Nama : Yohanes Adnryano Halomoan Situngkir

NIM : 181121065
Kelas : 2B – Ksi
Mata Kuliah : Bahasa Inggris

EXERCISES: TOPICS OF TEXTS

EXERCISE 1
Read each paragraph and underline words that are repeated. Then write a topic that is not too
specific or too general.
Mexico City: Water Shortages and a Sinking City
1.
Like many other fast-growing cities around the world, Mexico City is facing severe water
shortages. Many of its 20 million inhabitants receive only one hour of piped water per week.
Others receive none at all for weeks on end. Those who can afford the expense build their own
home water system to catch and keep rainwater to supplement the city water. The situation,
according to international experts, is the result of a combination of factors. First, the system of
pipes is old and poorly managed, with the result that the pipes lose almost 40 percent of the
water that they distribute around the city. Second, the demand for water, which has grown with
the rapid population growth, far exceeds the supply. Furthermore, the water is consumed not
only by residents for household use, but also by thirsty industries such as beer-brewers and soft-
drink bottlers, and there is little incentive' for them to conserve2 or recycle water.

Topic: Mexico City is facing severe water shortages

2.
The current water shortages in Mexico City contrast remarkably with the city's situation in the
past. When the Spanish arrived at the Aztec capital in 1519, they found stone buildings and
gardens set on an island in the middle of a vast series of interconnected lakes—an "enchanted
vision," according to one Spanish soldier. The Spanish destroyed the buildings, and began
draining' the water from the lakes to build what became Mexico City. For the next four centuries,
the city was able to meet its water needs from springs, shallow wells, and the remaining lake
water. In the mid-nineteenth century, the residents of the city began taking water from the
underlying aquifer. In the twentieth century, as water needs grew and supplies from the aquifer
became inadequate, city authorities brought water up from two nearby river systems. Twenty-
five years ago, they began piping in water from 80 miles (130 km) away. Because Mexico City is
located on a highland, the water must all be pumped uphill at considerable expense.

Topic: Long time ago , Mexico City has plentiful water supplies
3.
Related to the shortages is another problem: the city is sinking. Other cities around the world
(such as Venice, Italy) are also experiencing this phenomenon, but the situation is most dramatic
in Mexico City. Some neighborhoods are going down by as much as 15 inches (40 cm) a year, or a
total of about 30 feet (9.1 m) over the last century. The cause is simply the fact that water is
being removed from the aquifers faster than it can be replaced by rainwater. As water is
removed, the spongy soil dries up and becomes more compact,' and the city slowly settles down.
The effects are evident. At the Monument to Independence, which was built at ground level in
1910, twenty-three more steps were recently added to reach the base from the current ground
level. Buildings and streets have been damaged by the uneven settling of the city, and so have
the water and sewage systems. Since the city is now 6 feet below the level of nearby Lake
Texcoco, flooding has become a frequent problem and because of the poor state of the sewage
system, the flood waters are often full of untreated waste.

Topic: Mexico City gradually the altitude has decreased caused by removed water from the
aquifiers _ _

EXERCISE 2

Each of the paragraphs is missing a topic sentence. The missing sentences are listed at the end
of the exercise (with one extra sentence). Read the paragraphs and write the letter of the
sentence that fits each paragraph best.
 The Pollution of the Oceans
1. C _
No one can calculate the quantity of solid waste that has been dumped' in the world's oceans,
but the total certainly exceeds many millions of tons. For example, from 1880 to 1895, 75 percent
of the solid waste from New York City was dumped untreated into the Atlantic Ocean. Although it
is now prohibited by law, the dumping of solid waste, including wastewater sludge, 2 industrial
waste, and high-level radioactive waste were common in the United States until 1970. Cruise
ships and huge floating fishing factories still regularly dispose of their solid waste products
directly into the ocean.

2. A _
The earth naturally recycles water and refreshes the land in what is called the hydrological cycle.
The hydrological cycle not only renews the supply of water, but cleans it as well. The process
begins as heat from the sun causes sea water, 97 percent of the earth's total water reserve, to
evaporate' and form clouds. Because water evaporates at lower temperatures than most
pollutants, the water vapor that rises from the seas is relatively pure and free of the
contaminants, which are left behind. Next, water returns to earth as rain, which drains into
streams and rivers and rushes toward the sea.

3. D _
Chemicals, petroleum products, and other dangerous substances such as radioactive materials
remain in the ocean, polluting it permanently. The polluted ocean water kills fish or makes them
dangerous to eat, posing health problems for those who consume them. It kills the tiny sea
creatures that are the source of food for larger fish, sharks, and whales. It also spoils a source of
great beauty and pleasure when some solid waste is thrown onto beaches during storms.
Discharged petroleum products are frequently found on beaches and they not only ruin the
beach, the petroleum residue' kills hundreds of shore birds.

4. F _
Nonpoint pollutants are dumped into lakes, rivers, and streams that may be far away from any
ocean. However, these pollutants flow, eventually, into the oceans. They can come from a variety
of sources, from road salt to agricultural pesticides. One source of nonpoint pollution is runoff
from farming, including fertilizers, manure, and pesticides. Another source is industrial runoff,
including heavy metals, phosphorous, and many other chemicals. Urban runoff (oils, salts, various
chemicals) and atmospheric fallout of airborne pollution are other sources of nonpoint pollutants
that reach the oceans.

5. E _

This includes water and waste from sinks, toilets, washing machines, and bathtubs. The problem
with this type of waste is that it provides massive amounts of nutrients for water plants, such as
algae, so that they grow rapidly. This sudden growth causes concentrations or algae blooms,
which use up the oxygen in the water. As the oxygen levels of the water decline, many organisms
suffer and die, and the ocean ecosystem is radically altered. This can be prevented by the
installation of waste treatment plants that prevent waste from entering the sea, but such
facilities do not exist in many poorer countries.
Missing topic sentences:
a) Although the hydrological cycle produces clean water in the form of rain, it does not
remove the pollutants that steadily build up in the oceans.
b) New laws and regulations make it difficult for people to dump their trash into the oceans.
c) The oceans have long served as a vast dumping ground for all kinds of waste.
d) These are just a few of the problems caused by using the oceans as dumping grounds.
e) Wastewater dumping is yet another major form of ocean pollution.
f) Some pollutants in the ocean are not dumped there directly.

EXERCISE 3: MAIN IDEAS

Each paragraph is followed by four statements. Select the statement that best expresses the
main idea. Circle the letter of that statement.
1. People often refer to taxes in terms of their being much too high. In reality, they are
probably even higher than you think, because in addition to the federal income tax we are
now studying, there are many other Federal, State, and local taxes, including sales taxes,
inheritance taxes, state income taxes, personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and
others. These are just some of the most obvious ones.
a. Taxes are much too high.
b. We pay more taxes than we may realize.
c. Inheritance taxes and real estate taxes are unfair.
d. Some taxes are hidden.

2. The fact that electronic computers are now used for data processing has led the general
public to believe that it is a mysterious, complicated science and that the computers are
giant brains. Both of these ideas are false. A computer is basically just a high-speed adding
machine that performs the functions it is told to. If the input data are varied even a little,
the computer is unable to operate until it is programmed to accept the variations. The
business operations it performs are impressive only because of the extremely high speed of
manipulation, but most of these operations have been used for decades. Unlike man, the
computer performs repetitive calculations without getting tired or bored.
a. A computer is a high-speed adding machine.
b. A computer is a mysterious giant brain.
c. A computer is impressive because of its high speed.
d. A computer is superior to man in many ways.

3. The Louisiana Purchase proved to be one of the shrewdest business pacts in the entire
history of the United States. The purchase doubled in the area of the country and provided
territory from which fourteen new states were created either wholly or in part. It also gave
us control over the mouth of the Mississippi River and opened up the way to foreign trade.
Prior to the purchase, the waterway had been blocked by the Spanish, probably with the
approval of Napoleon. The land that was bought was rich in timber, minerals, and natural
resources of many kinds. Finally, the cost of the transaction was unbelievably low; the total
of $15 million amounted to about four cents an acre.
a. The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.
b. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was rich in minerals.
c. The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was very cheap.
d. Most Americans were very pleased with the purchase.

4. There is a common belief that while the dog is man’s best friend, the coyote is his worst
enemy. The bad reputation of the coyote traces back to his fondness for small animals; he
hunts at night and is particularly destructive to sheep, young pigs, and poultry. Yet it is
sometimes wise to encourage coyotes. Provided valuable farm animals are protected, the
coyote will often free the property of other animals, like rabbits, which are ruinous to crops
and certain trees. He is especially beneficial in keeping down the rodent population. Where
 coyotes have been allowed to do their work without molestation, ranchers and fruit
growers have found them so valuable that they would no more shoot them than they
would shoot their dogs.
a. Under certain conditions the coyote is helpful to man.
b. The coyote is feared because of his fondness for small animals.
c. Modern ranchers would no sooner shoot coyotes than they would shoot dogs.
d. The coyote usually prefers rabbits and other rodents to sheep and poultry.

5. In earlier days those who had overseas business which they believed should be discussed
personally, took ship and set out across the briny deep. Once aboard they transacted their
affairs, engaging in commercial and social matters or conducting government business.
Today ships and passengers continue to sail the seven seas, and airplanes soar overhead.
But above them all, words speed through the sky – telephone conversations quickly bring
together in the most personal fashion people who are separated by thousands of miles.
a. Overseas telephone service today is ruling out all need for overseas travel.
b. Nothing can take the place of person-to-person conversation in settling business, social,
and government problems.
c. Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted by
telephone.
d. Even with modern overseas telephone service people continue to travel abroad by ship
or by plane.

6. The attitudes of Americans toward gambling are amazingly contradictory. You may find, for
example, that horse racing is legal in your state, but that you cannot legally play poker for
money on your front porch; bookies may be prosecuted by state law, but they are
supposed to purchase a federal license nonetheless; one church condemns gambling, while
another raises money by sponsoring Bingo games. Gambling laws are inconsistent from
state to state or even from town to town and are very difficult to enforce.
a. Americans have negative attitudes toward gambling.
b. Gambling laws are difficult to enforce.
c. Gambling laws are inconsistent from community to community.
d. Churches do not have uniform ideas about gambling.