Directions: Read the passage
below. Then, answer the questions that
follow by writing the letter for each answer on your own paper.
The following is a rough
draft of a student’s report, which may contain errors.
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
(1) Many people use email
today to communicate with each other.
(2) If you have access to a computer, it’s a great way to send messages easily,
in a quick manner, and on as many occasions as you like. (3) No longer is it necessary to find a pen
or paper, not to mention an envelope or a stamp.
(4) Are we missing anything
by not writing actual letters to people?
(5) Is the experience of receiving such letters worth the trouble of
writing them? (6) Most people would
probably reply “No it was waste of paper anyway; this is a much better system.”
(7) It’s hard to argue against such a logical
viewpoint. (8) However, I would like
(9) I believe that the kinds
of letters people used to write tended to be more meaningful than the vast
majority of the billions of emails sent today. (10) Of course, when it comes to
sending quick messages to convey specific information, email is the best. (11)
If time is important, email is particularly useful. (12) If, however, you want
to really reach out and touch someone, a letter is more personal.
(13) Handwritten letters are
the most personal. (14) If you can type fast, you can fit a lot into a
letter. (15) What’s lacking is that special sense of the
person that comes from seeing her or his handwriting. (16)
As long as it’s legible, it doesn’t matter how tidy it is. (17) When someone sits down and writes just
for you, you feel that when you’re reading it.
(18) Though I’m a teenager, I confess that I too
feel thrilled to receive a letter in the mail. (19) I love seeing my name
written by hand on an envelope. (20) You make yourself a nice cup of cocoa or
lemonade, sit down in a cozy place, open your letter, and enjoy everything that
the person put into those words just for you. (21) What a gift!
1. In sentence 2, how is easily, in a quick manner, and on as
many occasions as correctly written?
A easily, quickly, and as often as
B easy, quick, and as frequently as
C easily, quick, and as many if
D As it is
2. How can the student
best rewrite sentence 6?
A Most people would probably reply, “no, it was a waste
of paper anyway, this is a much better system.”
B Most people would probably reply, “No, it was a waste
of paper anyway. This is a much better
system.”
C Most people would probably reply, “no, it was a waste
of paper anyway; and this is a much better system.”
D Most people would probably reply “No it was a waste of
paper anyway; this is a much better system.”
3. In sentence 17, how is you’re correctly written?
A youre
B your
C youre’
D As it is
4. How can the student
best rewrite sentence 20?
A We make ourselves a nice cup of cocoa or lemonade, sit
down in a cozy place, open our letters, and enjoy everything that the person
put into those words just for us.
B You make yourself a nice cup of cocoa or lemonade. You
sit down in a cozy place. You open your letter. You enjoy everything that the
person put into those words just for you.
C I make myself a nice cup of cocoa or lemonade, sit
down in a cozy place, open my letter, and enjoy everything that the person put
into those words just for me.
D Make a nice cup of cocoa or lemonade, sit down in a
cozy place, open the letter, and enjoy everything that the person put into
those words.
5. The student decides to
add an additional detail after sentence 3.
Which of these would be best?
A Thanks to the convenience of email, we can keep in
touch with family and friends who live far away.
B Long ago, people had no choice but to write letters
and mail them, not knowing if or when their messages would be received.
C Creating handwritten letters and sending them to
people we miss is an art that should be revived.
D Scribbling brief notes is just not the same as writing
long letters in which you pour out deep thoughts and feelings.
