The Art of Argument Unit - English

Read the excerpt from "Water Flowing from Toilet to Tap May Be Hard to Swallow." The processes at Orange County and most other plants that clean the water include microfiltration that strains out anything larger than 0.2 microns, removing almost all suspended solids, bacteria and protozoa. After that comes reverse osmosis, which involves forcing the water across a membrane, which removes other impurities, including viruses, pharmaceuticals and dissolved minerals. A zap with powerful ultraviolet light and a bit of hydrogen peroxide disinfects further and neutralize other small chemical compounds. But after all that, 13 percent of adult Americans say they would absolutely refuse to even try recycled water, according to a recent study in the journal Judgment and Decision Making. "A small minority of people are very offended by this, and can slow it down or stop it because of legal and political forces," said Paul Rozin, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies revulsion and a co-author of the study. Opponents of reusing water have long had the upper hand, said Paul Slovic, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, because of the "branding problem." What evidence in the excerpt supports Schwartz's claim? Select three options.

"But after all that, 13 percent of adult Americans say they would absolutely refuse to even try recycled water, according to a recent study in the journal Judgment and Decision Making." "'A small minority of people are very offended by this, and can slow it down or stop it because of legal and political forces,' said Paul Rozin, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania who studies revulsion and a co-author of the study." "Opponents of reusing water have long had the upper hand, said Paul Slovic, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, because of the 'branding problem.'"

Read the claim. Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize. Which excerpt from "Bob Dylan, Titan of American Music, Wins 2016 Nobel Prize In Literature" provides the best supporting evidence for the claim?

"His track 'Like a Rolling Stone' has taken on mythic standing in the decades since its release; many, including Dylan himself, have pointed to it as emblematic of a sea change in American music."

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. Images of the dictator hung in every house next to the crucifix and Ia Virgencita with the declaration beneath: In this house Trujillo is Chief. The pale face of a young military man wearing a plumed bicorne hat and a gold-braided uniform looked down beneficently at my mother as she read her romantic novelas and dreamed of meeting the great love of her life. Sometimes in her daydreams, her great love wore the handsome young dictator's face. Never having seen him, my mother could not know the portrait was heavily retouched. Which quotation provides the best evidence for the central idea of this excerpt?

"Never having seen him, my mother could not know the portrait was heavily retouched."

Read the claim from Dan DeLuca's editorial "Dylan's Nobel Prize Settles Debate: Rock Lyrics Are Poetry." Are rock lyrics poetry? The answer must be yes. Which excerpt from the article provides evidence that supports this claim?

"Salman Rushdie, a Nobel candidate himself, called Dylan 'the brilliant inheritor of the bardic tradition.'"

Which sentence from Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war is an example of a bandwagon appeal?

"The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation."

Which quotation from Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war is an example of a hasty generalization?

"We will gain the inevitable triumph."

Read the excerpt from a speech on the benefits of eating organic versus conventionally grown foods. I want my food to be real food. I don't want my only option of nourishment to be chemicals disguised as food. Chemicals that could one day poison my body and lead me down a path of obesity and disease. And I want organic options to be affordably priced so everyone can afford to eat healthy. I believe that these are attainable goals if more people see the value in organic food. Which words from the passage have negative connotations that support the author's point? Select three options.

"chemicals" "disease" "obesity"

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. Perhaps because she had innocently revered him, my mother was now doubly revolted by this cold-blooded monster. He became something of an obsession with her—living as she was by then in exile with my father, isolated from her family who were still living on the Island. As my sisters and I were growing up, Trujillo and his excesses figured in many of my mother's cautionary tales. Which details does the author include to support the central idea about how her mother felt about the dictator? Select three options.

"doubly revolted" "obsession" "cautionary tales"

Read the excerpt from Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. Which phrases from the excerpt include loaded words intended to evoke a sense of fear? Select two options.

"premeditated invasion" "grave danger"

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question then arises, whether the provisions of the Constitution, in relation to the personal rights and privileges to which the citizen of a State should be entitled, embraced the negro African race, at that time in this country, or who might afterwards be imported, who had then or should afterwards be made free in any State; and to put it in the power of a single State to make him a citizen of the United States, and endue him with the full rights of citizenship in every other State without their consent? Does the Constitution of the United States act upon him whenever he shall be made free under the laws of a State, and raised there to the rank of a citizen, and immediately clothe him with all the privileges of a citizen in every other State, and in its own courts? The court thinks the affirmative of these propositions cannot be maintained. And if it cannot, the plaintiff in error could not be a citizen of the State of Missouri, within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States, and, consequently, was not entitled to sue in its courts. What claim does Justice Taney make in this passage?

(NOT ) that Sanford cannot sue because he is not a citizen

Read this excerpt from Ani's evaluation of Dan DeLuca's argument in his article "Dylan's Nobel Prize Settles Debate: Rock Lyrics Are Poetry." DeLuca offers a haphazard patchwork of reasoning and evidence that leaves the reader wondering whether he believes his own claim. He remains focused on Dylan's body of work, quoting not only supporters of the Nobel committee's choice, but also detractors. DeLuca also includes a liberal sampling of Dylan's song lyrics, but he largely leaves them to speak for themselves. What evidence from the article best supports Ani's evaluation? Select two options.

(NOT) "The Swedish Academy's decision to honor Dylan set off an online debate, with Scottish Trainspotting novelist Irvine Welsh calling it 'an ill conceived nostalgia award wrenched from the rancid prostates of senile, gibbering hippies.'" "And it's a good thing [his lyrics] have been published, because if you've gone to see the famously sneering and syllable-garbling Dylan play live in recent years, you probably couldn't understand a word he was singing."

Which examples are compound sentences? Select three options.

(NOT) The French drink strong black coffee mixed with hot milk; the Italians drink small cups of espresso. My aunt and uncle love to travel in their camper, and they can stop wherever they want to. In history class, we're studying the causes of the Great Depression, which affected the economy of almost every country in the world.

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. Because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the paragraph?

(NOT) A prince can hold a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom only by first ruining it, then moving there and establishing an oligarchy that is loyal to him.

What would be the best thesis statement for an evaluation of Dan DeLuca's argument in "Dylan's Nobel Prize Settles Debate: Rock Lyrics Are Poetry"?

(NOT) Dan DeLuca has written an editorial stating his opinion that rock lyrics are poetry.

Nico is brainstorming reasons to support this claim for his argumentative essay. Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize. Which reasons would be the most effective? Select two options.

(NOT) Dylan has been internationally acclaimed for more than half a century. It has been almost a quarter century since an American won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Nico is brainstorming reasons to support this claim for his argumentative essay. Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize. Which reasons would be the most effective? Select two options.

(NOT) Dylan is first and foremost a poet, and poetry is often accompanied by music. It has been almost a quarter century since an American won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Read the sentence. On days when I go jogging in the morning, my mind seems to process ideas faster, and my mood is more positive. How does the underlined clause add variety and meaning to the sentence? Select two options.

(NOT) It describes the days being discussed. It adds detail about the speaker's personality.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. What meaning is emphasized by the use of the words merciful and mercy in the passage?

(NOT) Machiavelli is giving both mercy and merciful a more negative connotation.

Which examples are simple sentences? Select three options.

(NOT) Reading novels is one of the greatest pleasures in my life. Reading books can take you places that you have never been before. Some call reading fantasy and science fiction a form of escapism.

Beatriz is writing an argument to support her claim that Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Read this paragraph from her argumentative essay. (1) Dylan's poetry has commented insightfully on politics, society, and the human condition. (2) He spoke out against the war when the United States was fighting in Vietnam. (3) He called on the older generation to recognize and join in social change during the civil rights movement. (4) He has put into words the feelings of isolation and longing that all individuals keep hidden. (5) He has told iconic stories that speak to all human experience. (6) Dylan skillfully uses literary devices such as metaphor, imagery, and allusion. Which statements best describe her paragraph? Select three options.

(NOT) Sentence 1 offers a logical reason that supports Beatriz's claim. Sentences 2-3 do not offer relevant evidence to support the main idea of the paragraph. Sentence 6 introduces a new reason rather than evidence that supports the main idea of this paragraph.

Read this excerpt from an argument supporting the claim that the government should limit the amount of sugar in sugary drinks. (1) Consuming too much sugar can lead to dangerous medical conditions. (2) For example, people may develop obesity, tooth decay, or adult-onset diabetes. Which statement most accurately describes the relationship between the ideas in the two sentences?

(NOT) Sentence 1 states the cause of the ideas in sentence 2.

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. I also hope that by raising the question today of what difference having more Latinos and Latinas on the bench will make will start your own evaluation. For people of color and women lawyers, what does and should being an ethnic minority mean in your lawyering? For men lawyers, what areas in your experiences and attitudes do you need to work on to make you capable of reaching those great moments of enlightenment which other men in different circumstances have been able to reach? For all of us, how do [we] change the facts that in every task force study of gender and race bias in the courts, women and people of color, lawyers and judges alike, report in significantly higher percentages than white men that their gender and race has shaped their careers, from hiring, retention to promotion, and that a statistically significant number of women and minority lawyers and judges, both alike, have experienced bias in the courtroom? What is Sotomayor's intended purpose in posing three powerful questions in a row?

(NOT) Sotomayor develops a structure of repetition so the audience is better able to answer the questions.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question then arises, whether the provisions of the Constitution, in relation to the personal rights and privileges to which the citizen of a State should be entitled, embraced the negro African race, at that time in this country, or who might afterwards be imported, who had then or should afterwards be made free in any State; and to put it in the power of a single State to make him a citizen of the United States, and endue him with the full rights of citizenship in every other State without their consent? Does the Constitution of the United States act upon him whenever he shall be made free under the laws of a State, and raised there to the rank of a citizen, and immediately clothe him with all the privileges of a citizen in every other State, and in its own courts? Which statement could best be used as an effective counterclaim to this claim?

(NOT) States should decide who is free and who is not.

Read the excerpt from President Lincoln's 1865 inaugural address, in which he speaks about the Civil War. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Which statement best summarizes the central idea in this excerpt?

(NOT) The Union fought in the Civil War because they wanted to strengthen, perpetuate, and extend slavery.

Read the claim from an argumentative essay. Bob Dylan should not have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Which sentence best states a counterclaim?

(NOT) The committee may have chosen Dylan in order to make the Nobel Prize relevant to the 21st century.

Read Lola's argument that people need college degrees. It seems like every high school student is expected to go to college. Some teenagers resent the pressure this expectation puts on them. But we teens have to be realistic. A college degree is necessary in today's world. Most employers today require job applicants to have a college degree. Many jobs require specific skills acquired through college courses geared to that profession. Of course, not every job requires the exact subject matter you learned at college. But employers are looking for people with perseverance, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate. Those are things you will learn during your years at college. What is the best evaluation of the evidence Lola provides?

(NOT) The evidence relates to the claim but does not sufficiently address teenagers' resentment of the pressure to go to college.

Read Lola's argument that people need college degrees. It seems like every high school student is expected to go to college. Some teenagers resent the pressure this expectation puts on them. But we teens have to be realistic. A college degree is necessary in today's world. Most employers today require job applicants to have a college degree. Many jobs require specific skills acquired through college courses geared to that profession. Of course, not every job requires the exact subject matter you learned at college. But employers are looking for people with perseverance, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate. Those are things you will learn during your years at college. What is the best evaluation of the evidence Lola provides?

(NOT) The evidence sufficiently supports the reason about getting a job but does not relate to the claim.

Read the two excerpts. "Remembering to Never Forget: Dominican Republic's 'Parsley Massacre'" by Mark Memmott: Seventy-five years ago, thousands of Haitians were murdered in the Dominican Republic by a brutal dictator. It was one of the 20th Century's least-remembered acts of genocide. As many as 20,000 people are thought to have been killed on orders given by Rafael Trujillo. But the "parsley massacre" went mostly unnoticed outside Hispaniola. Even there, many Dominicans never knew about what happened in early October 1937. They were kept in the dark by Trujillo's henchmen. "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez: At this point I would always ask her why she and my father had returned to live in the country if they knew the dictatorship was so bad. And that's when my mother would tell me how, under pressure from his friends up north, Trujillo pretended to be liberalizing his regime. How he invited all exiles back to form political parties. How he announced that he would not be running in the next elections. My father had returned only to discover that the liberalization was a hoax staged so that the regime could keep the goodwill and dollars of the United States. My father and mother were once again trapped in a police state. How do the passages work together to develop a central idea?

(NOT) The passages show how the events of Trujillo's dictatorship are still not fully understood today.

Read the paragraph. There are two main kinds of winter storms involving snow. A large amount of falling snow is called a snowstorm. Then, there is the blizzard. A blizzard is a very violent storm. It features extreme cold, strong winds, and low visibility. What compound-complex sentence can be formed from the underlined section of the passage to add variety to the paragraph?

(NOT) The snowstorm is a large amount of falling snow, but the blizzard is much more violent; it features extreme cold, strong winds, and low visibility.

Read the excerpt from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. I understand the fear of war and the pain of division that afflict this continent—and I pledge to you my country's efforts to help overcome these burdens. To be sure, we in the West must resist Soviet expansion. So we must maintain defenses of unassailable strength. Yet we seek peace; so we must strive to reduce arms on both sides. Which statement best describes the impact of rhetorical techniques in this excerpt?

(NOT) The use of loaded language creates the need for immediate action in Europe.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails. In the context of the passage, what is the connotation of beloved and love?

(NOT) They suggest faithfulness, suggesting obligations that are secured through love.

Read the excerpt from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Today the city thrives in spite of the challenges implicit in the very presence of this wall. What keeps you here? Certainly there's a great deal to be said for your fortitude, for your defiant courage. But I believe there's something deeper, something that involves Berlin's whole look and feel and way of life—not mere sentiment. . . . In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love—love both profound and abiding. Which type of appeal does Reagan use in this part of the speech?

(NOT) emotional

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. Let us not forget that between the appointments of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981 and Justice Ginsburg in 1992, eleven years passed. Similarly, between Justice Kaye's initial appointment as an Associate Judge to the New York Court of Appeals in 1983, and Justice Ciparick's appointment in 1993, ten years elapsed. Almost nine years later, we are waiting for a third appointment of a woman to both the Supreme Court and the New York Court of Appeals and of a second minority, male or female, preferably Hispanic, to the Supreme Court. In 1992 when I joined the bench, there were still two out of 13 circuit courts and about 53 out of 92 district courts in which no women sat. At the beginning of September of 2001, there are women sitting in all 3 circuit courts. The First, Fifth, Eighth and Federal Circuits each have only one female judge, however, out of a combined total number of 48 judges. There are still nearly 37 district courts with no women judges at all. For women of color the statistics are more sobering. As of September 20, 1998, of the then 195 circuit court judges, only two were African-American women and two Hispanic women. Of the 641 district court judges, only twelve were African-American women and eleven Hispanic women. African-American women comprise only 1.56% of the federal judiciary and Hispanic-American women comprise only 1%. No African-American, male or female, sits today on the Fourth or Federal circuits. And no Hispanics, male or female, sit on the Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, District of Columbia or Federal Circuits. Sort of shocking, isn't it? This is the year 2002. We have a long way to go. Unfortunately, there are some very deep storm warnings we must keep in mind. In at least the last five years the majority of nominated judges the Senate delayed more than one year before confirming or never confirming were women or minorities. I need not remind this audience that Judge Paez of your home Circuit, the Ninth Circuit, has had the dubious distinction of having had his confirmation delayed the longest in Senate history. These figures demonstrate that there is a real and continuing need for Latino and Latina organizations and community groups throughout the country to exist and to continue their efforts of promoting women and men of all colors in their pursuit for equality in the judicial system. The rhetorical technique most used in this excerpt is

(NOT) ethos

Read the two excerpts. "Remembering to Never Forget: Dominican Republic's 'Parsley Massacre'" by Mark Memmott: As for Trujillo, he stayed in power until 1961, when he was assassinated. Last year, the BBC spoke with one of the army officers who killed the dictator. "The only way to get rid of him was to kill him," Gen. Antonio Imbert told the BBC. "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez: On May 30, 1961, nine months after our escape from our homeland, the group of plotters with whom my father had been associated assassinated the dictator. Actually, Dominicans do not refer to the death as an assassination but as an ajusticiamiento, a bringing to justice. Finally, after thirty-one years, Trujillo was brought to justice, found guilty, and executed. But the execution was an external event, not necessarily an internal exorcism. All their lives my parents, along with a nation of Dominicans, had learned the habits of repression, censorship, terror. Those habits would not disappear with a few bullets and a national liberation proclamation. They would not disappear on a plane ride north that put hundreds of miles distance between the island and our apartment in New York. The subject of both passages is

(NOT) how Trujillo's death affected individuals.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's secondary purpose to inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness? Select three options.

(NOT) the list of cities conquered by Sparta and Rome the description of how Sparta had held Greece the example of Pisa rebelling against the Florentines

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's secondary purpose to inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness? Select three options.Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's secondary purpose to inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness? Select three options.

(NOT) the list of cities conquered by Sparta and Rome the explanation of how Rome dismantled Greek cities the example of Pisa rebelling against the Florentines

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's primary purpose to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it? Select three options.

(NOT) the portrayal of Greece as being held by Sparta the explanation of how Rome held Capua, Carthage, and Numantia the example of the Florentines losing control over Pisa

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What is Machiavelli's secondary purpose in writing this passage?

(NOT) to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it

Which examples are clauses? Select three options.

(NOT) whenever I go to the movies Samir lives on Green Street. a tornado tearing through town

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. Passage A: Given this mandate of silence, I was a real thorn in my mother's side. She had named me, her second of four daughters, after herself—so we shared the same name. Of all her babies, she reports, l was the best behaved, until l learned to talk. Then, I would not shut up. I always had to answer her back when I disagreed with her. Childhood was rocky, but adolescence was a full-fledged war. Passage B: Unfortunately for my mother, I grew up to be a writer publishing under my maiden name. Which statement correctly analyzes how the passages work together to create a central idea?

Alvarez contrasts her mother's insistence on silence with her own desire to tell stories.

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. Periodically, Trujillo would demand a tribute, and they would acquiesce. A tax, a dummy vote, a portrait on the wall. To my father and other men in the country, the most humiliating of these tributes was the occasional parade in which women were made to march and turn their heads and acknowledge the great man as they passed the review stand. If you did not march, your cédula would not be stamped, and without a stamped identification card, you could do nothing; in particular, you could not obtain your passport to leave the country under the pretext of wanting to study heart surgery. This was the second escape—this time with his whole family—that my father was planning. The day came when my mother had to march. Which statement best explains how the author develops the central idea throughout the passage?

Alvarez shows that refusing to obey Trujillo's requests could be dangerous.

What is the difference between a Supreme Court opinion and a Supreme Court dissent?

An opinion is a Supreme Court decision that the majority of the judges agree with, while a dissent disagrees with the decision.

Read the excerpt from a speech petitioning people to adopt animals in need. I am here today to persuade you to see the benefit of adopting your next pet from the animal shelter instead of purchasing it from a pet store. It is crucial to see the value in adopting animals and hopefully putting pet stores out of business. The health and well-being of our animal friends is what is at stake here. Many people think it would be fun to get a cute designer animal from a boutique pet shop, but once we all know the truth behind their practices, we will be lining up at the shelter to fall in love with an animal in need. Your new dog may not be a purebred dog with official papers and a customized small size, but you will know that your animal is healthy and eternally grateful that you provided him with a warm home. Which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? Select two options.

Animals bred through pet shops suffer health problems. People need to adopt animals instead of going to pet shops.

Which sentence contains a restrictive clause?

Aware that I could be bitten, I carefully approached the trapped dog, which growled at me.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. It will be observed, that the plea applies to that class of persons only whose ancestors were negroes of the African race, and imported into this country, and sold and held as slaves. The only matter in issue before the court, therefore, is, whether the descendants of such slaves, when they shall be emancipated, or who are born of parents who had become free before their birth, are citizens of a State, in the sense in which the word "citizen" is used in the Constitution of the United States. . . . . . . The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. Which statement best describes an effective counterclaim to the claim in this passage?

Because Dred Scott and his family were born in the United States, they are citizens with all the rights granted by the Constitution.

What is the definition of connotation?

Connotation is the emotion or idea that is associated with a word.

Which option presents a complete and effective evaluation of Dan DeLuca's argument in his article "Dylan's Nobel Prize Settles Debate: Rock Lyrics Are Poetry"?

DeLuca believes that rock lyrics must be recognized as poetry because legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In doing so, the Nobel committee has recognized the value of Dylan's words, which have spoken for and inspired generations since the 1960s.

Which claims are supported by relevant evidence? Select two options.

Drinking coffee is good for you. Two recent studies have shown that coffee drinkers live longer. Students should use e-books. Many suffer from back trouble from carrying so many books in their backpacks.

Read the two excerpts. "Remembering to Never Forget: Dominican Republic's 'Parsley Massacre " by Mark Memmott: The method his soldiers used in 1937 to try to identify those who would be killed was cruelly unique. When confronting someone in the lands along the border with Haiti, they would hold up a sprig of parsley and ask what it was. If the person responded by trilling the "r" in perejil (Spanish for parsley), he would be free to go. Anyone who didn't trill the "r" was thought to be a Haitian Creole speaker—and was likely to be killed. "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez: My father and mother were once again trapped in a police state. They laid low as best they could. Now that they had four young daughters, they could not take any chances. For a while, that spark which has almost cost my father his life and which he had lighted in my mother seemed to have burnt out. Periodically, Trujillo would demand a tribute, and they would acquiesce. A tax, a dummy vote, a portrait on the wall. To my father and other men in the country, the most humiliating of these tributes was the occasional parade in which women were made to march and turn their heads and acknowledge the great man as they passed the review stand. Which statements accurately compare the two passages? Select three options.

Each text describes how frightening it was to live under the dictatorship. Each text presents different information on the same topic. Each text presents different information from a different point of view.

In "Water Flowing from Toilet to Tap May Be Hard to Swallow," what reasons does Schwartz give to support his claim? Select two options.

Enticing people to drink recycled water, however, requires getting past what experts call the 'yuck' factor." "People tend to judge risk emotionally, he said, and a phrase like 'toilet to tap' can undercut earnest explanations."

Read the introduction to Samantha's argument. My friends like going to fast food restaurants. It's not that I mind, but I'm a vegan, and these restaurants offer very little I can eat. Even salads contain ingredients like cheese, eggs, and ham. What's more, there may be cream, eggs, or gelatin in the dressing. Sometimes, all I can do is order is something to drink, while my friends enjoy their meals. However, by not offering vegan meals, fast food restaurants are missing out on additional sales. Which statement summarizes Samantha's claim?

Fast food restaurants would profit from offering vegan meals.

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there. Which option best states the main idea of the passage?

Former republics are more difficult to rule than hereditary states, and they will rebel if they are not tightly controlled.

Read this example of incorrect sentence structure. Gino is starring in the school play, it opens next week. Which revision best corrects the sentence?

Gino is starring in the school play, which opens next week.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there. How does Machiavelli work to achieve his primary purpose to convince readers that a prince must ruin a conquered republic or live there? Select two options.

He explains the roots of rebellion in conquered republics. He contrasts the characteristics of principalities and republics.

Read this example of incorrect sentence structure. Heavy, black clouds rushing in from the horizon. Which revision corrects the sentence?

Heavy, black clouds rushing in from the horizon mean a storm is coming.

Paco's teacher has asked him to add a transition in the introduction to his argumentative essay in favor of abolishing tuition at public colleges. (1) Today, even many blue-collar, retail, and clerical jobs require applicants to have a college degree. (2) _____, going to college—even a public college—is becoming more and more expensive. (3) What's a student with little money to do? (4) The only way to make higher education accessible to students with low incomes is to abolish tuition at public colleges. Which expression should be added to sentence 2 to best clarify the relationships among Paco's ideas?

However

Read the last paragraph of an argument in favor of censoring content on social media. _____ social media content can be offensive, violent, and vicious. In many cases it has led to harmful acts. Censorship of social media is no longer a topic for philosophical debate. It is time to take action to protect ourselves and our children. Which transitional words or phrases best fit in the blank? Select two options.

In conclusion, To summarize,

Which sentences would be effective thesis statements for a paragraph evaluating an argument? Select two options.

In her editorial, Mellie writes convincingly of the need for high school classes to begin later in the morning. Smith's argument in favor of tuition-free college education offers persuasive reasoning and authoritative evidence.

Which questions must be considered when evaluating the effectiveness of an argument? Select four options.

Is there reliable evidence to support the reasons? Are there logical reasons to believe the claim? Is the author's claim clear to the reader? Does the author's diction affect the reader as intended?

What are the characteristics of an independent clause? Select three options.

It contains a subject and a verb. It expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Which statements best describe a text with a compare-and-contrast structure? Select three options.

It contains words such as although, similarly, and yet. It describes similarities between two or more things. It discusses differences between two or more things.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Coming now to the other qualities mentioned above, I say that every prince ought to desire to be considered clement and not cruel. Nevertheless he ought to take care not to misuse this clemency. Cesare Borgia was considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and restored it to peace and loyalty. And if this be rightly considered, he will be seen to have been much more merciful than the Florentine people, who, to avoid a reputation for cruelty, permitted Pistoia to be destroyed. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. How does the repetition of the words cruel and cruelty affect the tone of the paragraph?

It creates a matter-of-fact tone as Machiavelli demonstrates the positive effects of a ruler's cruelty.

Read the sentence. On days when I go jogging in the morning, my mind seems to process ideas faster, and my mood is more positive. How does the underlined clause add variety and meaning to the sentence? Select two options.

It describes the days being discussed. It creates a compound-complex sentence.

Read the sentence. The garden was enclosed by tall stone walls, which blocked out the noise and bustle of the city. Which statement best explains how the underlined clause conveys meaning?

It describes the effect of the tall stone walls.

Which statements best describe a text with a problem-and-solution structure? Select two options.

It identifies an issue to be resolved. It contains words such as answer, difficulty, and therefore.

Read the sentence. The English novelist Virginia Woolf, who pioneered the use of stream of consciousness in fiction, was a prolific writer, and the influence of her fiction and nonfiction on her contemporaries was both powerful and pervasive. Which statements best describe this sentence? Select three options.

It is a compound-complex sentence. It contains a nonrestrictive clause. It links three clauses to add variety to a text.

Read the counterclaim from an argumentative essay. Bob Dylan's lyrics are just as effective without musical accompaniment. Which reason would best refute the counterclaim?

It is impossible to separate song lyrics from the music that accompanies them.

Which statements best describe an effective claim in an argumentative essay? Select two options.

It is precise and clear. It is debatable but cannot be refuted.

Read the excerpt from Parvati's argument in favor of using cell phones in class. Today's cell phones are not just phones; they are little computers. That means they are effective research tools. Students can use them to access dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference materials. They can search for articles, videos, and images. In my civics class, our teacher even held mock elections, and we voted using our cell phones. What is the best evaluation of Parvati's evidence?

It is relevant and sufficient, because she gives convincing examples of how phones support classwork.

Sanjay is writing a rebuttal to this counterclaim. Teachers should not assign a heavy homework load because many high school students have jobs and their share of household chores. Which reason can Sanjay use to most effectively refute the counterclaim?

It is true that students often work and do household chores, but managing homework in addition to other responsibilities helps students learn to organize their time efficiently and prioritize their studies.

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. By the time my mother married my father, however, she knew all about the true nature of the dictatorship. Thousands had lost their lives in failed attempts to return the country to democracy. Family friends, whom she had assumed had dropped away of their own accord, turned out to have been disappeared. My father had been lucky. As a young man, he had narrowly escaped to Canada after the plot he had participated in as a student failed. This was to be the first of two escapes. That same year, 1937, El Generalísimo ordered the overnight slaughter of some eighteen thousand Haitians, who had come across the border to work on sugarcane plantations for slave wages. What is the central idea of this excerpt?

The dictatorship resulted in many deaths.

Which statements describe a text with an argumentative structure? Select three options.

It states an opinion. It offers reasons and evidence. It acknowledges opposing claims.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them. Which statement best describes the fallacy in this passage?

Justice Taney assumes that the writers of the Constitution would agree with him about citizenship.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. And of all princes, it is impossible for the new prince to avoid the imputation of cruelty, owing to new states being full of dangers. Hence Virgil, through the mouth of Dido, excuses the inhumanity of her reign owing to its being new, saying: "Res dura, et regni novitas me talia coguntMoliri, et late fines custode tueri."(*) Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable. . . . against my will, my fateA throne unsettled, and an infant state,Bid me defend my realms with all my pow'rs,And guard with these severities my shores. Which statement best evaluates Machiavelli's argument?

Machiavelli effectively argues that new princes must be cruel and cautious in order to protect their new kingdoms.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. And of all princes, it is impossible for the new prince to avoid the imputation of cruelty, owing to new states being full of dangers. Hence Virgil, through the mouth of Dido, excuses the inhumanity of her reign owing to its being new, saying: "Res dura, et regni novitas me talia coguntMoliri, et late fines custode tueri."(*) Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable. . . . against my will, my fateA throne unsettled, and an infant state,Bid me defend my realms with all my pow'rs,And guard with these severities my shores. Which type of evidence does Machiavelli use in the story of Dido to show that a ruler should be cruel in certain circumstances?

Machiavelli uses logical evidence to assert that it is acceptable for new princes to use cruelty.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. How does text structure help Machiavelli convey his central idea?

Machiavelli uses reasoning and an example as evidence in an argumentative structure to support his claim that a prince must destroy a city that is accustomed to freedom if he wants to hold it.

Read the excerpt from activist Cesar Chavez's 1984 address to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. All my life, I have been driven by one dream, one goal, one vision: To overthrow a farm labor system in this nation which treats farm workers as if they were not important human beings. Farm workers are not agricultural implements—they are not beasts of burden to be used and discarded. . . . . . . My motivation comes from my personal life—from watching what my mother and father went through when I was growing up—from what we experienced as migrant farm workers in California. That dream, that vision, grew from my own experience with racism—with hope—with the desire to be treated fairly and to see my people treated as human beings and not as chattel. It grew from anger and rage—emotions I felt 40 years ago when people of my color were denied the right to see a movie or eat at a restaurant in many parts of California. It grew from the frustration and humiliation I felt as a boy who couldn't understand how the growers could abuse and exploit farm workers when there were so many of us and so few of them. Which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? Select two options.

My singular objective has been to change farming practices so workers are respected. This dream for change came from my own experiences of racism and mistreatment.

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the paragraph?

Observing what happened to the Spartans and the Romans shows that it is best to destroy a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

Which statement is the most effective claim?

Organic foods are a healthier option than conventional foods.

Which statement would best conclude an evaluation of Dan DeLuca's argument in "Dylan's Nobel Prize Settles Debate: Rock Lyrics Are Poetry"?

Overall, DeLuca's wide-ranging evidence will prove that rock lyrics are indeed poetry.

Read this example of incorrect sentence structure. Paula is moving to Chicago, winters are cold there. Which revision best corrects the sentence?

Paula is moving to Chicago, where winters are cold.

Which statement best defines the term rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the art of effective, persuasive speaking or writing.

In his argument in favor of starting classes later in the morning, João is addressing the counterclaim that classes should not start later because doing so would limit students' opportunity to participate in school sports and clubs. Although starting classes later might well make it impossible for students to spend as many hours on after-school sports, getting more sleep would ensure that they got more out of the time they did spend on those activities. With more sleep, their sporting performance would actually improve. Which evidence would best support João's rebuttal? Select three options.

Sleep deprivation harms memory. Overtired teens are more prone to accidents. Teens dealing from sleep deprivation lose the ability to focus.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Brown v. Board of Education, written by Justice Warren. An additional reason for the inconclusive nature of the Amendment's history with respect to segregated schools is the status of public education at that time. In the South, the movement toward free common schools, supported by general taxation, had not yet taken hold. Education of white children was largely in the hands of private groups. Education of Negroes was almost nonexistent, and practically all of the race were illiterate. In fact, any education of Negroes was forbidden by law in some states. Today, in contrast, many Negroes have achieved outstanding success in the arts and sciences, as well as in the business and professional world. It is true that public school education at the time of the Amendment had advanced further in the North, but the effect of the Amendment on Northern States was generally ignored in the congressional debates. Even in the North, the conditions of public education did not approximate those existing today. The curriculum was usually rudimentary; ungraded schools were common in rural areas; the school term was but three months a year in many states, and compulsory school attendance was virtually unknown. As a consequence, it is not surprising that there should be so little in the history of the Fourteenth Amendment relating to its intended effect on public education. The Fourteenth Amendment stresses that anyone born or naturalized in the United States is a citizen and cannot be deprived of their rights. Which detail from the passage supports the court's reason for not using previous rulings on effects of the Fourteenth Amendment to decide this case?

The 14th Amendment's impact on public education was not addressed in previous cases.

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. On May 30, 1961, nine months after our escape from our homeland, the group of plotters with whom my father had been associated assassinated the dictator. Actually, Dominicans do not refer to the death as an assassination but as an ajusticiamiento, a bringing to justice. Finally, after thirty-one years, Trujillo was brought to justice, found guilty, and executed. But the execution was an external event, not necessarily an internal exorcism. All their lives my parents, along with a nation of Dominicans, had learned the habits of repression, censorship, terror. Those habits would not disappear with a few bullets and a national liberation proclamation. They would not disappear on a plane ride north that put hundreds of miles distance between the Island and our apartment in New York. Which statement best explains how the author develops the central idea throughout the passage?

The author explains that, even after Trujillo was killed, her parents continued to fear the dictatorship.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. What features of the passage identify it as using a cause-and-effect structure? Select three options.

The first sentence lists specific conditions followed by what might eventually happen. The second sentence starts with the expression "for this reason." The second sentence lists potential consequences of the situation described.

Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice" by Julia Alvarez. Images of the dictator hung in every house next to the crucifix and Ia Virgencita with the declaration beneath: In this house Trujillo is Chief. The pale face of a young military man wearing a plumed bicorne hat and a gold-braided uniform looked down beneficently at my mother as she read her romantic novelas and dreamed of meeting the great love of her life. Sometimes in her daydreams, her great love wore the handsome young dictator's face. Never having seen him, my mother could not know the portrait was heavily retouched. What is the central idea of this paragraph?

The images of Trujillo portrayed him falsely.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Brown v. Board of Education, written by Justice Warren. In the instant cases, that question is directly presented. . . . There are findings below that the Negro and white schools involved have been equalized, or are being equalized, with respect to buildings, curricula, qualifications and salaries of teachers, and other "tangible" factors. Our decision, therefore, cannot turn on merely a comparison of these tangible factors in the Negro and white schools involved in each of the cases. We must look instead to the effect of segregation itself on public education. . . . Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments. Compulsory school attendance laws and the great expenditures for education both demonstrate our recognition of the importance of education to our democratic society. It is required in the performance of our most basic public responsibilities, even service in the armed forces. It is the very foundation of good citizenship. Today it is a principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, in preparing him for later professional training, and in helping him to adjust normally to his environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms. We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does. . . . To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. What reason does Warren give for making the claim that comparing "tangible factors" is not enough to evaluate segregation?

The real impact of racial segregation is emotional damage to minority students.

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. Like many other immigrants to this great land, my parents came because of poverty and to attempt to find and secure a better life for themselves and the family that they hoped to have. They largely succeeded. For that, my brother and I are very grateful. The story of that success is what made me and what makes me the Latina that I am. The Latina side of my identity was forged and closely nurtured by my family through our shared experiences and traditions. How do the underlined words and phrases affect the meaning and tone of this passage?

They express pride in family and culture.

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. My Latina soul was nourished as I visited and played at my grandmother's house with my cousins and extended family. They were my friends as I grew up. Being a Latina child was watching the adults playing dominos on Saturday night and us kids playing lotería, bingo, with my grandmother calling out the numbers which we marked on our cards with chickpeas. How do Sotomayor's descriptions of her family most likely affect readers?

They give readers images of the importance of family.

Read the excerpt from Frederick Douglass's July 4, 1852, speech on the hypocrisy of American slavery. Douglass was an abolitionist and a formerly enslaved person. Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. How do the words hideous, revolting, and false most affect the tone and meaning of this passage?

They show the speaker's disgust over slavery.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of someone, he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause, but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Besides, pretexts for taking away the property are never wanting; for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others; but reasons for taking life, on the contrary, are more difficult to find and sooner lapse. But when a prince is with his army, and has under control a multitude of soldiers, then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputation of cruelty, for without it he would never hold his army united or disposed to its duties. What impact do the words feared and hatred have on the meaning of the passage?

They suggest that a ruler who is feared can retain power, while a ruler who is hated is less likely to do so.

Which statement from a city mayor's speech is an example of hyperbole?

Voting in the municipal election is a matter of life and death.

Read the excerpt from an argument in favor of having classes start later. As children get older, they go to bed later. _____, their classes begin earlier. _____, they are increasingly sleep deprived. Which transitional words or phrases should be used to clarify the relationships between the ideas?

Yet; As a result

Read the sentence. The tracking party followed their prey to the river, but there they lost the trail, even though they had several bloodhounds with them. What type of sentence is this?

a compound-complex sentence

Read Gunther's evaluation of an argument. In his editorial "Better Safe Than Sorry?: Revisiting the Debate over Capital Punishment," Nemo Jones effectively lays out his argument that the death penalty should be abolished. In his thorough examination of the evidence, he presents authoritative case studies of people whose innocence was proven too late and of criminals who were undeterred by thoughts of capital punishment. He examines comprehensive statistics regarding these groups and summarizes years of interviews with officials in government, law enforcement, and the penal system. His final paragraphs contain the most emotionally persuasive evidence, as he relates the lasting effects on the children of those who have been put to death. Which element is missing from this evaluation?

a concluding statement

What is anecdotal evidence?

a personal story or historical example

What elements should be included in a paragraph that evaluates a writer's argument? Select three options.

a summary of the writer's claim an analysis of the writer's concluding statements an analysis of the writer's reasons and evidence

Read the sentence. Marileta is staying with friends until she finds an apartment. What type of clause do the underlined words form?

an adverbial clause

The term pathos is best defined as

an appeal to emotions

Read the passage from an argumentative essay. (1) It's no wonder students' grades drop when they enter high school. (2) They are suffering various effects of sleep deprivation. (3) They cannot focus, they fall asleep in class, and they often forget what they have read or heard. (4) They may even hallucinate. How should sentence 3 be revised to clarify relationships among ideas?

by adding "Specifically" to the beginning of the sentence

Read the paragraph. Spring arrives suddenly. Buds appear on the rosebushes. Shoots are sprouting from the ground. The fruit trees are in flower. Wherever you look, new plant life is basking in the warm spring sun. How does the underlined sentence add variety and meaning to the writing? Select three options.

by addressing the reader by introducing a new idea by combining ideas in a complex sentence

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. That it is true his other virtues would not have been sufficient for him may be proved by the case of Scipio, that most excellent man, not only of his own times but within the memory of man, against whom, nevertheless, his army rebelled in Spain; this arose from nothing but his too great forbearance, which gave his soldiers more license than is consistent with military discipline. For this he was upbraided in the Senate by Fabius Maximus, and called the corrupter of the Roman soldiery. The Locrians were laid waste by a legate of Scipio, yet they were not avenged by him, nor was the insolence of the legate punished, owing entirely to his easy nature. Insomuch that someone in the Senate, wishing to excuse him, said there were many men who knew much better how not to err than to correct the errors of others. This disposition, if he had been continued in the command, would have destroyed in time the fame and glory of Scipio; but, he being under the control of the Senate, this injurious characteristic not only concealed itself, but contributed to his glory. How does anecdotal evidence in this passage support the claim that cruelty is a necessary part of leadership?

by showing how Scipio was too lenient and his army rebelled

Which elements does a strong argumentative essay always contain? Select two options.

claim evidence

Read the excerpt from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. In Europe, only one nation and those it controls refuse to join the community of freedom. Yet in this age of redoubled economic growth, of information and innovation, the Soviet Union faces a choice: It must make fundamental changes, or it will become obsolete. Today thus represents a moment of hope. We in the West stand ready to cooperate with the East to promote true openness, to break down barriers that separate people, to create a safer, freer world. Which rhetorical technique does this paragraph demonstrate?

false dilemma

Read the excerpt from "Ain't I a Woman?" a speech given by Sojourner Truth, a formerly enslaved person, in 1851. Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them. The tone of this speech most expresses a feeling of

frustration

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. What type of fallacy does this argument represent?

hasty generalization

Read the excerpt from President Ronald Reagan's speech on the night before the 1980 presidential election. I believe we can embark on a new age of reform in this country and an era of national renewal. An era that will reorder the relationship between citizen and government, that will make government again responsive to people, that will revitalize the values of family, work, and neighborhood and that will restore our private and independent social institutions. The tone of this speech could best be described as expressing a feeling of

hope

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of someone, he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause, but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Besides, pretexts for taking away the property are never wanting; for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others; but reasons for taking life, on the contrary, are more difficult to find and sooner lapse. What type of evidence does Machiavelli use to support his claim in this passage?

logical evidence

When writing an argument, it is important for writers to explain their position with

logical reasons.

Read the excerpt from a speech by the class president petitioning the principal to build a new stadium. Our stadium is crumbling, and the effects have been felt for generations! If we built a new stadium, our community would benefit, and millions would flock to town for the home games. Profits would soar, as local businesses would be flooded with new clients on game nights. And your legacy as the best principal ever would be established for all to see. Which rhetorical technique is the speaker using?

overstatement

Read the example. If you want to know how Dickens's last novel would end. What common error in sentence construction is evident in this example?

sentence fragment

Read the excerpt from Prime Minister Winston Churchill's "Their Finest Hour" speech, delivered to the United Kingdom's House of Commons in 1940. During the first four years of the last war the Allies experienced nothing but disaster and disappointment. That was our constant fear: one blow after another, terrible losses, frightful dangers. Everything miscarried. And yet at the end of those four years the morale of the Allies was higher than that of the Germans, who had moved from one aggressive triumph to another, and who stood everywhere triumphant invaders of the lands into which they had broken. The rhetorical technique used in this excerpt is

shift

Read this passage from Giovanna's evaluation of an argument claiming that climate change is not affected by human activity. Niemand's article on climate change in the editorial section of today's newspaper offers a weak argument. His reasoning consists of little more than unsubstantiated assertions that climate change is not affected by human activity. In an effective evaluation, which element would follow this statement?

text evidence from Niemand's argument

Read the first three paragraphs of Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. Beyond Congress, who is his primary intended audience?

the American public

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What idea is stressed in the passage?

the dismantling of an acquired state

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's primary purpose to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it? Select three options.

the explanation of how Rome held Capua, Carthage, and Numantia the description of liberty as a rallying cry for rebellion in former republics the example of the Florentines losing control over Pisa

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them. What fallacy can you identify and discredit to develop a counterclaim to this claim?

the idea that African American people are inferior based on perceptions from an earlier time

Read the passage from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront. . . . As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner, "This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality." Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom. What is Reagan's main purpose in this passage?

to applaud small acts of resistance

What is the purpose of presenting a false dilemma in a speech?

to convince the audience that there are limited options

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What is Machiavelli's primary purpose in writing this passage?

to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it

What is the function of a claim in an argument?

to state the writer's opinion