Syntax & Paraphrasing Exercises

Sometimes I go down to the beach in the evening and help old Mr Clarke pull his boat out of the water.

“Why don’t you buy a fibre-glass boat?” I often ask him, and point out that few man-made materials are stronger than fibre-glass and that fibre-glass is also much lighter than wood.

However, he is very proud of his heavy wooden boat and in reply to my suggestion he usually complains that there is no beauty or skill in boat-building nowadays and that no one has the time or patience to build a boat like his.

Once I was foolish enough to offer him the loan of my fibre-glass boat but he pointed to it in disgust and exclaimed, “ Even if you give me one I shall never go to sea in an ugly thing like that!”

Mr Clarke does not believe that any modern product can stand up to a normal amount of wear and tear, nor that it can beautiful.

His boat has certainly stood the test of time – he had it built over forty years ago and it has never needed any major repairs - and I must admit that it is a beautiful piece of workmanship.

I do not agree that machine-made products are necessarily ugly, for one can produce unusual and beautiful designs with modern materials. However, I have to agree that the quality of modern workmanship is often poor.

Poor workmanship is the result of the manufacturer’s attempts to keep the cost of production down while he is also attempting to increase his sales and when quantity is the aim behind the production, the quality of a product is sure to suffer.

I know only too well from my own experience that clothes fall apart at the seams and the covers come off books and even expensive items break down for no apparent reason.

At least I can mend clothes or my books myself, but if the television breaks down and I ring up the engineer, he will probably tell me that he cannot come for two weeks because he is already so busy with repairs.



Rephrase the passage overleaf using the following cues:

Sometimes I go down to the beach in the evening in order to _________________ out of the water.

I often ask him why ___________________ , and I point out that fibre-glass is not only one of _________________________ but is __________________ material than wood.

However, he is very proud of his heavy wooden boat and he usually ________________ to my suggestion by __________________ and that people _______________ either __________ (busy) ____________ (impatient) to build a boat like this.

Once ________________ offered to ______________ but ____________ to it in disgust and he exclaimed that , _________________ go to sea in such _____________________ .

Mr Clarke has no faith _______________________ (durability) of any modern product, nor __________________ that it can be beautiful.

His boat has never needed any repairs since it ______________ for him over 40 years ago, so ___________________ and it _____________________ (undoubtedly) _____________________ .

I have to agree that modern workmanship is often poor although _____________ for designs ______________ (bound) _______________ when it __________________ (mass-produced).

Poor workmanship (stem from) ___________________ to keep the cost of production down and at the same time _____________________ and _____________________ (bound) _________________ when it ___________________ (mass-produced).

I know only too well from my own experience that clothes _________________________________________________________________ .

At least I can mend clothes or my books myself, but if I ring up the engineer because ____________________ , he will probably tell me ________________________ that he cannot come for two weeks.


From: Alexander, L.G. (1974). In Other Word: 20 compositions exercises for intermediate and post-intermediate students. Longman.