Writing Test 1...

Who is the protagonist of the story?

Your friends and you have decided to go on a trip together. You want to bring along another friend of yours but are not sure if the others in the group would agree. You, therefore, write a letter to your friends, asking them if it would be okay if this friend could join you all for the trip. Which of the following is the best close for this letter?

Your friends and you have decided to go on a trip together. You want to bring along another friend of yours but are not sure if the others in the group would agree. You, therefore, write a letter to your friends, asking them if it would be okay if this friend could join you all for the trip. Which of the following is the most suitable in the context of this letter?

Hearing that a zookeeper has managed to train a lion to live in the same cage as a lamb, a man pays a visit to see if it's true. Amazingly, the man finds the animals lying next to each other. 'How did you do this?' he asks the keeper. 'Is this a trick?' 'No', replies the zookeeper, 'this has been going on for three months now. I don't mind telling you, though,' he confides, 'we've had to replace the lamb a few times.

To what genre does the story belong?

You are planning to volunteer for a local NGO and want your friends to join you. You are writing a letter to all of them, asking if they would like to volunteer at the same NGO. Where would you place the date in the letter?

You have been invited to a friend's wedding but since you have a very important meeting the same day, you will not be able to attend it. You wish to write a letter to her, explaining why you can't go to her wedding. Which of the following is most suitable to use in the letter?

You have been studying abroad for three years and are planning to go home to your country for the vacations. You wish to write a letter to your parents, informing them about your plans. Which line would best fit the context of the letter?

From whose point of view is the story told?

Identify the topic sentence:

As a result of depleting oil reserves and increasing environmental concerns, radical developments in car design have emerged. To find an alternative to conventional gasoline engines, researchers are experimenting with different types of fuels and engines. An engine which uses diesel oil instead of gasoline has been in existence for many years. There is also the gas turbine engine, which can utilize fuels made from gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene and other petroleum distillates. Finally, many automobile manufacturers are testing methanol as a fuel. Hopefully, a breakthrough in these areas will relieve the overstretched oil market as well as the environment.

Identify the topic sentence:

What do you prefer: oceans or lakes? Oceans and lakes have many similarities, but they also possess many differences. Both are water bodies, but oceans are very large bodies of salt water, while lakes are much smaller bodies of fresh water. Lakes are usually surrounded by land, while oceans surround continents. Both are inhabited by plants and animals. The ocean is home to the largest animals on the planet, whereas lakes support much smaller life-forms. Both are ideal places to visit and enjoy during your vacations.