The following text from a California Avocado Advisory Board publication consists of three paragraphs that have been broken up into individual sentences and sorted alphabetically. See if you can reconstruct the original text by rearranging the sentences. A Word 97 version of this activity is available for downloading. The three topic sentences are in bold type to help you get started. When you have finished, send me an e-mail (jsuther@uni-bremen.de) to ask for the solution.
A mature seed will begin to sprout in two to six weeks if kept in a warm location out of direct sunlight.
Avocados also need to be kept moist; water regularly and do not let the soil dry out.
Be patient.
Carefully add soil until the seed is half covered, but do not tamp it down.
Caring for an avocado is not complicated, provided you follow a few simple rules.
During the summer, you can safely put your avocado outside in a warm, protected spot, but do not expose it to temperatures below five degrees Celsius.
Finally, beginning about a week after you plant your avocado and depending on the plant's appearance, feed your avocado every three months or so, using a commercial liquid fertilizer and following the manufacturer's instructions.
Have you ever eaten an avocado and wished you could do something with the enormous seed?
If no sprouting occurs within that time, try another seed. Instead, slowly pour the water from the sprouting jar over the soil to settle it.
Make sure to put the tree in a spot where it will receive several hours of sunlight or bright artificial light every day.
Once the seed has sprouted, allow the main stem to reach a height of six or seven inches (about 10 cm), then cut it back to about half that height.
Place the seed gently on top of the soil, taking care not to injure the roots.
Put broken crockery around the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot and fill with soil rich in humus, leaving enough space for the seed and roots.
Suspend the seed with the broad end pointing down in a water-filled glass or jar by driving three toothpicks into the sides for support.
The water should be room temperature and should cover about half an inch (1 cm) of the seed.
This will prevent the plant from producing just one straight, spindly stalk.
Use a terracotta pot with a top diameter of about 10 inches.
Wash the seed in tepid water, removing all the pulp.
Well, you can; with a little luck and a little skill, you can grow an attractive house plant from it.
When the roots are good and thick and the stem has leaved out, your avocado is ready for potting.
When the seed starts to split into two halves, it is ready to start sprouting.
ULS
2 Syllabus | Self-Assessment Grid
(Writing) | Handouts, Exercises, Assignments
| Online Writing Labs
APA Citation Style | MLA Citation
Style | Solution