Activity. Directions: Find the topic sentence in a given paragraph.
1. Playfulness is a trait shared by all species. Kittens fight and wrestle with one another. Bear cubs roll down mud banks as puppies chase their tails. Porpoises also race with boats, as sailors are aware.
Topic Sentence:
2. Not only did the pioneer mother spin wool, weave fabric, and knit clothes, but she also used fat and lye to make soap and tallow to make candles. She made butter, grew fruits and vegetables, and took care of the family cow. She doubled as a nurse and a doctor because a doctor was rarely available. She always taught her children to read, write, and appreciate music.
Topic Sentence:
3. Many people believe the rocket is a relatively new innovation. Despite the fact that the rocket has only been developed in the last fifty years, it was first used as a primitive device many centuries ago. In the thirteenth century, the Chinese had missiles, which they dubbed "fire arrows." The Italians used rockets in the fifteenth century that flew over the ground on rollers and were shaped like animals. Neither the Chinese nor the Italian rockets were likely to be particularly lethal. They were designed to terrify the enemy rather than to destroy him.
