FAST Writing and Composition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student wants to write an opinion piece about school lunch menus. What should the student do FIRST?
- Write the conclusion
- State their opinion clearly and identify reasons to support it (Correct answer)
- Look for pictures to include
- Write a story about lunch
Correct answer: State their opinion clearly and identify reasons to support it
Before drafting an opinion piece, a writer must establish their position and plan the supporting reasons.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes a thesis statement?
- A question the essay will answer later
- A sentence that states the central argument or purpose of an essay (Correct answer)
- A list of all the evidence used
- A restatement of the essay's title
Correct answer: A sentence that states the central argument or purpose of an essay
A thesis statement is a single sentence that clearly expresses the main argument or purpose the essay will develop.
Question 3: When revising a draft, a student should focus on:
- Fixing spelling errors only
- Improving ideas, organization, and clarity (Correct answer)
- Changing all the verbs to past tense
- Removing all adjectives
Correct answer: Improving ideas, organization, and clarity
Revision focuses on strengthening the content, structure, and clarity of writing, not just surface-level errors.
Question 4: In a compare-and-contrast essay, which organizational structure presents all details about Topic A before discussing Topic B?
- Point-by-point structure
- Block structure (Correct answer)
- Chronological structure
- Problem-solution structure
Correct answer: Block structure
Block structure organizes a compare-and-contrast essay by discussing everything about one topic first, then everything about the other.
Question 5: A student ends an essay with: 'In conclusion, as I said before, dogs are good pets.' What is the weakness of this conclusion?
- It is too long
- It simply repeats the introduction without synthesizing ideas or leaving a lasting impression (Correct answer)
- It uses the word 'dogs'
- It is written in first person
Correct answer: It simply repeats the introduction without synthesizing ideas or leaving a lasting impression
An effective conclusion should synthesize the essay's ideas and leave the reader with a meaningful takeaway, not just restate the introduction.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a primary source a student might cite in a research report about the Florida environment?
- A textbook chapter summarizing Florida ecosystems
- An encyclopedia article about the Everglades
- A scientist's original research journal documenting water quality measurements (Correct answer)
- A children's book about Florida animals
Correct answer: A scientist's original research journal documenting water quality measurements
A primary source is original, firsthand material such as original research data, diaries, or eyewitness accounts.
FAST Writing and Composition 2
A student wants to write an opinion piece about school lunch menus.
What should the student do FIRST?