Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Period: __________________
Opinion Essay—Paraphrasing Exercise
* TASK = Read each quotation completely and carefully. Then, paraphrase the information/main ideas in your
own words—Use the handout “Opinion Essay—Paraphrasing Overview” to help. Remember, every person’s
answer will be different based upon his or her individual style and voice. Include a parenthetical citation
(correctly formatted) at the end of each paraphrase.
1. Quote = “School uniforms spare kids and their parents of the time-consuming, troublesome ordeal of picking
out a set of clothes every day. During the rushed morning hours before school, picking out the right set of
clothes, especially for girls, can take up a lot of time. Many kids would be happy to be rid of the hassle, and
they can save their 'good' stuff for outings and weekends” (“Are School Uniforms a Good or Bad Idea?”).
Paraphrase =
2. Quote = “Weight loss surgery has a direct impact on obesity, although for lasting weight control it must be
accompanied by weight-related lifestyle changes in the form of diet modification and increased physical
exercise. A patient's commitment to these lifestyle changes is an essential element in the long term success of
any weight loss surgery” (“Vegetarian Diet Info: Weight Loss Surgery”).
Paraphrase =
3. Quote = “For example, Ms. Castaneda said, the proposed sodium restrictions for student lunches resemble
diets previously reserved for those battling serious illnesses such as kidney disease. The rules also would
require students to eat more fruits and vegetables, forcing schools to serve extra apples and broccoli even if
experience shows that children can’t—or won’t—eat them” (Wolfgang).
Paraphrase:
4. Quote: “The negative effects of homework are well known. They include children’s frustration and
exhaustion, lack of time for other activities, and possible loss of interest in learning. Many parents lament the
impact of homework on their relationship with their children; they may also resent having to play the role of
enforcer and worry that they will be criticized either for not being involved enough with the homework or for
becoming too involved” (Kohn).
Paraphrase =
5. Quote = “Most vegetarian diets are low in or devoid of animal products. They’re also usually lower than
nonvegetarian diets in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Many studies have shown that vegetarians seem to
have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes
mellitus and some forms of cancer. However, a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy if it contains too many calories
and/or saturated fat and not enough important nutrients” (American Heart Association).
Paraphrase:
6. Quote: “Today many of the books I loved as a child have been banned in school libraries across the country.
Black Beauty has been removed from the shelves because it depicts cruelty to animals. […]. Most frequently,
books are challenged because they contain curse words or violence, […], the occult, or rebellious children.
Banning books has become commonplace in the 1990s. From 1991 to 1994 the number of formal demands for
the removal of books from public and school libraries has increased by more than 50 percent. There were as
many as 4,500 instances of book challenges last year, and 42 percent of the complainants were successful in
having the offending books banned. But by far the most common type of censorship involves books quietly
disappearing from libraries. Sometimes a parent who objects to a book but doesn't want to go through a formal
challenge just slips it off the shelf. Frequently a librarian who may fear for her job removes a book that has
become controversial. Because of the nature of "stealth censorship," it is difficult to document and impossible to
quantify” (“What Johnny Can’t Read: Censorship in American Libraries” 1).
Paraphrase =