Writing an Argumentative Editorial about Initiating Change, Comparing Accounts of Iqbal's Story, Word Choice and Author's Purpose in Warriors Don't Cry
When addressing a counterclaim, it is important to find ,,,.. to weaken that claim.
envidence
Look at the frames from Iqbal. In these frames, the author emphasize the challenges Iqbal faced by showing
the potential dangers Iqbal might encounter because of his actions.
Read the sample student claim. Although some people would argue that it is not the responsibility of schools to ban junk food and encourage healthy eating habits, schools play an important role in helping youths develop positive behaviors that lead to healthier lifestyles. Which characteristics of a claim does the sample claim represent? Check all that apply.
It can be supported by evidence. It clearly takes one side of an issue.
Read the sample student paragraph that addresses a counterclaim. Some claim that the Internet both invades and compromises one's right to privacy. However, this is ridiculous. The Internet is only as invasive as one allows it to be, particularly since there are laws to protect people's privacy. Exercising caution when supplying personal information online is the most vital step in protecting one's privacy. Any information you do not feel comfortable sharing online should not be shared, and sensitive information should only be provided to trusted organizations. Additionally, some states have already enacted privacy laws that model the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, ensuring that information collected for one purpose may not be used—or sold—for other purposes without first notifying the individual to whom the data belongs. The first and most important protector of an individual's information is that individual. People whose personal information is not properly protected only have themselves to blame. The tone of this rebuttal can best be described as
rude.
Read the excerpt from Warriors Don't Cry. As we approached behind them, we could see only the clusters of white people that stretched for a distance of two blocks along the entire span of the school building. My mind could take in the sights and sounds only one by one: flashing cameras, voices shouting in my ears, men and women jostling each other, old people, young people, people running, uniformed police officers walking, men standing still, men and women waving their fists, and then the long line of uniformed soldiers carrying weapons just like in the war movies I had seen. Which words help create the mood in the excerpt? Check all that apply.
shouting jostling fists weapons
Which best describes the author's primary purpose in the prologue of Free the Children?
to educate readers about a serious issue
Which detail from Free the Children shows that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding Iqbal's final night?
And what had happened to the bicycle, which might have shed some light on the shooting? The police had never collected this vital piece of evidence.
Read the sample student claim. If university education was made free for everyone, I would be thrilled because more people would go to college and pursue successful careers. Why is this not an effective claim? Check all that apply.
It is simply a personal preference or feeling. It cannot be supported with logical reasons.
Jing is writing a book about her experience playing soccer as a child. She wants to utilize both her writing and illustration skills. Which form should Jing use to tell her story?
graphic novel
In Free the Children, why does the author provide a first-hand account of visiting a brick kiln?
to emphasize the horrific conditions of debt slavery
Look at the frames from Iqbal. What is the author's purpose in these frames?
to inform
Those matches were big events in my life because we traveled downtown to the Robinson Auditorium, a place usually reserved for white people only. Those were the times when I got to go outside my neighborhood, outside the world where I spent most of my life. We sat in the same room with white folks, able to observe them close up. I wanted to get to know them better, to see what it was they had that put them in charge. The central idea of this excerpt is that the narrator
cherishes her rare worldly experiences.
Dear Diary, The two days since I first went to Central felt like I was living in some stranger's life. Today I won't think of integration, I won't think of Central High, and I won't think of the white people. I will spend the whole day finding the perfect disguise to wear to the wrestling matches. . . . No matter what, I'm gonna be a regular person. I'm gonna have my usual date with Grandma and my secret, pretend date with Vince at the matches. The author's words present a mood of
determination.
I support the purchase of streetlights for our community. My young sons enjoy riding their skateboards in the street in the evening, but darkness makes this a reckless undertaking, even with reflective gear. Further, our family has contributed dues to the neighborhood association for nearly ten years, and no structural improvements have been made during this time. The association has money saved for projects such as these, and it is time to use these funds to promote safety. What is the author's purpose?
to persuade readers to support an investment
Look at these frames from Iqbal. Which best describes the author's purpose in these frames of Iqbal?
to show Iqbal's pain and confusion after his debt increased
Look at the frames from Iqbal. Which best describes the author's purpose in these frames of Iqbal?
to show how Iqbal inspired others
What is one reason that an author may choose to relate events in memoir form?
to tell significant stories from one's life
The voice on the radio grew more urgent as the announcer described the ranks of Arkansas National Guardsmen who ringed Central High School. Hearing the news as we drew near our destination, Mother said, "I think I'll park here. The meeting place is quite a ways away, but from the looks of things we won't get any closer." The author's words create a mood of
uncertainty.
Which are characteristics of graphic novels? Check all that apply.
using speech bubbles combining words and images dividing the story into frames
The announcer said it was 7:55 as Mama squeezed into a parking space, and we settled ourselves quietly for a moment, trying to identify the buzzing noise that seemed as if it were all around us. It resembled the sound of crowds at my high school football games. But how could that be? The announcer said there was a crowd, but surely it couldn't be that big. Which word from the excerpt creates mood?
buzzing
Look at the frames from Iqbal. How does the author highlight Iqbal's impact on others in
by showing a group of children intently listening to Iqbal
Read the rough draft of a student's conclusion to an argumentative editorial. (1) Year-round schooling would help student achievement. (2) Not so much information would have to be crammed into nine months. (3) Furthermore, the elimination of long breaks, particularly summer break, would significantly reduce "learning loss" and the additional time wasted at the beginning of each academic year to reteach previously learned material. (4) It is clear that year-round schooling helps students learn and retain more. (5) The United States is not the only country to experiment with a year-round school schedule. (6) Although many still claim that evidence about year-round school and its link to higher achievement is inconclusive, these people need to open their eyes and see that students in these schools consistently score higher on certain assessments than students who attend schools with traditional nine-month calendars. (7) It is about time that we replaced our outdated and inefficient school calendars. Which revision would most strengthen sentence 1?
replacing "help" with "greatly boost"
Which are characteristics of memoirs? Check all that apply.
telling a nonfiction story using first-person perspective
Read the sample student claim. Although many applaud the increased opportunities for research and communication afforded by the Internet, it has actually brought more harm to society than good. Which best addresses a potential counterclaim?
The Internet provides access to information that would otherwise be unobtainable to the general public
IKE SAYS HE WILL USE LAW. TELLS FAUBUS: COOPERATE WITH US "The federal Constitution will be upheld by every legal means at my command," President Eisenhower had told Governor Faubus. The President had sent a telegram to Governor Faubus saying he was sure the governor, the National Guard, and other state officials would give full cooperation to the United States Supreme Court. What idea is emphasized through repetition?
The governor is expected to follow the law.
Read the excerpt from Warriors Don't Cry. I had been patiently waiting, hoping that at any moment my grandmother would signal her approval of my grown-up outfit, upswept hairdo, and high-heeled black patent shoes. Layers of forbidden makeup and dark glasses completed what I thought was the perfect disguise. The white people would never, ever recognize me from any picture they might have seen. What is the central idea of the excerpt?
The narrator longs to be unnoticed in public.
Which excerpt from the prologue of Free the Children reflects what is occurring in this frame?
With the help of a human-rights organization, Iqbal was able to escape and go to school. Iqbal completed two grade levels that first year.
How does the author highlight Iqbal's impact on others in these frames?
by showing a group of children intently listening to Iqbal
Read the rough draft of a student's conclusion to an argumentative editorial. (1) Year-round schooling would help student achievement. (2) Not so much information would have to be crammed into nine months. (3) Furthermore, the elimination of long breaks, particularly summer break, would significantly reduce "learning loss" and the additional time wasted at the beginning of each academic year to reteach previously learned material. (4) It is clear that year-round schooling helps students learn and retain more. (5) The United States is not the only country to experiment with a year-round school schedule. (6) Although many still claim that evidence about year-round school and its link to higher achievement is inconclusive, these people need to open their eyes and see that students in these schools consistently score higher on certain assessments than students who attend schools with traditional nine-month calendars. (7) It is about time that we replaced our outdated and inefficient school calendars. If added after sentence 3, which sentence would most improve this conclusion?
Because students would not need to spend so much time reviewing previously covered material, they would then have more time to master new concepts.
Look at the frame from Iqbal. Which excerpt from the prologue of Free the Children reflects what is happening in this frame?
In exchange, Iqbal, said to be only four years old at the time, was forced to join several other child weavers squatting before looms in the owner's factory.
Which excerpt from the prologue of Free the Children reflects what is happening in this frame?
In exchange, Iqbal, said to be only four years old at the time, was forced to join several other child weavers squatting before looms in the owner's factory.
The minister was urging us to pray for Governor Faubus and do whatever was necessary to heal any sour feelings we had against white people. He had been organizing other ministers in Little Rock to speak out and condemn the governor for dispatching the troops. He said we should pray for the judges and city officials and the President to make the right decisions—to let us into Central High. What is the central idea of the excerpt?
Ministers sometimes encourage people to make positive changes.
Read the sample student claim. I strongly feel that advertising should be banned during children's television shows. Is this an effective claim?
No, because it only expresses a personal preference or feeling.
Read the excerpt from Warriors Don't Cry. "That's strange," Mama mumbled as she waved to people who didn't bother waving back. "No matter, maybe they didn't see me." Our neighbors had always been so friendly, but now they peered at us without their usual smiles. Then I saw Kathy and Ronda, two of my school friends, standing with their mothers. Anxious to catch their attention, I waved out the window with a loud "Hi." Their disapproving glances matched those of the adults. What idea is emphasized through repetition?
The narrator's neighbors are not offering their usual greetings.
As the evening wore on and the matches got really heated, Grandma India and I would behave as we behaved nowhere else. She would pound the floor with her parasol and shout and wave her fist until her hat was twisted on her head and her churchgoing outfit was rumpled. Once she had even dropped her glasses and broken them in a fit of rage when her tag-team favorites, Mud Mountain and Blue Moon Hog, were counted out by the referee. Which words help create the mood in the excerpt? Check all that apply.
pound shout rage
Read the sample student claim and the reasons listed for making this claim. Claim: Although many people argue that medical testing on animals is a violation of animal rights, the benefits it yields for society far outweigh any argument that can be made. Reason #1: Animal research has yielded both pain-relieving and life-saving drugs for humans. Reason #2: Laws prohibit scientists from using animal-based research in cases where non-animal testing would produce equally clear and valid results. Which piece of evidence would best support reason #2?
Enacted in 1966, the Animal Welfare Act is a US federal law that regulates the care and use of animals in a variety of circumstances, including medical research and testing. People will not tolerate the suffering of animals, so it is only logical that scientists will only use animal testing as a last resort when all other measures have failed.
Read the rough draft of a student's conclusion to an argumentative editorial. (1) Year-round schooling would help student achievement. (2) Not so much information would have to be crammed into nine months. (3) Furthermore, the elimination of long breaks, particularly summer break, would significantly reduce "learning loss" and the additional time wasted at the beginning of each academic year to reteach previously learned material. (4) It is clear that year-round schooling helps students learn and retain more. (5) The United States is not the only country to experiment with a year-round school schedule. (6) Although many still claim that evidence about year-round school and its link to higher achievement is inconclusive, these people need to open their eyes and see that students in these schools consistently score higher on certain assessments than students who attend schools with traditional nine-month calendars. (7) It is about time that we replaced our outdated and inefficient school calendars. Which revision of sentence 2 best adds information that clarifies the reason offered by the writer?
Not so much information would have to be crammed into nine months, and class material could be covered at a more even and logical pace.
Cameras flashed, bright lights stung my eyes, and reporters asked lots of questions for the next half hour. Many of the reporters asked the attorneys what they planned to do to get rid of the troops. And questions were directed to Elizabeth. She seemed shy about answering, but with Mrs. Bates's help, she forced herself to say a few words. Eventually, however, questions were directed to all of us. My heart raced with fear and anticipation as I observed the process. I was almost hypnotized by the wonder of it all. What is the author's purpose for including these details?
to describe her personal recollections to readers
Read the excerpt from Warriors Don't Cry. Just before the court hearing where Governor Faubus would be called to account, the nine of us were summoned to Mrs. Bates's house to meet with the press. Nothing had changed since our last meeting. The troops were still in place around the school, and every morning the crowd of segregationists grew larger. Governor Faubus was still predicting violence. Several very dignified and important-looking men sat in her living room. One was the NAACP attorney, Wiley Branton. I recognized another man whose picture I'd seen in the newspapers: the famous lawyer Thurgood Marshall, the man who had delivered the argument that resulted in the Supreme Court's 1954 school integration ruling. What is the author's purpose for including these details?
to inform readers about historical context
A cardinal ideal in this heritage we cherish is the equality of rights of all citizens of every race and color and creed. We know that discrimination against minorities persists despite our allegiance to this ideal. Such discrimination—confined to no one section of the Nation—is but the outward testimony to the persistence of distrust and of fear in the hearts of men. This fact makes all the more vital the fighting of these wrongs by each individual, in every station of life, in his every deed . . . I propose to use whatever authority exists in the office of the President to end segregation in the District of Columbia, including the Federal Government, and any segregation in the Armed Forces. What is the president's purpose for including these details?
to persuade his listeners of the importance of equal rights
In that city, under the leadership of demagogic extremists, disorderly mobs have deliberately prevented the carrying out of proper orders from a Federal Court. Local authorities have not eliminated that violent opposition and, under the law, I yesterday issued a Proclamation calling upon the mob to disperse. What is the president's purpose for including these details?
to persuade his listeners of the need for presidential intervention
Voter participation is the cornerstone of a democratic society, and America's young people should seize this privilege as soon as they are able. Some youth wait until a presidential election year or until confronted with a compelling political issue. Instead, everyone ought to register on his or her eighteenth birthday and embrace this rite of passage into adulthood. What is the author's purpose?
to persuade young adults to register to vote
Read the sample student claim and the reasons listed for making this claim. Claim: Although many people argue that medical testing on animals is a violation of animal rights, the benefits it yields for society far outweigh any argument that can be made. Reason #1: Animal research has yielded both pain-relieving and life-saving drugs for humans. Reason #2: Laws prohibit scientists from using animal-based research in cases where non-animal testing would produce equally clear and valid results. Which piece of evidence would best support reason #1?
Animal research played an essential role in the development of Herceptin and Tamoxifen, two medications that have already saved the lives of thousands of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Look at the frames from Iqbal. Read the excerpt from Free the Children. "He was crying and he was confused," said the translator. I knew it could not have been all that Liaqat had said, but we had no way of probing further. "Then what happened?" I asked. "They were taken to the police station. They put their thumbs on a blank sheet of paper and were told to leave." Which statement best describes a similarity in purpose between the frames and excerpt?
Both inform the reader that Faryad and Liaqat were not given the chance to tell their version of events at the police station.
Realizing that the dilemma of integration wasn't going to be resolved quickly, everybody seemed to be concerned about our falling behind in our schoolwork. Teachers from our community along with other professionals were offering to give us books and to tutor us. Grace Lorch, who had helped Elizabeth escape the mob, and her husband, Dr. Lorch, organized tutoring sessions. It felt good to dress in school clothes and go to Philander Smith, our community's college. For part of each day, I studied schoolwork and spent time with my eight friends, enjoying a thimbleful of normality. What ideas are presented in the excerpt? Check all that apply
Community members rallied to support the students' education. Daily meetings with tutors temporarily replaced school. The narrator enjoyed the return of a school routine.
Read the sample student claim and counterclaim. Claim: Although many argue that homework plays a vital role in the educational process, the negative aspects of homework far surpass the potential benefits. Counterclaim: Homework helps students develop valuable skills, such as independent learning, needed for college and the workplace. What evidence would most weaken the counterclaim presented here?
It is nearly impossible to know if the completed homework actually belongs to the student or has been copied from another.
Which is one difference between a graphic novel and a memoir?
Only graphic novels use speech bubbles to show dialogue.
Look at the frame from Iqbal. Read the excerpt from the prologue of Free the Children. Later that year he arrived in Boston to receive the Reebok Youth in Action Award. Holding a pencil in one hand and a carpet tool in the other, Iqbal stood before the audience. And in his small but commanding voice he spoke of the horrors of child labour. The room was intensely silent. Which statement best describes a difference between the frame and the excerpt?
Only the excerpt tells about the atmosphere in the room after Iqbal received the award.
Which statement best describes a difference between the frame and the excerpt?
Only the excerpt tells about the atmosphere in the room after Iqbal received the award.
Read the sample student paragraph that addresses a counterclaim. Some claim that the Internet both invades and compromises one's right to privacy. However, this is ridiculous. The Internet is only as invasive as one allows it to be, particularly since there are laws to protect people's privacy. Exercising caution when supplying personal information online is the most vital step in protecting one's privacy. Any information you do not feel comfortable sharing online should not be shared, and sensitive information should only be provided to trusted organizations. Additionally, some states have already enacted privacy laws that model the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, ensuring that information collected for one purpose may not be used—or sold—for other purposes without first notifying the individual to whom the data belongs. The first and most important protector of an individual's information is that individual. People whose personal information is not properly protected only have themselves to blame. What is the counterclaim in this paragraph?
The Internet both invades and compromises an individual's right to privacy.
Look at the frame from Iqbal. Which excerpt from the prologue of Free the Children reflects what is occurring in this frame?
With the help of a human-rights organization, Iqbal was able to escape and go to school. Iqbal completed two grade levels that first year.
Which statement best represents a claim?
The benefits of mandatory voting in the United States far outweigh the potential drawbacks.
Look at the frames from Iqbal. Read the excerpt from Free the Children. The autopsy report given at the judicial commission of the High Court of Lahore had said the same thing, but if Faryad was sitting on the bicycle behind Iqbal while they were riding, how could it be that Faryad had pellets in his left arm, and not on his right side, like Iqbal. Which statement describes how the purpose of the frame and the excerpt are different?
The excerpt informs the reader that there were likely inaccuracies in the report provided to the court.
Read the passage. With car crashes being the leading cause of death among teenagers, many are in favor of raising the legal driving age to eighteen. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of crashes, both fatal and nonfatal, for sixteen-year-old drivers is almost ten times the rate as that of drivers aged thirty to fifty-nine, as calculated per mile driven. No one disputes the idea that raising the legal driving age will create issues and difficulties for many; however, these issues pale in comparison with the issue of safety. "The bottom line is that when we look at the research, raising the driving age saves lives," states Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group funded by the auto insurance industry. To date, New Jersey is the only state to raise the legal driving age to seventeen, and various studies have shown that the overall rate of teen fatalities linked to automobile accidents has been consistently lower compared to that of nearby states. A student is researching evidence to support the claim below. Some people believe that raising the legal driving age to eighteen in the United States would cause a wealth of problems for society, but the benefits of doing so far outweigh the potential inconveniences. Which reason could best be supported by the evidence in this passage?
The legal driving age should be raised to eighteen for safety reasons.
Read the sample student claim and counterclaim. Claim: Although many people argue that medical testing on animals is a violation of animal rights, the benefits it yields for society far outweigh any argument that can be made. Counterclaim: There are safer and more accurate ways to test medications without using animals. What evidence would most weaken the counterclaim presented here?
The physiologies of humans and some animals are very similar, so the reactions of these creatures to certain medications are the most reliable guide to the possible reactions of human patients. Scientists are more easily able to control an animal's environment, such as diet and temperature, than they are that of humans, which makes the tests far more reliable than alternative methods.
Read the paragraph. With car crashes being the leading cause of death among teenagers, many are in favor of raising the legal driving age to eighteen. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of crashes, both fatal and nonfatal, for sixteen-year-old drivers is almost ten times the rate as that of drivers aged thirty to fifty-nine, as calculated per mile driven. No one disputes the idea that raising the legal driving age will create issues and difficulties for many; however, these issues pale in comparison with the issue of safety. "The bottom line is that when we look at the research, raising the driving age saves lives," states Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group funded by the auto insurance industry. To date, New Jersey is the only state to raise the legal driving age to seventeen, and various studies have shown that the overall rate of teen fatalities linked to automobile accidents has been consistently lower compared to that of nearby states. A student is researching evidence to support the claim below. Some people believe that raising the legal driving age to eighteen in the United States would cause a wealth of problems for society, but the benefits of doing so far outweigh the potential inconveniences. What kind of evidence does the passage include to support this claim? Check all that apply.
a quote from an expert facts and statistics
Which elements are important to include in the conclusion of an argumentative editorial? Check all that apply.
a restatement of the claim a summary of the rebuttal a solution, an alternative, or a call to action
Being together in those classes, the nine of us were developing a true friendship—becoming closer knit than we might have been under other circumstances. We talked about our fears, what we missed at our old school, and our hopes that the integration issues would soon be resolved. While I regretted the friendships I was losing, I cherished the growing ties to the eight. What best describes the narrator's mood?
sentimental
Read the excerpt from Free the Children. "School," I had asked him, "would you like to go to school?" "What is school? What is it like? What do people do there?" "What do you hope for the future?" I said. "I will do the same job. I will work to pay the debt. I will work to eat. One day I will take a loan from the owner. My children will have to pay." Why does the author most likely include this interaction?
to emphasize the generational cycle of debt slavery
What is the author's purpose in these frames?
to inform
"Then you don't have anything to be concerned about." Mother Lois maneuvered through the unusually heavy traffic. "I don't know where all the cars could have come from," she said. We both craned our necks, curious about all the unfamiliar cars and people. Certainly there had never before been so many white people driving down the streets of our quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. What idea is emphasized through repetition?
The streets are unusually crowded.
The next day, in the Sunday paper, I saw a pitiful closeup photograph of Elizabeth, walking alone in front of Central on that first day of integration. It pained my insides to see, once again, the twisted, scowling white faces with open mouths jeering, clustered about my friend's head like bouquets of grotesque flowers. It was an ad paid for by a white man from a small town in Arkansas. "If you live in Arkansas," the ad read, "study this picture and know shame. When hate is unleashed and bigotry finds a voice, God help us all." I felt a kind of joy and hope in the thought that one white man was willing to use his own money to call attention to the injustice we were facing. Maybe the picture would help others realize that what they were doing was hurting everybody. What is the central idea of the excerpt?
There is sympathy and support for the children struggling to integrate schools.
As hard as I tried not to care, I couldn't start my morning without knowing what the governor, his National Guard, and the school board were up to. I had to face the awful truth. Grandma was right, I was letting those people determine how I felt, and how I lived a great part of my day. What best describes the narrator's mood?
bothered
The United States Department of Agriculture has historically published recommendations for healthy eating based on a food pyramid. This concept has been reimagined with the introduction of their new website www.choosemyplate.gov. This interactive website allows individuals to explore healthy menus tailored to their particular needs. The website also provides information about physical activity, caloric intake, and food groups. What is the author's purpose?
to inform readers about a government website
Which best describes the author's purpose in these frames of Iqbal?
to show how Iqbal inspired others
Read the excerpt from Free the Children. "Can he explain a little of what happened after the shot was fired?" Liaqat's answer caused the translator to raise his voice slightly at him. Iqbal's mother broke in briefly, and she, too, raised her voice at Liaqat. It was as if he had not given the answer they wanted to hear. "He was crying and he was confused," said the translator. Why does the author most likely include this interaction?
to show that the family is trying to prevent Liaqat from sharing certain information
Why does the author most likely include this interaction?
to show that the journalist knows more about what happened to Iqbal than Liaqat knows