ENGL 1 | MhdSdq

SPRING 2020 (3) E-Learning Initiative

ENGL106/107 TAP 1 (15%) WEEK 1

Name:
ID:
Grade: ________/100 + bonus ________ = ________

Part 1. Read the 3 body paragraphs of an essay and answer the questions below. ( /20pts)
To begin with, the most obvious point of contrast between starting higher education at a state university and a local community college involves the costs. For example, in 2016 the typical cost of a yearat San Diego State University was approximately $7,000. By great contrast, full-time tuition per year at Imperial Valley College is under $1,500. No wonder why the average student debt from university loans is now $35,000. On the other hand, if a student started at a community college and transfered after two years, many thousands of dollars would be saved. Beyond that, savings can be extremely important when looking at how many students attend a university to which they cannot commute daily, and this can add another eight to twelve thousand dollars in debt per academic year by adding expensive housing costs.
Next, the learning atmosphere at a huge state college often contrasts with that of a community college. Countless excited freshman, initially thrilled to be on a huge campus of a state university, soon start feeling invisible and unimportant. The parking lot is so far away from the lecture hall that it feels like another city and the lecture halls themselves are packed with hundreds of students. By stark contrast, most classes at a community college are considered full at approximately thirty students per section, and students won’t need to stand up and speak into an auditorium microphone in order to ask a question of the professor. At a community college, during that one or twominute walk from the parking lot to classes, rather than feeling stressed and invisible, new students probably will feel more relaxed and comfortable talking to people. Making

friendships that can evolve into lasting relationships occurs more readily in smaller, less stressful environments and can more easily happen among the less populated classrooms, too.
Finally, large state universities might be a place located far away from a student’s home, compared to if that student had enrolled in the local community college. True, there are Facebook and Skype to make connections with high school friends and family in order to keep in touch, but it is not the same as being in their presence. Sometimes it’s when we are far from home when a serious problem arises, like the flat tire on the freeway in a city where no one knows you or suddenly finding the bank account is empty. Quite differently, attending community college the first few years in the cozy familiarity of one’s comfort zone, with family and friends cheering from the sidelines and then at the gymnasium at graduation, can provide a psychological backdrop of security, helping students to focus on their studies.

1. Is this a fragment of a comparison essay or a contrast one?
___________________________________________________________
2. Which transitions and other words used in this text signal comparison/contrast idea?
___________________________________________________________
3. What 2 things are being compared or contrasted in this text?
___________________________________________________________
4. What are the 3 points of comparison/contrast in this text?
___________________________________________________________
5. Is the body of this essay arranged according to point-by-point or block method?
____________________________________________________________

Part 2. For the given body paragraphs, write an introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Refer to the rubrics below for the requirements to these paragraphs. ( /80pts)
Introduction (minimum 7 sentences):

Conclusion (minimum 3 sentences):

Compare/Contrast Essay Rubrics
Criteria Excellent

20 Good

15 Below Average
10 Ineffective

5
Introduction Includes all the necessary items. Starts with a catchy HOOK, satisfying amount of Background Info, ends with a very well devised Thesis Statement Includes all the necessary items. There is a HOOK, Background Info, and a Thesis Statement. Includes not all of the necessary items. One or two of them are missing and or not enough. Includes one or none of the necessary items. No Thesis statement.
Conclusion Opens with a Restated Thesis Statement. Gives a successful wrapping.
Closes with a strong Final Comment. Opens with a Restated Thesis Statement. Closes with a strong Final Comment. Opens with a Restated Thesis Statement.
Closes with a Final Comment. No Restated Thesis present. Weak Final Comment.
Structure Text has no faulty sentences. No Fragments/RunOns/etc Most sentences are correctly formed. Only few Fragments/RunOns/etc Around half of the sentences are faulty. Most of the sentences are faulty.
Mechanics Text has no Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling mistakes. Text has very few Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling mistakes. Text has Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling mistakes. Most of the text has Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling mistakes.
TOTAL: _______ / 80

Part 3.
Bonus question (10 points, added to the grade out of 100). Read the body paragraphs again and complete the outline with the information from the text. You do not need to write full sentences for supporting ideas.

Body 1.
Topic sentence:
Supporting ideas:
1) …
2) …
3) …
Body 2.
Topic sentence:
Supporting ideas:
1) …
2) …
3) …
Body 3.
Topic sentence:
Supporting ideas:
1) …
2) …
3) …