Each of the following body paragraphs is part of a larger essay. Two of the paragraphs provide sufficient details to support their topic sentences convincingly. Write AD for adequate development beside those paragraphs. There are also two paragraphs that, in large part, use vague, wordy, or general sentences as a substitute for real supporting details. Write U for underdeveloped beside those paragraphs.

Question

______ 1. Chaperoning a group of Girl Scouts on a canoe trip turned out to be one of the three worst experiences of my summer. The day started out wrong, first, when a scheduling mix-up occurred. A great deal of time had to be spent just getting this exasperating matter straightened out. Once we reached the river, we had problems teaching the girls how to handle their crafts. There was not the cooperation and the simple skill at moving the crafts that might have been assumed. Finally, the loss of some important supplies and some unexpected bad weather turned the whole outing into a horror show. Feeling altogether frustrated because of the many things that went wrong, I vowed that I would never again volunteer for a Scout field trip.


______ 2. Owning a new car can have its drawbacks. For instance, the new car owner parks in the farthest-out parking spaces so that his or her car won’t be scratched or dented. Then he or she winds up hiking a quarter mile or so to reach the shopping center. A new car also demands constant attention. The owner feels he or she must immediately wipe off any bird droppings, mud splashes, or water stains from the exterior, chores that those with ‘junkers’ never bother about. A new car, in addition, forces its owner to avoid all indoor parking garages or restaurants with valet parking. The sight of a car attendant gunning that brand-new car up a ramp or squeezing it into a tiny space could cause heart failure.

______ 3. One way we could improve our lives would be by banning cars. The environment would improve, and the change for the better would be apparent in healthier lives for all of us. Without cars, Americans would have other benefits as well. An important one that should not be forgotten is the safety factor. There are many accidents that occur every year in which cars are involved. If all of these accidents could be avoided, everyone would benefit, and the country would be safer for all of us in living our everyday lives. In addition, the pace of our lives would slow down. There would be less worry and anxiety to deal with if people were not moving about in cars.

______ 4. Another strange habit shoppers have is rejecting any item that is on top, first in line, or up front. For example, no one takes the top newspaper in a stack or the first magazine in the rack; instead, the shopper takes the second one. Customers also choose the milk or yogurt carton that is farthest away from the front of the shelf, even if the freshness dates are identical. The same principle works with fruit or vegetables. The apple on top of the pile or the stalk of celery nearest the aisle may be perfect, but it will be passed over. Shoppers will stand on tiptoe to reach the rear of the bin or tunnel beneath the pile of produce to find a superior item they believe is hidden there.

Answer 1

U 1.
AD 2.
U 3.
AD 4.