An author explains the meaning of “emotional intelligence”. What pattern is being used?

During the 1980s, many middle and working-class Americans faced serious financial setbacks. One major cause was the decline in industrial jobs. The U.S. economy shifted away from manufacturing goods and moved toward providing services. Many factory jobs, especially in the steel and auto industries, were relocated to countries with lower labor costs. As a result, millions of blue-collar workers in the Midwest and Northeast lost stable employment. Many had to take lower-paying jobs that offered fewer benefits and limited chances for advancement.

The main idea of this essay is a thesis statement.

What does “standardization” mean?

Which historical event had a significant impact on the transition from Old English to Middle English?

What part of speech is typically indicated by the suffix “-ness”?

Which patterns of organization answers the question “How are two items similar or different?”

Recognizing the pattern of organization in a reading can help you make better predictions about what will come next in a text.

Answer the following questions based on the reading below: Bears are fascinating creatures, known for their immense size and diverse habitats. There are eight different species of bears, ranging from the small sun bear to the massive grizzly. Despite their formidable appearance, most bears are omnivorous, consuming a mix of plants, insects, and small animals. The hibernation process of certain species, such as the brown bear, is also quite remarkable. During the winter months, bears enter a state of deep sleep where their metabolism significantly slows, allowing them to survive without eating. Interestingly, bears have an acute sense of smell, enabling them to detect food from miles away. Their adaptability to various environments, from dense forests to the icy tundra, highlights their resilience in the wild. What is the meaning of “omnivorous”?

(1)    When you think of a modern family, what do you picture?  Does the family live in a house with the latest appliances and technology?  Are the refrigerator and cupboards stocked with the latest packaged foods?  Do the family members drive the latest SUVs and luxury cars?  Perhaps for some, this would be a perfect family situation.  But for others, who follow the model of an eco-family, this would be far from ideal. (2)    What is an eco-family?  An eco-family is an everyday family that has decided to follow a set of principles in their everyday lives that helps them protect the environment.  An eco-family may try to avoid using too much electricity whenever possible.  An eco-family may also try to avoid using plastic products and other products that aren’t biodegradable.  Rather than buying new items all the time, an eco-family will try to reuse older items or try to find a new use for older items, rather than throwing them away.  Finally, an eco-family will try to reduce its use of fossil fuels.  Again, an eco-family follows these guidelines not just to save money but to also to help to preserve the environment. (3)    Members of an eco-family can easily meet the standards in the paragraph above. For example, they know that an increase in the use of electricity affects global warming, the rise in the average temperature across the world.  A simple solution an eco-family follows is to turn off the lights in rooms that aren’t being used and to unplug appliances when they aren’t in use.  Members of an eco-family also know that plastic bags and other plastic items such as Tupperware don’t biodegrade which causes an increase of garbage in landfills.  Therefore, instead of using plastic bags at a grocery store, they will bring their own canvas bags to take their groceries home in.   ( 4)   Some of the solutions to following the set of principles require a little more thought, imagination and/or money.  For instance, rather than throwing out an appliance that no longer works, members of an eco-family will take the time to find someone who can repair it.  They may also try to find another use for an item. For example, an old fishing tackle box may become a container for organizing paints and paintbrushes. Last, in order to use less fossil fuel, members of an eco-family may decide to purchase a hybrid car, a car that runs on both gas and electricity. These types of cars often average 50 miles to the gallon which greatly reduces gas bills. However, these cars may be expensive to purchase.  A less costly way to meet this goal is to take public transportation. (5)    Many of these changes are not easy to make, especially because our society encourages us to buy more products and to spend more money. However, families with a commitment to the environment have made a choice to live their lives in a different way. Perhaps not all families can make as many of the changes that are listed here.  Everyone, though, can easily turn off lights that are not in use and make an important contribution in that way. What is the main idea of the passage?