he novel "Shoeless Joe" by W.P.

Kinsella

Correct Answer: Narrative

Your Answer: Narrative

A research paper about World War II

Correct Answer: Expository

Your Answer: Technical

A written STUCO debate arguing for better cafeteria furniture

Correct Answer: Persuasive

Your Answer: Expository

A list of possible projects

Correct Answer: Technical

Your Answer: Technical

 Anicent myths about Hercules

Correct Answer: Narrative

Your Answer: Narrative

A biography about George Washington

Correct Answer: Expository

Your Answer: Narrative

Ingredients in Cheerios

Correct Answer: Technical

Your Answer: Expository

A book review stating "The Hunger Games" are the best books and everyone should re
them.

Correct Answer: Persuasive

Your Answer: Narrative

 An essay about texting and its effect on students' grammar skills

Correct Answer: Expository

Your Answer: Persuasive

A Science textbook

Correct Answer: Expository

Your Answer: Technical

Directions: In each pair of sentences, select the sentence that is more

specific. When you are done, hit the Submit button. You will receive a score
and find explanations in boxes to the right of the choices.

1 a. For many Americans, the
cowboy symbolizes freedom
and independence.
b. For many Americans, the
cowboy is a powerful symbol
that has various meanings.
Incorrect. Sentence b does not limit the
possible meanings of the symbol as
specifically as sentence a does.
Therefore, it allows for more
interpretations.

2 a. According to research, the Incorrect. While sentence b focuses on

first year of college can be a just one specific difficulty
very difficult time for students (homesickness), this sentence mentions
living away from home.
 b. According to researcher difficulties in general. It could include, for
Joshua Gold, many college example, academic and social struggles.
freshmen suffer from severe
homesickness during their first
semester.

3 a. In 1921 eight teenage girls Incorrect. Unlike sentence a, which

arrived in Atlantic City to
participate in the first Miss
America pageant.
b. The Miss America pageant
has been around a long time;
the first one was held some
time in the early 1920s.
includes specific information such as
when and where the first pageant was
held, this sentence refers to that event in
more general terms, leaving the exact
time and place open to interpretation.

4 a. Cultural context has a Incorrect. Sentence a makes an

powerful influence on people’s observation about cultures in general;
willingness to express emotion. therefore, it refers to more cultures than
sentence b does.
b. Generally speaking,
Europeans and Americans are
trained to show more emotion
than are Asians.

5 a. When jazz dancer Josephine Incorrect. While sentence b provides

Baker arrived in Paris, she took specific details of Baker’s reception in
the city by storm; within a short Paris, this sentence makes a more
time, she was the toast of the general observation that can be
town. interpreted different ways.
b. Three weeks after her arrival
in Paris in 1925, Josephine
Baker’s performances were
sold out for months, and her
admirers were showering her
with gifts.

6 a. In the 1790s, hundreds of Incorrect. This sentence allows for more

Western Pennsylvania interpretations than sentence a does.
residents took up arms after the While sentence a focuses on one
 government tried to collect a specific instance in which the residents
new tax on whiskey challenged their government, sentence b
could include many different challenges.
b. Only a short while after the
Constitution had been signed,
residents of Western
Pennsylvania openly
challenged their brand-new
government.

7 a. Initially people were shocked Correct. Unlike sentence a, this sentence

by the plainness of the Vietnam provides specific descriptive details to
War memorial, so different from illustrate the memorial’s plainness.
memorials erected in the past.
b. Much simpler than earlier
memorials, the Vietnam War
memorial is a large black
granite slab that shows the
names of those who died in the
war.

8 a. Spirituals like "Joshua Fit the Correct. This sentence focuses on three
Battle of Jericho," "Swing Low specific examples of spirituals rather
Sweet Chariot," and "When the than spirituals in general.
Saints Go Marchin’ In" have all
become staples of concerts and
recitals.
b. Many of the spirituals once
sung by slaves have become
musical standards that are sung
over and over again and never
seem to go out of fashion.

9 a. In the 1950s, trumpeter Miles Incorrect. This sentence allows for more
Davis established himself as a possible interpretations than sentence b
leader in the world of jazz. does. Sentence b focuses only on
Davis’s playing style, but this sentence
b. In the fifties, trumpeter Miles could include other ways that Davis
Davis introduced the "cool" influenced jazz musicians.
playing style that profoundly
 influenced later generations of
jazz musicians.

10 a. Cuban dictator Fidel Castro Incorrect. Sentence b is more general

began his long political career because, unlike sentence a, it does not
as a rebel fighting the corrupt provide any specific details about
rule of Fulgencio Batista. Castro’s career.
b. Fidel Castro may be a
dictator now, but he didn’t start
out that way.