Activity: Missing Support

Complete this activity to continue thinking about the types of questions readers may have and get some practice identifying places in a paragraph essay where more support is needed – in other words, places that raise questions but do not go on to answer them. Check your responses against the answer key, but know that answers will vary.

Missing Support Activity

Read the following paragraph and identify three places where the author makes statements that raise questions without supporting those statements with details that answer those questions. In other words, which three sentences need further support? Just state the numbers of the sentences.  Then next to each, write out the question that is raised (and unanswered) , and write out an example of support that would answer that question. 

(1) I really dislike working as a First Third Bank call center representative. (2) First of all, the job is extremely boring. (3) I sit in a small cubicle staring at a computer screen awaiting calls for eight hours. (4) Because my headset is plugged into the phone, I cannot get up or move around. (5) In addition, I have nothing in common with my coworkers, so I have no one to talk to when I am waiting for calls. (6) A second bad feature of the job is that the customers are often very mean and rude. (7) Finally, the work conditions are unpleasant. (8) My workspace is incredibly uncomfortable. (9) There are also a lot of weird and restrictive rules that only make the job that much worse. (10) To top all of that off, the building is kept freezing cold, and I have to keep a sweater at my desk even in the middle of summer. (11) I hope I can eventually find a better job because being a call center representative is an awful way to spend forty hours a week.


*Sentence number:
Question raised:
Example of how the author might support this sentence:
 
*Sentence number:
Question raised:
Example of how the author might support this sentence:
 
*Sentence number:
Question raised:
Example of how the author might support this sentence:

Source: Erin Severs
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