Exercise in Identifying Effective Thesis Statements

Exercise in Identifying Effective Thesis Statements This exercise will help you understand the difference between an effective and ineffective thesis statement, ie a sentence that identifies the main idea and central purpose of an essay. Instructions For each pair of sentences below, select the one that you think would make the more effective thesis in the introductory paragraph of a short essay (approximately 400 to 600 words). Keep in mind that an effective thesis statement should be sharply focused and specific, not just a general statement of fact. When youre done, you may want to discuss your answers with your classmates, and then compare your responses with the suggested answers on page two. Be ready to defend your choices. Because these thesis statements appear outside the context of complete essays, all responses are judgment calls, not absolute certainties. (a) The Hunger Games is a science fiction adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins.(b) The Hunger Games is a morality tale about the dangers of a political system that is dominated by the wealthy.(a) There is no question that cell phones have changed our lives in a very big way.(b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time.(a) Finding a job is never easy, but it can be especially hard when the economy is still feeling the effects of a recession and employers are reluctant to hire new workers.(b) College students looking for part-time work should begin their search by taking advantage of job-finding resources on campus.(a) For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat.(b) Cooking oil is plant, animal, or synthetic fat that is used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking.(a) There have been over 200 mo vies about Count Dracula, most of them only very loosely based on the novel published by Bram Stoker in 1897.(b) Despite its title, Bram Stokers Dracula, a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes considerable liberties with Stokers novel. (a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic integrity and curtail cheating in their classes.(b) There is an epidemic of cheating in Americas schools and colleges, and there are no easy solutions to this problem.(a) J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who directed the building of the first atomic bombs during World War II, had technical, moral, and political reasons for opposing the development of the hydrogen bomb.(b) J. Robert Oppenheimer often referred to as the father of the atomic bomb, was born in New York City in 1904.(a) The iPad has revolutionized the mobile-computing landscape and created a huge profit stream for Apple.(b) The iPad, with its relatively large high-definition screen, has helped to revitalize the comic book industry.(a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in personal relationships.(b) Drug and alcohol addiction is a major problem in the world today, and many people suffer from it. (a) When I was a child I used to visit my grandmother in Moline every Sunday.(b) Every Sunday we visited my grandmother, who lived in a tiny house that was undeniably haunted.(a)  The bicycle was introduced in the nineteenth century and rapidly grew into a worldwide phenomenon.(b) In several ways, bicycles today are  better than they were 100 or even 50 years ago.(a) Although many varieties of beans belong in a healthy diet, among the most nutritious are black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans.(b) Although beans are generally good for you, some kinds of raw beans can be dangerous if theyre not well cooked. Suggested Answers (b)  The Hunger Games  is a morality tale about the dangers of a political system that is dominated by the wealthy.(b) While cell phones provide freedom and mobility, they can also become a leash, compelling users to answer them anywhere and at any time.(b) College students looking for part-time work should begin their search by taking advantage of job-finding resources on campus.(a) For the past three decades, coconut oil has been unjustly criticized as an artery-clogging saturated fat.(b) Despite its title,  Bram Stokers Dracula, a film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes considerable liberties with Stokers novel.(a) There are several steps that teachers can take to encourage academic integrity and curtail cheating in their classes.(a) J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who directed the building of the first atomic bombs during World War II, had technical, moral, and political reasons for opposing the development of the hydrogen bomb.(b) The iPad, with its rela tively large high-definition screen, has helped to revitalize the comic book industry. (a) Like other addictive behaviors, Internet addiction may have serious negative consequences, including academic failure, job loss, and a breakdown in personal relationships.(b) Every Sunday we visited my grandmother, who lived in a tiny house that was undeniably haunted.(b) In several ways, bicycles today are  better than  they were 100 or even 50 years ago.(a) Although many varieties  of beans belong in a healthy diet, among the most nutritious are black beans, kidney beans,  chickpeas, and pinto beans.

The Many Uses of Carbon Fiber

The Many Uses of Carbon Fiber In fiber reinforced composites, fiberglass is the workhorse of the industry. It is used in many applications and is very  competitive  with traditional materials such as wood, metal, and concrete. ​Fiberglass products are strong, lightweight, non-conductive, and the raw material costs of fiberglass are very low. In applications where there is a premium for increased strength, lower weight, or for cosmetics, then other more expensive reinforcing fibers are used in the FRP composite. Aramid fiber, such as DuPonts Kevlar, is used in an application that requires the high tensile strength which aramid provides. An example of this is body and vehicle armor, where layers of aramid reinforced composite can stop high powered rifle rounds, due in part to the high tensile strength of the fibers. Carbon fibers are used where low weight, high stiffness, high conductivity, or where the look of the carbon fiber weave desired. Carbon Fiber In Aerospace Aerospace and space were some of the first industries to adopt carbon fiber. The high modulus of carbon fiber makes it  suitable  structurally to replace alloys such as aluminum and titanium. The weight savings carbon fiber provides is the primary reason carbon fiber has been adopted by the aerospace industry. Every pound of weight savings can make a serious difference in fuel consumption, which is why Boeings new 787 Dreamliner has been the best-selling  passenger  plane in history. The majority of this planes structure is carbon fiber reinforced composites. Sporting Goods Recreational sports is another market segment which is more than willing to pay more for higher performance. Tennis rackets, golf clubs, softball bats, hockey sticks, and archery arrows and bows are all products commonly manufactured with carbon fiber reinforced composites. Lighter weight equipment without compromising strength is a distinct advantage in sports. For example, with a lighter weight tennis racket, one can get much faster racket speed, and ultimately, hit the ball harder and faster. Athletes continue to push for an advantage in equipment. This is why serious  bicyclists ride all carbon fiber bikes and use bicycle shoes that use carbon fiber. Wind Turbine Blades Although the majority of wind turbine blades uses fiberglass, on large blades (often over 150 ft in length) include a spare, which is a stiffening rib that runs the length of the blade. These components are often 100% carbon, and as thick as a few inches at the root of the blade. Carbon fiber is used to provide the  necessary  stiffness, without adding a tremendous amount of weight. This is important because the lighter a wind turbine blade is, the more efficient it is at creating  electricity. Automotive Mass-produced automobiles are not yet adopting carbon fiber; this is because of the increased raw material cost and  necessary  changes in tooling, still, outweighs the benefits. However, Formula 1, NASCAR, and high-end cars are using carbon fiber. In many cases, it is not because of the benefits of properties or weight, but because of the look. There are many aftermarket automotive parts being made out of carbon fiber, and instead of being painted, they are clear-coated. The distinct carbon fiber weave has become a symbol of hi-tech and hi-performance. In fact, it is common to see an aftermarket automotive component that is a single layer of carbon fiber but has multiple layers of fiberglass below to lower costs. This would be an example where the look of the carbon fiber is actually the deciding factor. Although these are some of the common uses of carbon fiber, many new applications are seen almost daily. The growth of carbon fiber is fast, and in just 5 years, this list will be much longer.