NBT Writing Skills & Essay Composition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a thesis statement in an essay?
- To summarize the background information on a topic
- To present the central argument or claim the essay will support (Correct answer)
- To list all the evidence that will be used in the essay
- To introduce the opposing viewpoint to be refuted
Correct answer: To present the central argument or claim the essay will support
A thesis statement presents the writer's main claim or argument that the rest of the essay will develop and support.
Question 2: In a well-organized body paragraph, where should the topic sentence typically appear?
- At the end, as a conclusion to the evidence
- In the middle, surrounded by supporting details
- At the beginning, to introduce the paragraph's main idea (Correct answer)
- Anywhere the writer chooses for stylistic variety
Correct answer: At the beginning, to introduce the paragraph's main idea
The topic sentence usually opens the body paragraph to signal its controlling idea before supporting evidence is presented.
Question 3: What is the primary function of a transition sentence at the END of a body paragraph?
- To introduce a new piece of evidence for the current paragraph
- To restate the thesis in different words
- To link the current paragraph's idea to the next paragraph (Correct answer)
- To provide a definition of a key term
Correct answer: To link the current paragraph's idea to the next paragraph
A closing transition connects the paragraph just discussed to the one that follows, maintaining essay flow and coherence.
Question 4: Which essay structure presents the opposing argument in full before systematically refuting it?
- Narrative structure
- Classical (Aristotelian) structure
- Rogerian structure (Correct answer)
- Toulmin structure
Correct answer: Rogerian structure
Rogerian argument acknowledges and fairly represents the opposing view first, then explains why the writer's position is preferable.
Question 5: In essay writing, 'coherence' refers to which of the following?
- The use of complex vocabulary throughout the essay
- The logical flow and connection of ideas from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph (Correct answer)
- The total word count meeting the assignment requirement
- The absence of grammatical errors in the text
Correct answer: The logical flow and connection of ideas from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph
Coherence means ideas are logically connected so that readers can follow the argument without confusion.
Question 6: Which element is generally NOT appropriate to include in an essay introduction?
- A hook that engages the reader's attention
- Background context for the topic
- A clear thesis statement
- Detailed statistical evidence and data analysis (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Detailed statistical evidence and data analysis
Detailed evidence and data analysis belong in body paragraphs; the introduction should orient the reader and present the thesis without diving into deep evidence.
Question 7: What is the main purpose of a concluding paragraph in an essay?
- To introduce a new argument not covered in the body paragraphs
- To restate the thesis word-for-word and list sources used
- To synthesize the essay's key points and reinforce the thesis in light of the evidence presented (Correct answer)
- To provide the most detailed evidence in support of the thesis
Correct answer: To synthesize the essay's key points and reinforce the thesis in light of the evidence presented
A conclusion synthesizes the argument, reminding readers how the evidence supports the thesis without simply repeating it verbatim.
NBT Writing Skills & Essay Composition 2
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a thesis statement in an essay?