Nursing Entrance Exam

Nursing Preparation Study Guide

1.2.2 Text Structure Text structure refers to the way in which a text is organized. A sequence of ideas can be presented in a bulleted or numbered list so that the relevant information is together and in a sequential order. A problem-solution structure can be used to organize problems and their solutions in a way that is easy to read. Problems can be addressed in one paragraph and solution in the next. A cause-effect structure can be used to describe an action first and then the consequence. A descriptive passage does not follow a formatting style but uses many adjectives to flesh out an idea or concept and make it more visible to the reader. Example Read the following text, and then answer the question about text structure. Ingredients: • 2 cups of sugar • 1 cup of milk • 1 cup of flour • 1 cup of coconut • ½ cup of chocolate chips • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp vanilla Determine the text structure: a. Problem-solution structure b. Cause-effect structure c. Descriptive passage d. Sequence of ideas The text is a sequence of ideas and follows the conventions of that text structure because it is a list. 1.2.3 Characteristics of Different Passage Types Narrative, expository, technical, and persuasive are different types of passages. A narrative text tells a story. It can also relate a chain of events. An expository text introduces or explains a certain subject. It can also give background information needed to under- stand later concepts. Expository texts analyze information objectively. Technical writing involves precise information on a specific topic and a formal style of writing. Persuasive writing tries to change the opinion of the reader. One text can fit under several different categories of passages. For example, a scientist may be writing an article about whales. The articlemay contain background information about whales including how they live and what they eat. The article could also contain the scientist’s opinion on whale hunting and the author may try to persuade readers to believe that whale hunting is wrong. In this case the article is both expository and persuasive because it contains background information on whales and it contains the author’s opinion on whale hunting.

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