LA U4

Purpose in Literature Which of the following is most likely the plot of a satire?

A man spends so much time watching TV that he becomes physically fused to his couch. His family has to call the fire department to free him. A satire typically uses humor and exaggeration to make a point.

Why is plot NOT important to consider when you are identifying the theme of a memoir?

A memoir describes the author's real life and therefore doesn't have a plot. A memoir consists of the writer's memories of his or her life. Because it is about real life, it doesn't follow a neat arc of events the way most fictional stories do.

Which approach is the BEST way to deal with counterclaims?

Admit that your claim may have some weaknesses, and then show why it is stronger than the counterclaims. Acknowledging weaknesses in a claim and how other viewpoints are valid is an effective way to make an argument.

Creating Flow Which statement is a complex sentence?

After the storm subsided, I surveyed the house for damage. Remember that in a complex sentence, one of the clauses in the statement must be dependent on the other. In other words, only one clause should be able to stand alone.

Analyzing Purpose in Literature Which strategy can help you determine an author's purpose for writing a literary work?

Analyze how various literary elements work together to send a message. How an author uses the basic literary elements to convey a theme will often suggest the author's purpose.

Which statement is a simple sentence?

Both students reviewed and completed all of the algebra equations. A simple sentence includes just one clause, though it can have two subjects or two verbs.

How does author's purpose in literary works differ from author's purpose in informational texts?

In literary works, the author's purpose is often subtle or subconscious, while in informational texts, the author's purpose is more straightforward. Writers of literature often are not fully aware of their purpose while they are writing.

Consider the claim "Print will soon become extinct as a medium for the news." Which statement presents a counterclaim?

There will always be a market for print since not everyone has access to technology. A counterclaim is an opposing viewpoint--a statement that goes against the claim in the essay.

In an argument, what is a counterclaim?

an opposing point of view. Counterclaims represent points of view that are very different or opposite from the author's claim. Good writers address them after presenting the reasons and evidence for their own claims.

How should you revise this lengthy sentence to make it more readable?They vacuum the rugs and mopped the floors and sat down to relax in front of the television.

After they vacuumed the rugs and mopped the floors, they sat down to relax in front of the television. The best way to revise this sentence is to use a subordinating conjunction ("after") to make one of the clauses depend on the other. The sentence includes too much information to work as a simple sentence.

Planning an argument Why is it important to evaluate the logic and credibility of your argument before you begin drafting a speech or essay?

Careful analysis helps you identify logical flaws that your readers might use to discount your entire claim. Without careful analysis, you may waste your time developing an argument that is too logically flawed to succeed.

Read this piece of evidence from the article "School Violence: Why Prevention Must Be a Priority."Violence costs the United States an estimated $425 billion in direct and indirect costs each year. Of these costs, approximately $90 billion is spent on the criminal justice system, $65 billion on security, $5 billion on the treatment of victims, and $170 billion on lost productivity and quality of life.What would be the most reliable way to verify these numbers?

Check the information in the source that the author has cited. Find the source in the article's citations and consult the source directly to verify the information.

Which question would help you evaluate the reasons in an argument?

Do the reasons support the author's claim? A valid reason is one that supports the author's claim.

Why is clarifying your claim the first step in planning an argument?

Everything else in your plan will need to support your claim. The first part of an argument is the claim, which consists of a general statement that is the writer's opinion.

Why is it important for a formal argument to include evidence as well as reasons?

Evidence backs up the writer's reasoning with facts. Evidence consists of verifiable facts that make a claim more believable.

Comparing Themes Across Forms Suppose you have read a poem and a story and identified a theme they share: the importance of enjoying life to the fullest. What important step is now required to compare the theme across the two genres?

Identify how the elements of each work express the theme. To compare a theme across forms, you would need to look at how the theme is expressed in each work. For example, in a story, the theme might be expressed through the plot, while in a poem, it might be expressed with imagery.

Which of these statements would be true of any claim that is worth arguing?

It can be debated by reasonable people. A claim that is worth arguing is debatable--reasonable people can disagree about it. The claim of a formal argument is based on facts and reason rather than emotion only.

What is usually most difficult about supporting an unpopular viewpoint?

It may be difficult to find evidence to back up the viewpoint. Citing various types of evidence is usually the best way to support an argument. Finding evidence for an unpopular viewpoint may require extra research.

What quality of "The Princess and the Puma" makes it a satire?

It pokes fun at the stereotype of a damsel in distress. The humorous plot twists of the story make it clear that the princess is cleverer and more capable than the cowboy who tries to rescue her. The story makes a point that people and things are not as they seem.

When planning an argument, what should do after deciding on your claim?

List the reasons you will use to support the claim. You'll need to present reasons in support of your claim, so it's best to list them all before you begin writing out your argument.

Which piece of evidence would directly support the following claim?The White House helps and supports women in business.

More than 16,000 federal loans totaling more than $4.5 billion were granted to women-owned small businesses Although each of these programs provides benefits to women, only one supports women in business directly..

Evaluating an Argument Which of these sentences is an example of persuasive rhetoric?

No community--affluent, poor, urban, suburban, or rural--is immune from the devastating effects of youth violence. While the other sentences are matter-of-fact statements of evidence, the word "devastating" is used for emotional effect.

In the story "New World Order," what message can be taken from the narrator's description of the reassembled universe—which is actually the world we live in?

Our world falls far short of an ideal world. The author suggests our world has so many problems that it's as if the universe had been taken apart and put back together wrong.

Writing Arguments Why should you mention counterclaims in your argument?

to explain why opposing viewpoints are less valid than your claim. A counterclaim is an opposing, or opposite, point of view. You would present a counterclaim in order to acknowledge and disprove the opposing view, thereby convincing your reader that your claim is stronger.

Read this passage from the article "School Violence: Why Prevention Must Be a Priority."Preventing youth violence is a vital part of promoting the health and safety of youth and communities, and here are some of the reasons why: Young people cannot learn and succeed in life if they are afraid to go to school or work because of fear of harm. Children cannot play if their neighborhoods and playgrounds are unsafe.Violence increases health care costs, decreases property values, disrupts social services, and threatens the success of businesses. When youth violence occurs, quality of life diminishes, and communities cannot thrive.Making youth violence prevention a top priority is thus critical to the short- and long-term health, safety, and viability of a community.What claim does the author make in this passage?

Preventing youth violence is necessary for maintaining healthy communities. The claim is the statement that the rest of the argument is trying to prove. In this case, the author provides reasons to support the claim that prevention of youth violence is necessary for the health and safety of youth and communities.

What techniques could you use to create the appropriate tone when writing a formal argument?

Provide reasons and evidence in polite, objective language. Formal writing should sound polite, reasonable, and objective.

Which statement combines these two simple sentences into one compound sentence?Sara wanted to ace her geometry test. She overslept.

Sara wanted to ace her geometry test, but she overslept. The coordinating conjunction "but" can be used to create a compound sentence, connecting two independent clauses. The conjunctions "although" and "because" are used to create complex, not compound, sentences.

Read this passage from "Just Ask Him," looking for reasons that are used to support the author's claim about gender roles in dating.Such strict adherence to gender roles in the dating arena can create even more stress in the potential relationship: the woman feels compelled to keep her feelings to herself, hoping that her would-be suitor will eventually indicate interest in her, while the man wishes he had the courage to ask her out, and would happily say yes if she were to ask him instead.What reason does the author give here to support the essay's claim?

Strict rules about gender roles in dating create unnecessary stress for both men and women. The main reason the author gives is that the rule causes unnecessary stress for both people and on the relationship.

What most likely is the purpose of this description of the reassembled world at the end of "New World Order"? The sky is blue, and the stars are visible only at night. Animals live by tearing the flesh of other animals. But these are not the worst things. In this new order there are many holy books rather than the one. These holy books are full of murder, not math and sober explanations. One scripture disagrees with another. Human beings are aggressive, cranky, and likely to kill. I'd put everything back if I could, but my mind is fogged and my memory fails a little more each day.

The author wants us to see our world from a unique perspective. The author describes the actual world as if it were the real world gone wrong. Through this device, he prompts the reader to see our world through new, critical eyes.

Analyzing an Argument Read this key passage from "Just Ask Him."One gender role has been slow to change, however: the idea that a woman ought not to ask a man out on a date. This deeply ingrained belief, held by young and old, perpetuates the notion that initiating a relationship is the sole domain of the male. It also fosters the idea that a woman should be a passive participant in her own romantic life, and that she is an object to be "chosen." It ignores the progress society has made in equalizing gender roles.What is the best statement of the writer's claim?

The idea that a woman can't ask a man on a date is outdated and limiting. The writer claims that this outdated notion of gender roles in dating has no place in the modern world.

What makes the following sentence unclear?He wanted to compete in the singing audition and win a music scholarship, but he didn't.

The two parts of the sentence are not parallel in structure. The clause "he didn't" suggests just one activity; its structure is not parallel to the first clause, which names two activities. As a result, readers can't tell which activity "he" didn't do.

Which statement is an example of an argumentative claim?

To ensure compliance, auto insurance should be paid for at the pump with a small extra tax on gas. A claim is a general assertion of a reasonable opinion on a topic.

What should happen at the end of your draft after you provide your reasons and evidence?

You should restate the claim or issue a call to action. A concluding statement sums up an argument by restating the claim, expanding its scope, or urging the reader to take action.

What are the MOST IMPORTANT things to look at when comparing themes across literary forms?

how the themes are similar and different and how they are expressed differently in each work. To compare the themes of two works, you would identify the theme of each, compare and contrast the themes, identify different ways the theme is expressed in each genre, and finally, compare and contrast that expression.

Which element is more important when considering the purpose of a poem than when examining a short story?

individual word choices In a poem, the writer makes each word count. Word choices in poetry may communicate subtle but important messages about the author's purpose.

What is rhetoric, in the context of an argument?

persuasive language Rhetoric is language that has a persuasive effect. Keep in mind that a writer's reasons and evidence may sound persuasive without actually being valid or true.

Read this excerpt from "The Yellow Wallpaper" and remember what you thought about the author's purpose for writing the story.Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try.What is MOST LIKELY the author's purpose for including this passage in her story?

to contrast the narrator's creative mind with her husband's strict ideas. The author contrasts the narrator's imaginative view of the world with her husband's restrictive, purely practical view.

Which of the following is NOT a common purpose of literary authors?

to explain the steps of a process. Literary authors often set out to express messages about human nature, life, or world issues.

As you read the story summary below, try to identify the author's purpose for writing the story.On an intolerably hot August day, an artist draws a sketch from imagination. The picture shows a criminal who has just been sentenced in court and appears devastated by the verdict. Later, the artist goes for a walk in the unrelenting heat and wanders into the workshop of a stonemason. To his dismay, the stonemason looks exactly like the criminal in his sketch. Even more shocking, the model headstone that the stonemason has been carving bears the name of the artist and the current day's date. Shaken by the coincidences, the men agree that the artist should stay put until midnight to avoid any possible accidents outside. The story ends with the two men sitting in silence as the stonemason sharpens his tools in August heat that is "enough to send a man mad."Which of the following describes the author's most likely purpose?

to explore the concept of fate while creating a mood of horror The author explores the concept of fate by setting up a situation in which one man seems predestined to kill another against his will. The story builds to a mood of quiet horror.

Which phrase describes Charlotte Perkins Gilman's most likely purpose for writing "The Yellow Wallpaper"?

to show how society's expectations of women can limit their creativity and intellectual growth. The main conflict is the conflict between the narrator's wishes and needs and her physician husband's determination to keep her from being active or creative.