1102 Thesis Statements and Paragraphs

Where does a thesis statement appear in a paper?

• The first sentence of the introduction

• The last sentence of the introduction

• The first sentence of a body paragraph

• The last sentence of the conclusion

Where does a topic sentence appear in a paper?

• The first sentence of the paper

• The last sentence of the introduction

• The first sentence of a body paragraph

• The last sentence of the conclusion

Which is the most effective thesis statement for a paper on
"Cathedral"?

• The motif of blindness symbolizes the limits of visual perception and the importance of empathy.

• In this essay, I will discuss the motif of blindness in Raymond Carver's short story "Cathedral."

• Carver uses three symbols in "Cathedral": blindness, food, and the cathedral itself.

• "Cathedral" is about a man who learns a lesson when his wife's blind friend pays a visit.

For the above essay, which of the following would be an effective topic sentence for a body paragraph?

• Carver writes, "In the movies, the

  blind moved slowly and never laughed. A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to."

• The narrator is surprised when Robert is more self-reliant than he expected.

• The narrator of "Cathedral" is sighted, but he struggles to perceive more than superficial appearances.

• I've learned in my own experience that we should not define people by their disabilities.

What should you include in a topic sentence?

• The paper's central claim

• The main idea of the paragraph

• A quote from the story

• A plot summary of the story

A topic sentence is _____________ than a thesis statement.

• more specific

• less specific

Which quote best supports the claim that the narrator of "Cathedral" struggles to perceive beyond superficial appearances?

• The narrator says, "They’d become good friends, my wife and the blind

  man" (Carver).

• The narrator's wife tells him, "if you had a friend, any friend, and the friend came to visit, I’d make him feel comfortable" (Carver).

• The narrator imagines Robert's wife as "a woman who could go on day after

  day and never receive the smallest compliment from her beloved" (Carver).

• Robert tells the narrator, "I’m always learning something. Learning never

  ends. It won’t hurt me to learn something tonight. I got ears" (Carver).

This introduces a quote and is usually part of the same sentence

• thesis statement

• analysis of the quote

• signal phrase

• topic sentence

This can be part of the signal phrase, or it can follow the quote in parentheses.

• in-text citation, with the author's last name

• in-text citation, with the date of publication

• Works Cited page

• thesis statement

This technique can help you introduce and analyze quotes.

• writing the introduction last

• Venn diagram

• FANBOYS

• quote sandwich