Persuasive Techniques

(1) A few days before the big snowstorm, the local weather forecasters said that we would have a small snowfall. (2) The day before the storm, however, they changed their forecasts to say that the storm would be gigantic. (3) When I awoke on the day of the storm, Mom told me that school was canceled. (4) I looked out the window and saw that everything was covered in a layer of snow. (5) So much snow had fallen that a huge mound of it blocked our front door! (6) My sister and I put on our winter coats, hats, and gloves and played outside all day long. Which of these choices is the BEST topic sentence for this paragraph? A) In the midst of winter, our town had one very massive snowstorm. B) Winter is my favorite season, because I enjoy playing in the snow C) Before this year's snow storm, my school had not had a snow day in three years. D) Although weather forecasters are usually correct, their predictions can be wrong.

A) In the midst of winter, our town had one very massive snowstorm.

Read the excerpt from the Pro Walk Web page. Which statement presents an opposing view from the excerpt? Customer Review from Renee in TX: I have been using the Pro Walk inserts for about a month now. As a cashier, I am on my feet for about eight hours every day. The pain I was experiencing in my feet, hips, and lower back was so intense that I could barely get out of bed some days. I find that the Pro Walk helps to realign my body and provides my entire body with more support. I can't believe the difference this product has made in my life. A) The relief provided by the Pro Walk inserts is temporary at best. B) Pain in the feet and hips can have a tremendous impact on your life. C) Cashiers often experience pain because they are always on their feet. D) Pro Walk inserts support your feet, relieving pain in your entire body.

A) The relief provided by the Pro Walk inserts is temporary at best.

Which sentence makes a claim for an argument about why students should be allowed to use cell phones in school? A) Cell phones can be used in emergency situations in school. B) Cell phones can have a beneficial and educational role in schools. C) Apps on cell phones can be used to research information for essays. D) Cell phones can provide immediate contact with family during school hours.

B) Cell phones can have a beneficial and educational role in schools.

Francis is writing an argumentative essay. Which describes the MOST effective way for him to organize the reasons and evidence clearly? A) Restate the claim, provide final statements, and rephrase your claim. B) Include at least three specific detailed examples after you have introduced your claim. C) Present at least three specific detailed examples before you have introduced your claim. D) Provide expert testimony, an anecdote, and two counterclaims before you reveal your claim.

B) Include at least three specific detailed examples after you have introduced your claim.

Why see a podiatrist? You might be thinking, "I don't need to see a doctor just because my feet hurt." Most of us don't realize how important our feet are to our overall health. Our feet support us and they help us move from one place to another. This is why it is important to care for your feet. No matter what is ailing your tired soles, a podiatrist can help. Podiatrists are trained to recognize a wide variety of medical issues that affect the feet. Many people are amazed at the ways that podiatrists can help alleviate pain and improve the quality of patients' lives. Read the exerpt from a podiatrist's Web page. Which statement presents an opposing view from the excerpt? A) Having healthy feet is important to a person's well-being. B) Most foot issues can be solved without seeing a podiatrist. C) Podiatrists can recognize the source of a person's foot problem. D) Our feet allow us to do many different things in our daily lives.

B) Most foot issues can be solved without seeing a podiatrist.

CLAIM: The county council has done the community a disservice by mishandling money, focusing on frivolous causes, and failing to listen to community concerns. Which explains the BEST way to organize the reasons for this claim? A) Provide your carefully considered opinions as well as general opinions from a many sources; be sure to cite your sources correctly. B) Provide evidence of mishandling funds, give testimony about the time spent on frivolous causes, and show an example of community concerns being ignored. C) Consider potential counterclaims and counterarguments to demonstrate your ability to defend your claim from opposing viewpoints. D) Keep your supporting evidence and reasons general so that a variety of evidence will convincingly support your claim.

B) Provide evidence of mishandling funds, give testimony about the time spent on frivolous causes, and show an example of community concerns being ignored.

Timothy is writing an essay about adopting pets from an animal shelter. Which is the BEST way for him to start the essay? A) listing the names and phone numbers of local animal shelters B) explaining the pet population problem in the United States C) describing the types of pets that shelters care for D) stating the fees associated with pet adoption

B) explaining the pet population problem in the United States

List A 1. Discuss different ways to solve disagreements 2. Limit time on electronics and social media interacting in cruel ways 3. Encourage your child to treat others with kindness and respect 4. Keep lines of communication open with your child if they are struggling Which BEST describes the list? A) ideas to promote sharing B) ideas to prevent or handle bullying C) ideas to encourage more physical activity D) ideas to improve standardized test scores

B) ideas to prevent or handle bullying

I would like to nominate my friend Angela Consolo for class president. Angela is an excellent student who participates in many extracurricular activities. She has always had a knack for leadership. She currently acts as captain of the soccer team and president of the honor society. I believe that Angela could help our class reach its goals over the next school year. Jason wrote a letter to nominate his friend Angela for class president. Do the examples Jason provided in this part of his letter support his position? A) no, because they do not explain why Angela wants to be president B) yes, because they support the idea that Angela is an excellent leader C) no, because they do not tell readers what Angela would do as president D) yes, because they show readers how popular Angela is with other students

B) yes, because they support the idea that Angela is an excellent leader

Foreign languages are extremely important to students' education. After taking my first Spanish course, I saw a significant increase in my English grade. As a student in Spanish, I learned how to form verbs and verb phrases in that language. Learning about verbs and verb phrases in a different language gave me a different perspective about the same parts of speech in English. This new knowledge made English class much easier, and I received good grades in both classes last year. Learning foreign languages helps students in many different subjects. Ian wrote a persuasive speech to convince the school board to adopt more foreign language classes at his school. Do the examples from this part of Ian's speech support his position? A. No, because they do not give a detailed explanation of the benefits. B. Yes, because they explain specifically how the classes helped him. C. Yes, because they state that Ian took a Spanish class. D. No, because they do not give specific information.

B. Yes, because they explain specifically how the classes helped him.

Excerpt from The Ultimate Fighting Championship Mary O'Dell1 1 American interest in mixed martial arts is growing. Both male and female athletes are invited to compete, although this sport is not recommended for the prima donna. This full contact fighting combines various martial arts techniques so fighters with different styles can compete against each other. This intriguing sport has convinced more than one athlete that he is not, in fact, the alpha and the omega! Many people think that all combative sports should be strictly monitored and regulated by state commissions. It is obvious that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an organization that promotes combative athletic events. State athletic commissions should strictly monitor and regulate the UFC. 2 The first reason regulation is needed can be traced to the origins of the UFC. Early contests did not have enough rules; groin strikes and head butts were allowed. Surprisingly, even fish hooking, which can result in permanent damage, was permitted. Promoters should never be given carte blanche. 3 The second reason is that reform did not come until political pressure produced bans of certain UFC events. Ignoring public outcries of brutality was a huge faux pas. Damaging image problems and decreasing profits eventually motivated the UFC to work with state athletic commissions to give athletes a safer and fairer competition. We must keep pressure on the promoters. Even competitors with Herculean strength deserve a fair fight.4 Finally, the third and most important reason is that mixed martial arts is dangerous. Serious injuries and deaths have been linked with early events. Tragically, even some gifted athletes who seemed to have the Midas touch have fallen victim to unregulated fights. State commissions must ensure that rules are in place and enforced; rules that celebrate the competitive spirit while protecting the fighters. Without a watchdog group, the sport would become a Pandora's box. Nothing is more troublesome than unchecked violence. Can you imagine a fight without rules called the Bloody Battle of Odin and Thor? Which statement BEST opposes a viewpoint in section 3? A) It is the responsibility of state commissions to make and enforce UFC rules. B) Regulation of the UFC is needed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries. C) It is not the responsibility of state commissions to make and enforce UFC rules. D) Regulation of the UFC will allow the celebration of an athlete's competitive spirit.

C) It is not the responsibility of state commissions to make and enforce UFC rules.

Excerpt from: The Ultimate Fighting Championship Mary O'Dell 5 However, we must take into consideration the claims that too many rules actually encourage shady promoters to arrange unsanctioned "no holds barred" matches. Serious injuries would increase. Without a doubt, fans are drawn to the battles. But most fans share an esprit de corps. They are interested in a fair fighting match to determine physical and strategic superiority. The thrill is cheering for the best fighter, the one who can adapt to any style the opponent uses. So, of course, common rules like addressing time limits and weight classes are important areas for continued regulation. This will help keep the fights fair. Select the rebuttal statement that BEST refutes a viewpoint in section five. A) Most fans of the UFC want to witness a fair competition between athletes, and care about proper enforcement of the rules. B) A higher number of serious injuries are likely if unsanctioned matches increase. C) Most fans wanted to witness the raw and brutal battles of "no holds barred matches, and don't care about proper enforcement of the rules. D) Continued regulation of all aspects of the competition in the UFC battles will help keep things fair.

C) Most fans wanted to witness the raw and brutal battles of "no holds barred matches, and don't care about proper enforcement of the rules.

Excerpt from Plugged In, but Tuned Out: The Evil Influence of Ear Buds Darrell Thomas I. Invasion of the Body Snatchers: Have you noticed a change in the world around you recently? Have you seen how more and more people are walking around with little rectangles in their hands or pockets with long wires plugged straight into their ears? At the grocery store yesterday, I counted at least twenty people completely lost in the music provided by their ever-present cell phones. It's as if the old science-fiction movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers was coming true; we are being overtaken by pod people. So at the risk of appearing to be a crotchety old man complaining about the "good ole days," I have to make a stance against the evil influences of the cell phone and ear-bud phenomena on our society. Which BEST describes the details related to the main idea in section one? A) The author provides a quote from an expert to support his idea. B) The author provides a personal example and a quote from an expert to support his idea. C) The author provides a personal example and a reference to a movie to support his idea. D) The author provides a quote from an expert and a reference to a movie to support his idea.

C) The author provides a personal example and a reference to a movie to support his idea.

Which of these sentences would BEST express the main idea of a speech persuading people to participate in a charity softball tournament? A) Softball is a great way to get some much-needed exercise. B) The money raised by the tournament will help local animal shelters. C) The tournament is a fun way to spend time with friends while helping a worthy cause. D) Even if you don't have any softball experience, you can form a team and participate.

C) The tournament is a fun way to spend time with friends while helping a worthy cause.

Dear Mayor Brooks: I recently learned that our town plans to close the local swimming pool because of the need for budget cuts. This closing will be harmful to both the people who regularly use the pool and the entire community.Closing the pool would hurt the community in a number of ways. Young people swim at the pool every day in the summer, which gives them great exercise. Furthermore, these kids are using their time constructively, rather than getting into trouble. Keeping children productive helps the community because it keeps young people off the streets and out of trouble.I understand that the community needs to save money, but alternatives to closing the pool do exist. The town could increase membership rates at the swimming pool to make it more profitable. Additionally, the town could cut spending from other programs such as the fall parade, which is one of the town's largest expenses. Julia wrote a persuasive letter to her town's mayor to keep the community swimming pool open, despite the need for budget cuts. Does Julia's letter support her position?A) no, because it does not provide the name of the town's pool B) yes, because it reminds the mayor about the town's budget cutsEliminate C) yes, because it supports the idea that the pool improves the community D) no, because it does not give a personal example of how the pool helped her

C) yes, because it supports the idea that the pool improves the community

May 18, 2009 Dear Mr. Kline: In two weeks our middle school will be hosting a basketball fundraiser. The event will help fund the new athletic field being built this summer. As you are a former student and member of the basketball team, I thought that you might be interested in participating. The event will have many different contests including free throwing and ball dribbling competitions. The current basketball team is hosting the event, and we hope that you will attend. Sincerely,Amelia Grady Which is the BEST topic sentence for this letter? A) Amelia Grady likes the middle school fundraiser B) The basketball team at Kennedy Middle School enjoys helping its community C) Kennedy Middle School wants to get the community involved in its activities D) Kennedy Middle School has organized an event in which you may be interest

D) Kennedy Middle School has organized an event in which you may be interest