Locate the topic sentence and tell which paragraph shape and pattern type this paragraph is. 1 the art of letter writing seems to have declined sharply in recent years. 2 perhaps the rising cost of stationery and postage is a factor. 3 most people today are so busy with their jobs, their families, and their hobbies that they do not feel they have time to write letters. 4 to a certain extent, television and personal computers have replaced communicating with friends as a form of entertainment. 5 the advent of the telephone and the use of e-mail, however, are probably the most significant factor in the decrease of letter writing, because they give instant access to friends and loved ones.