Public Discourse Paraphrasing Exercises with Answers

Instructions: Read each sentence carefully and choose the best paraphrase. The meaning should remain the same, but the wording and sentence structure should change.

Exercise 1

Original:

  1. The government announced that it would introduce new measures to reduce air pollution.

Choose the best paraphrase:

A. The government said that new steps would be taken to lower air pollution.
B. The government decided to increase air pollution.
C. New pollution laws were rejected by the government.
D. The government said air pollution was not a problem.

Answer: A


Exercise 2

Original:
2. Many citizens believe that public transportation should be improved.

A. Many people think that the quality of public transportation needs to be better.
B. Citizens believe public transportation should be removed.
C. Public transportation is already perfect according to citizens.
D. Few people use public transportation.

Answer: A


Exercise 3

Original:
3. The mayor emphasized the importance of community involvement.

A. The mayor said that communities should work independently.
B. The mayor highlighted how important community participation is.
C. The mayor refused to discuss the community.
D. The mayor criticized community involvement.

Answer: B


Exercise 4

Original:
4. The new policy has generated considerable debate among the public.

A. The new policy has been ignored by everyone.
B. The new policy has caused a lot of discussion among citizens.
C. The public completely supports the new policy.
D. The policy has not been announced yet.

Answer: B


Exercise 5

Original:
5. Critics argue that the proposal could have serious consequences.

A. Critics believe the proposal may lead to significant effects.
B. Critics completely support the proposal.
C. Critics say the proposal has no possible effects.
D. Critics have not heard about the proposal.

Answer: A


Exercise 6

Original:
6. The speaker called on citizens to take responsibility for their communities.

A. The speaker asked citizens to accept responsibility for their communities.
B. The speaker told citizens to leave their communities.
C. The speaker blamed citizens for every social problem.
D. The speaker asked citizens to avoid community activities.

Answer: A


Exercise 7

Original:
7. Public opinion has changed significantly over the past decade.

A. People have had exactly the same opinions for ten years.
B. Public attitudes have changed considerably during the last ten years.
C. Public opinion has disappeared over the past decade.
D. People have stopped expressing their opinions.

Answer: B


Exercise 8

Original:
8. The organization urged the government to address the issue immediately.

A. The organization asked the government to deal with the problem without delay.
B. The organization told the government to ignore the issue.
C. The government asked the organization to solve the problem.
D. The organization postponed its decision.

Answer: A


Exercise 9

Original:
9. Despite strong opposition, the proposal was approved.

A. The proposal was rejected because everyone supported it.
B. Although there was significant opposition, the proposal was accepted.
C. The proposal was never discussed.
D. There was no opposition to the proposal.

Answer: B


Exercise 10

Original:
10. The article raises important questions about the role of social media in modern society.

A. The article ignores social media completely.
B. The article discusses significant questions concerning social media’s role in today’s society.
C. The article proves that social media has no role in society.
D. The article is only about traditional media.

Answer: B


Open-Ended Paraphrasing Practice

Rewrite each sentence using your own words without changing its meaning.

  1. The government should listen carefully to the concerns of ordinary citizens.
  2. Experts have expressed concern about the long-term effects of the policy.
  3. The public has become increasingly interested in environmental issues.
  4. The minister stated that further action would be necessary.
  5. Some commentators argue that the decision was made too quickly.

Suggested Answers

  1. The government needs to pay close attention to the worries of ordinary people.
  2. Specialists are worried about the policy’s possible effects in the future.
  3. People have shown growing interest in environmental problems.
  4. The minister said that additional measures would be needed.
  5. Some analysts believe that the decision was taken too hastily.

Key Paraphrasing Techniques

  • Change vocabulary: important → significant
  • Change verbs: said → stated / explained / reported
  • Change sentence structure: Although there was opposition… → Despite opposition…
  • Use synonyms: reduce → decrease / lower
  • Change word forms: participate → participation
  • Keep the original meaning: Avoid adding information or changing the speaker’s message.