Edwards

ENG II
Informative/Explanatory Writing Practice

1) A student is writing an informative essay. Read the essay and the

instructions that follow.
Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez were activists and community
leaders. Concerned that laborers were not receiving fair wages,
appropriate housing or health insurance, they organized workers to
fight for these basic rights. They also met with corporations to
demand better treatment of their employees. They both worked
tirelessly to establish civil rights for laborers and migrant farmers. As
a result of their determination and hard work, the National Farm
Workers Association was created.
What should the student include in the next paragraph?
A.
B.
C.
D.

more biographical information about Chavez

more biographical information about Huerta
more information about the corporations
more information about the National Farm Workers Association

2) A student is revising an informative essay. Read the excerpt from

her essay and the instructions that follow.
_____________________ the First Amendment promises freedom of
speech, there have been numerous court cases that have tested the
limits of the amendment. It states that, "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances."
Which transition should the student use at the beginning of her
paragraph?
A.
B.
C.
D.

first
however
although
because

Edwards ENG II
Informative/Explanatory Writing Practice

3) A student needs to write an explanatory essay. Read the

assignment below and the directions that follow.
Assignment: Pick something that was invented within the last one
hundred years and explain how it has improved society.
True or False: In order to write this explanatory essay, the student
needs to make a claim and include evidence that substantiates his
claim.
A.
B.

True
False

4) A student is writing an informative essay. Read the first part of her

introduction and the directions that follow.
Ellis island has long symbolized democracy and freedom. For many
of America's earliest immigrants from European countries such as
Germany, Italy and Spain, it was one of their first stops on American
soil.
What additional information should the student add to this
paragraph?
A.
B.
C.
D.

more information about Ellis Island today

more information about the naming of Ellis Island
more information about some of the immigrants who came to
Ellis Island
more information about what immigrants first encountered on
Ellis Island

Edwards ENG II
Informative/Explanatory Writing Practice

5) A student is writing an explanatory essay. Read the essay and the

instructions that follow.
Determining which college or university a student should attend can
be a difficult decision. It requires planning and research. First, a
student needs to think about the geographic location of the school,
the majors that it offers and the requirements for admission. Once a
student has narrowed down a list of schools, he/she can begin the
process of submitting a full application packet.
What topic should the next paragraph cover?
A.
B.
C.
D.

more information about what an application packet is

personal information about the writer's experience
more information about colleges and universities
more information about the financial costs involved with
attending college