Page 446 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

we had to move, we could leave right away and focus on
settling into a new job and a new community.

Perhaps most important, apartment living frees us from

the chores of home ownership. If the water heater, the

air conditioner, or the refrigerator in our apartment

breaks down, I don’t pull out the owner’s manual and call
the parts store. I call the resident manager, who sends

over a repair person. If the roof develops a leak or the

outside of the building needs a coat of paint, I don’t risk

my neck climbing a shaky ladder, as a homeowner

might. I know that the apartment complex will hire a

roofer or painter to take care of the problem. And on
Saturdays, when my home-owning friends are mowing

lawns, cleaning gutters, or trimming shrubbery, I am

relaxing in front of the television or enjoying a game of

tennis. For an apartment dweller, routine chores are

handled by the apartment complex’s maintenance staff.

Some people enjoy home ownership in spite of the

hassles that go along with it. But I prefer the luxury,

mobility, and freedom from chores that apartment living

offers.

Questions

1. In the following space, write the thesis statement

of the essay.