Research and Paraphrasing

Which is the best paraphrase of the following sentence?
Deserts cover one fifth of the surface of the Earth. 

• Deserts cover one fifth of the Earth.
• One fifth of the Earth's surface is desert.
• Deserts cover one fifth of the Earth.
• Deserts cover more than half of the Earth's surface.

What is the best paraphrase of the following sentence?
A type of shark called a shortfin mako can leap 20 feet above the surface of the water.

• A shark can leap 20 feet out of the water, it is called a shortfin mako. 
• The shortfin mako shark can jump above the surface of water.
• A shortfin mako is a kind of shark that can leap 20 feet out of the water. 
• A shortfin mako can jump 20 feet above the surface of the water.

What is the best paraphrase of the following sentence?
Brazil is the largest country in South America and Suriname is the smallest. 

• The biggest country in South America is Brazil, while the tiniest is Suriname.
• Suriname and Brazil the largest and smallest countries in Brazil.
• The largest country is Brazil and the smallest country is Suriname, and they are both countries in Brazil.
• The two countries of Brazil and Suriname are two countries in Brazil.

Choose the sentence that BEST paraphrases this sentence:

A high school student usually has summer reading assignments.

• A high school student always has homework assignments in the summer.
• It is common for students in high school to have summer reading assignments.
• Usually school aged students have summer reading assignments.
• Most summer school students have high school reading to do.

Choose the BEST paraphrase of this sentence:
Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, has been an important market and trading place for hundreds of years.
(World Book Illustrated Atlas page 103)

• Tashkent and Uzbekistan are important places to trade hundreds of things in the market.
• The Uzbekistan capital city of Tashkent has been a major market and trading place for centuries.
• For hundreds of years, Tashkent has been the capital of Uzbekistan and trading places now is important for the market.
• Uzbekistan is a popular place for markets and for hundreds of years Tashkent has been trading its capital goods.

 Choose the BEST paraphrase of this text: 

Lionel Messi earns a whopping $39.6 million a year for playing striker for La Liga's Barcelona team.
(Scholastic Book of World Records 2011 page 99)

• Lionel Messi earns a whopping $39.6 million a year for playing striker for La Liga's Barcelona team.
• According to Scholastic Book of World Records 2011, I think it is great that soccer player Lionel Messi earns a whopping $39.6 million a year for playing striker for La Liga's Barcelona team!
• Soccer player Lionel Messi earns a whopping $39.6 million a year for playing soccer as striker/winger for La Liga's Barcelona team. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain.
• According to Scholastic Book of World Records 2011, soccer player Lionel Messi makes over $39 million dollars annually. This impressive salary is from his work as a striker for La Liga's Barcelona team (page 99).

Which is the best paraphrase of the following sentence?
Dragonflies have six legs, but they can’t walk. 

• Dragonflies have six legs but cannot walk, and I think that this is odd.
• Dragonflies have six legs.
• Although Dragonflies have six legs, they cannot walk at all.
•  Even though they have six legs, dragonflies can’t walk. 

Which is the best paraphrase of the following sentence?
Dragonflies have six legs, but they can’t walk. 

• Dragonflies have six legs but cannot walk, and I think that this is odd.
• Dragonflies have six legs.
• Although Dragonflies have six legs, they cannot walk at all.
•  Even though they have six legs, dragonflies can’t walk. 

Choose the BEST paraphrase of these sentences:
Rugby football is the most popular sport in New Zealand. Most villages, towns, and districts have their own teams.
(World Book Atlas page 212)

• Of all sports played in New Zealand, rugby football is the most popular. Most areas even have their own teams.
• Rugby and football are the most popular sports in the area of New Zealand. Every village, town, and district has teams.
• New Zealand sports include rugby football in most districts, villages, and towns.
• Most villages, districts, and towns in New Zealand love rugby football and popular sports.

 Choose the BEST paraphrase of this text: 
The giant rafflesia, also known as "the stinking corpse lily" has blossoms that can reach three feet in diameter and weigh up to twenty five pounds. The flowers give off a smell similar to rotting meat.

• The stinking corpse lily, also known as the giant rafflesia has blossoms. They can get pretty big and the blossoms stink.
• A flower with the nickname "the stinking corpse lily" produces an odor like rotting meat. The real name of this huge flower that can weigh as much as twenty five pounds is the giant rafflesia.
• The giant rafflesia, also known as "the stinking corpse lily" has blossoms that can reach three feet in diameter and weigh up to twenty five pounds. The flowers give off a smell similar to rotting meat.
• There are flowers give off a smell similar to rotting meat. The giant rafflesia, also known as "the stinking corpse lily" has blossoms that can reach three feet in diameter and weigh up to twenty five pounds.