AP English Exam

What is the missing premise in this argument from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"?Segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.Therefore, segregation statutes are unjust.

Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.

Write an example of a paralipsis. Then, explain why it is a logical fallacy.

Parlipsis: I'm not going to say he's unqualified to hold office.By saying that I'm not going to say X, I have already interjected it into my argument.

In "Letter from Birmingham Jail," Dr. King writes that he stands between opposing forces in the black community. On the one side are those who have adjusted to segregation, and on the other, those "who have lost faith in America, who have absolutely repudiated Christianity, and who have concluded that the white man in an incurable 'devil.'" What fallacies would a critic of Dr. King most likely see in this statement?

scare tactic faulty analogy

What argument does Alli Joseph make about the movie Moana's depiction of characters from the Pacific Islands?

that it demonstrates progress in Hollywood's portrayal of indigenous peoples

Explain the difference between a syllogism and an enthymeme. Then, give an example of each.

A syllogism is an argument in which explicit premises and assumptions build to a logical conclusion. An enthymeme is an argument that links a premise to the conclusion and omits a premise that is assumed to be shared between the speaker and listener.Examples will vary.Syllogism: Cats are meat-eaters.Meat-eaters are carnivores.Therefore, cats are carnivores.Enthymeme: Cats are meat-eaters.Therefore, cats are carnivores.

Residents of a town are polled to learn their views about a proposed highway to be built nearby. The data reveal that 45% of residents support building the highway; 40% oppose building the highway; and 15% are undecided. Use the statistics from the poll as support for three different claims about townspeople's opinions.

Answers may vary, but a sample is provided.The majority of residents are in favor of building the new highway.Residents are almost evenly split between supporting and opposing the new highway.Undecided townspeople will decide the outcome if the proposal to build the highway is put to a vote

Explain the role of ethos in a proposal argument.

Appeals to ethos cannot take the place of good sense and sound reasoning in a proposal. But a writer's good character and sterling credentials can convince an audience to pay closer attention to a proposal. Writers who are unknown to the audience or who lack impressive educational or professional credentials can still appeal to ethos by citing credible sources to support their argument.

Which statement gives the best advice about using evidence in an argument of fact essay?

Choose the best evidence and cite a few different examples.

Fill in the missing elements in this sentence template of the Toulmin model. Because ___________, therefore, school should __________ be dismissed early today since __________ on account of/because __________, unless __________.

Because of the approaching blizzard, therefore, school should probably be dismissed early today since driving will be unsafe on account of poor visibility, unless the storm changes direction.

Amanda asks what you think of her plan to write about the benefits of teens having easy access to birth control. Explain the advice you would give her.

Because this topic can be controversial, Amanda needs to be sure that her sources are reputable, current, and objective; that she qualifies generalizations appropriately; that her logic is valid; and that she anticipates her audience's concerns and objections.

What is the main difference between everyday evaluations and formal or professional evaluations?

Formal and everyday evaluations differ in their requirements for standards and evidence.

In "Thick of Tongue," John McWhorter states, "It is well documented that sounding black on the phone makes you less likely to be shown an apartment or house or to get a job interview." What could McWhorter have done to boost the emotional appeal of this point?

Contrast the experience of himself and a "black-sounding" friend both calling about an apartment.

Which statements about deductive reasoning are TRUE?

Deductive arguments lay out a general principle and apply it to a specific case to reach a conclusion. Deductive arguments have a higher degree of certainty than inductive arguments. Deductive arguments can often omit the middle term (minor premise) to create an enthymeme.

Describe how Laura Tarrant's status as a contented single person influences her credibility in "Forever Alone (and Perfectly Fine)."

Depending on the reader, Tarrant's status as a contented single person could be seen as increasing her credibility because she is speaking from experience, not just research. However, some readers could see Tarrant's analysis of singleness as "sour grapes" from someone who secretly wants to be in a relationship but can't find a partner.

The authors of your textbook explain how the widely reported and accepted claim "that car seats for children were 54 percent effective in preventing deaths in auto crashes for children below the age of four" became a topic for an argument of fact.Based on the authors' explanation of this example, what precautions should readers take when presented with statistical evidence, even from a reliable source?

Even statistical evidence should not be taken at face value. When given statistical evidence, it is crucial to ask yourself the question "Compared to what?" In this example, car seats for children younger than 4 were 54 percent effective compared to no restraints at all, but less effective compared to seat belts. To understand how meaningful or not a statistic is, you have to know its context.

Which statement about the use of evidence in "America's Birthrate Is Now a National Emergency" is TRUE?

Gobry relies on his ethos as a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, not cited sources.

In the following quotation from "Letter from Birmingham Jail," to whom is Dr. King comparing the African Americans in Birmingham"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal."

Hungarian freedom fighters

Which statement is an example of paralipsis?

I'm not saying I'm the very best candidate for class president.

The authors of your textbook point out that criteria of evaluation can change depending on times and circumstances. Explain what impact you think climate change will have on the way we determine desirable places to live in the future.

In the future, the criteria for a desirable place to live will be determined by the effects of climate change. The new criteria will likely consider availability of fresh water, safe distance from new coastlines, high/low temperatures, and local food production capability.

What should you consider when deciding which evidence is best to support your argument of fact?

Is this a primary or secondary source? Will my audience consider this source trustworthy? How much technical information will my audience understand? Is this source too far removed from actual facts, e.g., conspiracy-theory Web sites?

Jenny Kim and Becca Stanek's evaluative essays have very different tones. Which statement best summarizes this difference?

Kim's tone is slightly more formal as evidenced by her more sophisticated vocabulary, longer paragraphs and sentences, and a list of works cited.

Reread this passage from "America's Birthrate Is Now a National Emergency."Today we see the problems wrought by the decline in productive populations all over the industrialized world, where polities are ripping each other to shreds over how to pay for various forms of entitlements, especially for old people.Which evidence would be best to add to the article to support the hyperbolic claim that "polities are ripping each other to shreds over how to pay for various forms of entitlements"?

Narrative highlights of heated congressional debates over entitlement funding and spending.

Read the following excerpt from "Thick of Tongue."Sounds change. An ah might become an aw or an ay. A t might become a d or a ch. The way a sound progresses is no more meaningful in itself than changing hemlines, the fact that the fade-out on pop recordings went out of fashion, or that avocado was such a popular color in home décor for a while.Explain the author's argument and identify the structure he uses to formulate his argument.

McWhorter argues that the evolution of pronunciation in a language just happens. He uses an analogy to show that linguistic changes--like the trends of hemlines, fade-outs on songs, and the color avocado--are not intentional.

Which sentence is an evaluative claim?

Not everyone likes rye bread, but then again, not everyone has tried Myrna's rye bread. J. K. Rowling is the J.R.R. Tolkien of this generation. This band is bad because its music is pretentious, and its lyrics are stupid. When 40% of the town's voters have to wait in line more than 30 minutes to vote, something is wrong with our voting system.

What is the implicit assumption in the enthymeme "The swimming pool is full of algae, so we shouldn't go swimming."

Pools that are full of algae are not safe to swim in.

The sentence below is a student's first attempt at writing a Toulmin argument. Supply a qualifier to improve the claim and a warrant to express the claim's unspoken assumption. The sun is setting; you should put a sweater on.

Possible Qualifier: usually Possible Warrant: Because it gets cold at night The sun is setting. Because it usually gets cold at night, you should put a sweater on.

Gwen, who is busy looking at her smartphone, is walking down the sidewalk. She doesn't realize she's reached the intersection, and she falls into the street. A bicyclist swerves into the other lane to avoid Gwen and gets knocked down by a car.Event: Motorist hits bicyclist at intersection. What are the precipitating, necessary, and sufficient causes of this event?

Precipitating cause: Gwen falls into the street.Necessary cause: Bicyclist swerves into the other lane.Sufficient cause: Distracted pedestrian is sufficient to cause traffic accident.

In her essay "Who Are You Calling Underprivileged," Natasha Rodriguez states,According to most dictionaries, the word underprivileged refers to a person who does not enjoy the same standard of living or rights as a majority of people in a society."For what purpose does she most likely include this reference?

Rodriguez contrasts this definition with her own experience to show how the term is inaccurate to describe her or other students like her.

Define the underlined term in the claim below. Consider possible objects or exceptions that a reader might have and try to address them in your definitional claim.Graphic novels can be serious literature.

Serious literature is characterized by having a universal theme, a distinct style, and a unique point of view. Some graphic novels possess all these qualities; they just use illustrations as well as words to tell their stories.

Lena has an assignment to write an argument of fact. Which topic would you advise her to avoid?

Severe drought conditions in the summer increase the risk of wildfires.

Gobry uses his causal argument about America's low birthrate to support which larger argument?

That the government should enact policies that make it affordable for families to have more children.

Read the following sentence from "Why a Moratorium on Microaggressions Is Needed."The microaggression culture prevalent on many campuses makes just about everyone feel threatened, and could amp up already simmering racial tensions.Explain how this sentence can be seen as an argumentative fallacy. What could the author do to prevent it from being read that way?

The reference to "amp[ing] up already simmering racial tensions" can be seen as a scare tactic fallacy to make people afraid to discuss microaggressions. If the author provided evidence to support his assertion that "just about everyone feel[s] threatened" and his conjecture that microaggression culture "could amp up already simmering racial tensions," it would keep the sentence from being read as a fallacy.

In Toulmin logic, what is the purpose of the warrant?

The warrant is a general rule that indicates the relevance of a claim.

In "Defining the Relationship," Rob Jenkins uses the first 5 paragraphs of his essay to introduce his argument. What purpose do these introductory paragraphs serve?

These paragraphs establish Jenkins's need to "define the professor-student relationship."

How can personal experiences be used to support a causal claim?

They can provide evidence to eliminate a causal claim that is faulty. They can gain the empathy of listeners or readers. They can build the credibility of the writer.

Which characteristics belong to proposal arguments?

They focus on the future. They call for change.

Which is an example of a qualitative argument of evaluation?

This car's body styling is sleek and attractive.

Beto claims that aliens helped the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids of Giza. Which of the following statements about this claim are true?

This is an arguable claim. Beto will need to find compelling evidence.

Which sentence is an example of antithesis?

This tiny microchip holds as much information as a room-size computer of the 1950s.

In "Who Are You Calling Underprivileged," Natasha Rodriguez explores the adjective underprivileged, trying to understand why this label bothers her so much. She concludes that needing financial aid should not be conflated with being disadvantaged. Explain your opinion of the term underprivileged and what it means.

Underprivileged is a label developed and used by people who enjoy a better standard of living to describe people with a worse standard of living and fewer rights and opportunities. Because underprivileged is not a term chosen by the people it labels, it seems reasonable to consider finding a more respectful replacement for it.

What is the function of a warrant in Toulmin argument?

Warrants connect the data or evidence cited to the writer's claim.

Which question is most likely to help you begin to formulate a causal claim?

Why?

Sondra wants to attend a prestigious theater program at a nearby university. What visual element would be best for her include in her admissions essay to summarize the ways she meets the program's criteria?

a Venn diagram showing that she appears at the intersection of talent, experience, and passion

Which visual element would be best to include in an argument of fact about the growing interest among high-school students to learn a trade rather than go to college?

a graph showing the results of a survey of what seniors plan to do after graduation

Which is the best resource to consult for finding appropriate and reliable sources for definitions?

a librarian

Which type/format of evidence is most likely to be useful to general consumers in a review of new laptop computers?

a table that lists the features being compared and each model's ratings

Which evidence would be more effectively presented in a table, chart, or graph than in prose?

a yearly increase in standardized test scores at a high school

What rhetorical technique does Dr. King employ in the following sentence: "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."

antithesis

Taken as a whole, what sort of appeal do the tone and word choice of Dr. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" make?

appeal to ethos

Kamala argues that she should be taught to drive a car because both of her older sisters learned how when they were her age. What kind of argument structure is Kamal using?

argument from precedent

What fallacy is the sentence "My account can't be overdrawn; I'm always careful about money!"?

begging the question

In her essay "Forever Alone (and Perfectly Fine)," Laura Tarrant explores why staying single has become a lifestyle choice for many people. Which phrase best describes the structure of her essay?

causal argument

Juan is writing a lab report on the results of his experiments with a new variety of soybeans. Which type of argument style is appropriate in this situation?

classical oration

All second-grade students are required to take physical education. LaToya is in second grade. Therefore, LaToya is required to take physical education. What type of argument is this?

deductive

Which type of definition is shown below?Tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, and floods are all types of natural disasters. A viral pandemic is not a natural disaster.

definition by example

Doing research for an essay, Gabe comes upon a web site that contains all sorts of information that totally supports his thesis. What should Gabe do before he cites any of this information in his essay?

determine the reliability of the web site by looking for .edu or .gov at the end of the site's address check the accuracy of the information on a fact-checking site

What kind of argument is shown below?Women are people of the United States. Therefore, women should follow the Constitution (and vote).

enthymeme

Which source is most likely to offer the best information about the topic of how much the federal government actually spends on early childhood education?

government reports and documents

Which are the best criteria for evaluating the claim "Aaron is a stellar salesman and a great member of our sales team"?

helpfulness to other team members, client-satisfaction survey results, number of sales made

Which evidence does Jenny Kim primarily draw on to support her evaluation of the American educational system in "The Toxicity in Learning"?

her own experiences as a high school and college student

When is a writer most likely to use an argument constructed from facts, statistics, and testimony?

in formal, academic settings

Where are you likely to see proposals aimed a general audience?

letters to the editor, newspaper editorials

Arguments of fact can serve as the foundation for additional forms of argument. Which types of argument are likely to be based on an argument of fact?

proposal arguments, evaluation arguments, causal arguments

Which type of definition is most likely to be used when arguing whether or not an action was a crime?

operational definition

What is the name of the fallacy in which the speaker announces they won't mention a certain topic?

paralipsis

In classical oration, where are you most likely to find appeals to ethos and pathos?

peroratio/conclusion, exordium/introduction

Which type of argument are causal arguments most likely to support?

proposals

What fallacy is used in this news headline: "After today's stock market decline, are we headed for the next Depression"?

slippery slope

A scientist has been studying the population of white tail deer in a national park. At a wildlife-management conference, the scientist presents the argument that the park should allow hunting this year. What hard evidence will the scientist most likely present to support this proposal?

statistics showing that the deer population exceeds the park's capacity to feed them all over the winter

What is the purpose of President Lincoln's use of the pronoun "we" in the Gettysburg Address?

to build trust with his audience

For which evaluative purpose did Jenny Kim most likely write "The Toxicity in Learning"?

to construct a ranking or comparison

In "Women's Rights to the Suffrage," Susan B. Anthony begins with this sentence: "I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted in the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote." Why, most likely, did Anthony choose to begin her speech like this?

to establish ethos with her honesty

What is Rob Jenkins's purpose for including this sentence in his essay: You're not a customer, and I'm not a clerk?

to show, by negative definition, what the student-professor relationship is

Which element receives the most emphasis in Rogerian argument?

understanding and acknowledging alternative arguments

In the sentence below, which element of Toulmin logic is the underlined word group?Because I like dogs, we should probably get a puppy since so many dogs need loving homes because irresponsible owners keep breeding them, unless you're allergic to dogs.

warrant