy of other countries. (2 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
10) With thirty-six contending groups from accross the continent, the chi<strong>or</strong> comptition was<br />
tough. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)
11) Basiccally, the sponsers were not happy with the product we produced. They felt the<br />
slogen was aimed towards a demographic they were not targeting. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
12) My parents told me that it was a privelage to eat zuccinni bread. It is my fav<strong>or</strong>ite desert<br />
and I am only allowed to have a piece when I behave well f<strong>or</strong> my babysitter. (3 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
13) Jean’s birthday is the f<strong>or</strong>th of May. She said she would like me to get her a medeval novel<br />
f<strong>or</strong> a present. (2 err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
14) We <strong>or</strong>dered an expresso after dinner. The drinks at the resterant were extr<strong>or</strong>dinary. (3<br />
err<strong>or</strong>s)<br />
15) The meeting’s itinery f<strong>or</strong> Febuary 12th was printed on recycled paper. (2 err<strong>or</strong>s)