Relevance and Scope
Help Questions
HSPT Language Skills › Relevance and Scope
Which of the following is an appropriate topic for a one-paragraph essay/theme?
Birds I've Seen in My Backyard
Ancient Ruins of South America
The Architecture of Performance Venues
The History of Libraries
Explanation
The correct answer is "Birds I've Seen in My Backyard." This topic could be addressed and explained fully in a few sentences, whereas the other topics are much broader and would not be able to be fully discussed or explained in a single paragraph.
Which of the following is an appropriate topic for a one-paragraph essay/theme?
Birds I've Seen in My Backyard
Ancient Ruins of South America
The Architecture of Performance Venues
The History of Libraries
Explanation
The correct answer is "Birds I've Seen in My Backyard." This topic could be addressed and explained fully in a few sentences, whereas the other topics are much broader and would not be able to be fully discussed or explained in a single paragraph.
Choose the sentences that best develop the topic sentence shown below.
Succulents are a type of plant, and they have much in common with cacti.
Like cacti, succulents require very little water and are well-adapted to desert environments. Many types of succulents also produce flowers when they bloom, like certain types of cacti do.
Unlike cacti, succulents do not have sharp spines. Succulents are also much smaller than many cacti.
Desert animals rely on cacti for water; that is why cacti have evolved sharp spines to protect themselves.
Growing cacti at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills.
Explanation
The first sentence of the paragraph that we are given introduces succulents to the reader and compares them with cacti, suggesting they have several similarities ("much in common"). The best answer choice will focus on succulents but also continue to develop the comparison between succulents and cacti in a way that stresses their similarities.
"Growing succulents at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills." -
"Desert animals rely on cacti for water; that is why cacti have evolved sharp spines to protect themselves." - This sentence talks about desert animals and cacti, but it doesn't mention succulents at all. The first sentence focuses on succulents more than cacti. This answer choice is incorrect because it only mentions one of the two things being compared in the first sentence.
"Growing cacti at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills." - This answer choice only mentions cacti. Like the last incorrect answer, this one only mentions cacti, but the first sentence is about succulents, a topic not mentioned in this answer choice. This answer choice is incorrect as well.
"Unlike cacti, succulents do not have sharp spines. Succulents are also much smaller than many cacti." - This answer choice compares succulents to cacti, but it does so in a way that emphasizes their differences, not their shared features. This isn't the best answer choice, because it clashes with the first sentence's claim that the two types of plants "have much in common."
"Like cacti, succulents require very little water and are well-adapted to desert environments. Many types of succulents also produce flowers when they bloom, like certain types of cacti do." - This is the correct answer! It mentions succulents and cacti, and focuses on succulents a bit more than cacti. It also compares succulents and cacti while emphasizing their shared features.
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled "Deciphering Recyclable Materials”?
You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: "PET" or "PETE," both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or "HDPE," which indicates "high-density polyethylene."
Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected.
Most major cities in the United States have some sort of recycling program, and many smaller towns participate in programs as well.
Some cities have started to ban or tax various materials that are difficult or impossible to recycle, like takeout containers and plastic bags.
Explanation
First, let's take a look at the topic of the (hypothetical) article that the correct answer choice will make sense under: "Deciphering Recyclable Materials." "Deciphering" means decoding or translating from a code into something someone can understand, and "recyclable materials" are things that can be recycled. With that in mind, let's look at the answer choices.
Each of these answer choices has to do with recycling, so we'll need to focus on what differentiates them. Only two of them focus on recyclable materials as opposed to the process of recycling:
"Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected."
"You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: 'PET' or 'PETE,' both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or 'HDPE,' which means 'high-density polyethylene.'"
Now we need to pick out the answer choice that makes the most sense in an article about "deciphering" these materials. The answer choice here listed first talks about the process of separating recyclable materials, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with "deciphering" anything. The answer choice here listed second, on the other hand, conveys information about what different acronym labels one might find on recyclable materials each mean. In this way, the sentence connects the topic of "deciphering" with recyclable materials, and this makes it the best answer choice.
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled "Deciphering Recyclable Materials”?
You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: "PET" or "PETE," both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or "HDPE," which indicates "high-density polyethylene."
Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected.
Most major cities in the United States have some sort of recycling program, and many smaller towns participate in programs as well.
Some cities have started to ban or tax various materials that are difficult or impossible to recycle, like takeout containers and plastic bags.
Explanation
First, let's take a look at the topic of the (hypothetical) article that the correct answer choice will make sense under: "Deciphering Recyclable Materials." "Deciphering" means decoding or translating from a code into something someone can understand, and "recyclable materials" are things that can be recycled. With that in mind, let's look at the answer choices.
Each of these answer choices has to do with recycling, so we'll need to focus on what differentiates them. Only two of them focus on recyclable materials as opposed to the process of recycling:
"Currently, the task of separating paper from plastic most often falls on the individual recycler, though such sorting is occasionally performed at a plant after materials have been collected."
"You may see recyclable materials labeled with one of several different acronyms: 'PET' or 'PETE,' both of which mean "post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate," or 'HDPE,' which means 'high-density polyethylene.'"
Now we need to pick out the answer choice that makes the most sense in an article about "deciphering" these materials. The answer choice here listed first talks about the process of separating recyclable materials, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with "deciphering" anything. The answer choice here listed second, on the other hand, conveys information about what different acronym labels one might find on recyclable materials each mean. In this way, the sentence connects the topic of "deciphering" with recyclable materials, and this makes it the best answer choice.
Choose the sentences that best develop the topic sentence shown below.
Succulents are a type of plant, and they have much in common with cacti.
Like cacti, succulents require very little water and are well-adapted to desert environments. Many types of succulents also produce flowers when they bloom, like certain types of cacti do.
Unlike cacti, succulents do not have sharp spines. Succulents are also much smaller than many cacti.
Desert animals rely on cacti for water; that is why cacti have evolved sharp spines to protect themselves.
Growing cacti at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills.
Explanation
The first sentence of the paragraph that we are given introduces succulents to the reader and compares them with cacti, suggesting they have several similarities ("much in common"). The best answer choice will focus on succulents but also continue to develop the comparison between succulents and cacti in a way that stresses their similarities.
"Growing succulents at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills." -
"Desert animals rely on cacti for water; that is why cacti have evolved sharp spines to protect themselves." - This sentence talks about desert animals and cacti, but it doesn't mention succulents at all. The first sentence focuses on succulents more than cacti. This answer choice is incorrect because it only mentions one of the two things being compared in the first sentence.
"Growing cacti at home is easy. They are a great starter plant for someone who is not very confident in their gardening skills." - This answer choice only mentions cacti. Like the last incorrect answer, this one only mentions cacti, but the first sentence is about succulents, a topic not mentioned in this answer choice. This answer choice is incorrect as well.
"Unlike cacti, succulents do not have sharp spines. Succulents are also much smaller than many cacti." - This answer choice compares succulents to cacti, but it does so in a way that emphasizes their differences, not their shared features. This isn't the best answer choice, because it clashes with the first sentence's claim that the two types of plants "have much in common."
"Like cacti, succulents require very little water and are well-adapted to desert environments. Many types of succulents also produce flowers when they bloom, like certain types of cacti do." - This is the correct answer! It mentions succulents and cacti, and focuses on succulents a bit more than cacti. It also compares succulents and cacti while emphasizing their shared features.
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled “Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?”
Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text.
The ancient Egyptians wrote on scrolls of papyrus, some of which were preserved well enough that they can still be read today. They wrote using a system of hieroglyphics.
For many people, journaling allows them to keep a record of their thoughts and experiences while their memories and emotions are still fresh. Many famous people throughout history have kept personal journals that have become valuable sources of their particular perspective on major events.
Calligraphy, the art of decorative handwriting, is becoming a popular hobby, and all you need to get started is paper and a special type of pen.
Explanation
The sentence that is most relevant to the topic is "Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text." This sentence directly compares the process of writing on a computer with the process of writing using a pen and paper. The title of the article, "Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?" implicitly calls for these two methods to be compared. In order to figure out which one is better, it is necessary to compare them. The sentences about ancient Egyptian writing methods, journaling, and calligraphy are off-topic and do not mention both digital and traditional writing methods.
Which of the following sentences would make sense in an article titled “Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?”
Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text.
The ancient Egyptians wrote on scrolls of papyrus, some of which were preserved well enough that they can still be read today. They wrote using a system of hieroglyphics.
For many people, journaling allows them to keep a record of their thoughts and experiences while their memories and emotions are still fresh. Many famous people throughout history have kept personal journals that have become valuable sources of their particular perspective on major events.
Calligraphy, the art of decorative handwriting, is becoming a popular hobby, and all you need to get started is paper and a special type of pen.
Explanation
The sentence that is most relevant to the topic is "Writing on a computer has many advantages that are missing when you write with pen and paper: you can save multiple versions of your work, check it for spelling errors, and use features like copy, cut, and paste to reorganize large sections of text." This sentence directly compares the process of writing on a computer with the process of writing using a pen and paper. The title of the article, "Digital and Traditional Writing Methods: Which is Better?" implicitly calls for these two methods to be compared. In order to figure out which one is better, it is necessary to compare them. The sentences about ancient Egyptian writing methods, journaling, and calligraphy are off-topic and do not mention both digital and traditional writing methods.
\[1\] The Boston Tea Party was a protest that occurred in Boston during the buildup to the American Revolution. \[2\] The event was provoked by a period of tense relations between Britain and the British colonies that would eventually become the United States. \[3\] The colonists were angry that they had to pay taxes on items they imported from Britain, like tea, without having representatives in British government to voice their opinions and vote on whether or not to levy such taxes. \[4\] This was the issue summarized by the now-famous phrase, “No taxation without representation.” \[5\] If people don’t pay their taxes today, it is a crime called tax evasion, and they can get in big trouble with the government and go to jail. \[6\] Taxed tea was sent back to Britain in many colonies as a form of protest, but in Boston, the Governor refused to return the tea. \[7\] In response, Bostonians boarded a ship carrying taxable tea and dumped it into the harbor on December 16th, 1773. \[8\] Britain responded by tightening control of the colonies, but eventually, the country fought its colonies directly in the American Revolution after they declared independence.
Which of the following sentences would best conclude the paragraph?
Events like the Boston Tea Party are important on their own, but take on extra significance when viewed as part of the chain of events that led to a revolution.
The Governor must have been really mad when his citizens dumped all that tea in the harbor!
In countries all over the world, people have developed different culturally significant ways of brewing and serving tea.
It’s important to study patterns in history, not just individual events.
Explanation
The sentence that would best conclude this paragraph is "Events like the Boston Tea Party are important on their own, but take on extra significance when viewed as part of the chain of events that led to a revolution." The paragraph as a whole discusses the causes and effects of the Boston Tea Party. The last sentence in the paragraph as it's presented focuses on how the Boston Tea Party was one of the causes of and events leading up to the American Revolution.
\[1\] The Boston Tea Party was a protest that occurred in Boston during the buildup to the American Revolution. \[2\] The event was provoked by a period of tense relations between Britain and the British colonies that would eventually become the United States. \[3\] The colonists were angry that they had to pay taxes on items they imported from Britain, like tea, without having representatives in British government to voice their opinions and vote on whether or not to levy such taxes. \[4\] This was the issue summarized by the now-famous phrase, “No taxation without representation.” \[5\] If people don’t pay their taxes today, it is a crime called tax evasion, and they can get in big trouble with the government and go to jail. \[6\] Taxed tea was sent back to Britain in many colonies as a form of protest, but in Boston, the Governor refused to return the tea. \[7\] In response, Bostonians boarded a ship carrying taxable tea and dumped it into the harbor on December 16th, 1773. \[8\] Britain responded by tightening control of the colonies, but eventually, the country fought its colonies directly in the American Revolution after they declared independence.
Which of the following sentences would best conclude the paragraph?
Events like the Boston Tea Party are important on their own, but take on extra significance when viewed as part of the chain of events that led to a revolution.
The Governor must have been really mad when his citizens dumped all that tea in the harbor!
In countries all over the world, people have developed different culturally significant ways of brewing and serving tea.
It’s important to study patterns in history, not just individual events.
Explanation
The sentence that would best conclude this paragraph is "Events like the Boston Tea Party are important on their own, but take on extra significance when viewed as part of the chain of events that led to a revolution." The paragraph as a whole discusses the causes and effects of the Boston Tea Party. The last sentence in the paragraph as it's presented focuses on how the Boston Tea Party was one of the causes of and events leading up to the American Revolution.