Choosing Topic Sentences

______________________________. I usually go skiing every weekend in the winter even though it is expensive. I love the feeling of flying down a mountain. The views are beautiful from the top of a mountain and along the trails. Even the danger of falling and getting hurt can’t keep me away from the slopes on a winter day.

• Skiing is expensive.

• Skiing is my favorite sport.

• Skiing is dangerous.

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_________________________________________________. North Americans send cards for many occasions. They send cards to family and friends on birthdays and holidays. They also send thank-you cards, get well cards, graduation cards, and congratulation cards. It is very common to buy cards in stores and send them through the mail, but turning on the computer and sending cards over the Internet is also popular.

• Sending cards is very popular in North America.

• Birthday cards are the most popular kind of card.

• It is important to send thank-you cards.

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_____________________________________________ . I enjoy summer sports like water skiing and baseball. The weather is usually sunny and hot, so I can go to the beach almost every day. Gardening is my hobby and I spend many summer days working in my garden. Unfortunately, the days pass too quickly in summer.

• I like to garden in the summer.

• Summer is my favorite season.

• Summer vacation is too short.

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

• We should raise city taxes.

• City taxes are too high.

• City taxes pay for new roads.

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_________________________________________ . For example, a person can have breakfast in New York, board an airplane, and have dinner in Paris. A businesswoman in London can instantly place an order with a factory in Hong Kong by sending a fax. Furthermore, a schoolboy in Tokyo can turn on a TV and watch a baseball game being played in Los Angeles.

• Airplanes have changed our lives.

• Advances in technology have made the world seem smaller.

• The fax machine was an important invention.

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) ___________________________________________ . One thing you must consider is the quality of the university’s educational program. You also need to think about the school’s size and location. Finally, you must be sure to consider the university’s tuition to make sure you can afford to go to school there.

• It is expensive to attend a university in the United States.

• There are several factors to consider when you choose a university to attend.

• You should consider getting a good education.

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What is the topic sentence in the following paragraph?

My family went to the supermarket together. Mom let us sample a free cookie. It was delicious. Then we were able to choose our own lunch snacks. I chose Goldfish. When checking out, my dad gave us each a quarter for the bubble gum machine. It was fun going to the supermarket.

• I chose a goldfish.

• It was delicious.

• My family went to the supermarket together.

• It was fun going to the supermarket.

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What is a topic sentence?

• It is the ending of a paragraph.

• It is a complete sentence that expresses the main idea of a paragraph and it is mostly found at the beginning.

• It is not important.

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Which sentence in the paragraph is not related to the topic sentence?

My favorite food is pizza. I like pepperoni and banana peppers on it. I love the crunchy crust and the melted cheese. My sister doesn’t like chicken. I even eat my pizza cold the next morning. Sometimes I dip it in ranch dressing. Yum!

• My favorite food is pizza.

• I even eat my pizza cold the next morning.

• My sister doesn't like chicken.

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Which sentence in the paragraph is not related to the topic sentence?

Baseball has many rules to follow. The batter gets three strikes before they are out. There are three outs in an inning. If the batter hits a fly ball and the fielder catches it, other runners may run after the ball is caught. If the batter hits the ball outside the lines for the field, it is called a foul ball and counted as a strike. Football is a great sport.

• Football is great sport.

• There are three outs in an inning.

• The batter gets three strikes before they are out.

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