ELA 10 - Comparing Arguments from Diverse Perspectives

Which fallacies appear in this passage? Select THREE options. Read the passage. Congress needs to pass legislation to protect the endangered species—and all organisms—currently threatened by climate change. All Americans realize that these creatures deserve the chance to survive without threats outside of their control. If Congress fails to address this today, then we all lose. - A) An appeal to emotion is used to make people feel guilty if they do not support the legislation. B) A false dilemma is used to claim that legislation is the only way to protect the environment. C) An ad hominem is used to attack representatives for failing to help endangered species. D) A bandwagon appeal is used to suggest that every American wants to help endangered species. E) A false dilemma is used to introduce the idea that the legislation could protect many organisms.

A) An appeal to emotion is used to make people feel guilty if they do not support the legislation. - and - B) A false dilemma is used to claim that legislation is the only way to protect the environment. - and - D) A bandwagon appeal is used to suggest that every American wants to help endangered species.

Which statements use rhetorical devices? Select TWO options. - A) Without a quick solution to the problem, we citizens may be in some trouble. B) Without a solution, we are in trouble. Without a solution, the trouble will be great. C) We do not need a solution right away, since two days is plenty of time to solve this global issue. D) I know you think that a solution is coming soon. Still, it does not seem that way right now. E) I have an idea that I think would solve this major problem, if only I knew where to share it.

B) Without a solution, we are in trouble. Without a solution, the trouble will be great. - and - C) We do not need a solution right away, since two days is plenty of time to solve this global issue.

How can the writer use understatement in this passage? Read the passage. (1) Ask young people today if they know of anyone who has had smallpox, and they might ask, "What's smallpox?" (2) That is because this disease was eradicated from the planet decades ago, thanks to vaccinations. (3) Despite the obvious effectiveness of vaccination, opponents of this procedure argue that humans are better off fighting diseases on their own without adding anything potentially harmful to their bodies. (4) Still, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that vaccines can be 99 percent effective, and the Centers for Disease Control claims that, over a 10-year period, vaccines allowed 322 million children to avoid illnesses. (5) So the next time someone tells you that vaccines are poisoned apples that will lead to a fate like Snow White's, counter their argument with the facts. (6) The bottom line is that vaccines are safe to use and save lives. - A) by changing the phrase "young people" to "most people" in sentence 1 B) by deleting the words obvious and potentially from sentence 3 C) by adding the phrase "so a few lives might be saved" to the end of sentence 4 C) by shortening the passage to only five sentences by removing sentence 5

C) by adding the phrase "so a few lives might be saved" to the end of sentence 4

Which reasons are logically sound and could be used to support the claim? Select TWO options. Read the claim. The overuse of social media has led to a decline in the academic performance of this country's high school students. - A) High school students are spending more time on social media than they are studying and completing homework. B) Grades at a specific high school are worse this year than they were 20 years ago, when social media was not a distraction. C) Social media is causing many problems in society, including a lack of attention and a more negative attitude toward education. D) You can read several articles about students around the country causing problems at school rather than focusing on academics. E) Standardized test scores dropped or remained stagnant in many states in 2017, which was the peak year to date for social media use.

A) High school students are spending more time on social media than they are studying and completing homework. - and - E) Standardized test scores dropped or remained stagnant in many states in 2017, which was the peak year to date for social media use.

Which statement best compares how the authors develop their arguments? Read the two passages about school uniforms. // Passage 1 School uniforms could alter students' attitudes toward their education. If students wear the same clothing each day, they will not have to think about what to wear on a daily basis. In addition, having a uniform could boost students' confidence and reduce envy or embarrassment. Conforming to one uniform might also help students fit in more easily. // Passage 2 School uniforms have no place in education, especially since we are trying to instill the principles of individuality and diversity in our children. School uniforms destroy students' abilities to be themselves. I have seen schools where uniforms are required; the students' faces tell the whole story. By enforcing uniforms in school, we are clearly not giving students a choice in what they wear. But when we take away choice, more than just choice is lost. - A) Passage 1 uses a logical approach, while passage 2 contains appeals to emotion. B) Passage 1 uses an emotional appeal, while passage 2 uses mainly understatement. C) Passage 1 uses empirical evidence, while passage 2 relies on logical evidence. D) Passage 1 uses an ad hominem attack, while passage 2 has a bandwagon appeal.

A) Passage 1 uses a logical approach, while passage 2 contains appeals to emotion.

Which statement best explains why the evidence provided in the text is a fallacy? Read the passage. The cost of health care is rising in America. The amount that an average family must pay for insurance is simply unaffordable. I know this because my family is an average American family—and we are worried. The people who make decisions about health care do not seem to think about the effect of the rising costs on hardworking people like my husband and me. - A) The writer uses an appeal to emotion by portraying her family as abandoned by policy makers. B) The writer uses a bandwagon statement by claiming that her family is an "average American family." C) The writer uses an ad hominem argument by attacking those who make healthcare decisions. D) The writer uses a false dilemma by stating that insurance is both necessary and unaffordable.

A) The writer uses an appeal to emotion by portraying her family as abandoned by policy makers.

What fallacy does this argument use? Read the passage. (1) Social media is here to stay. (2) No amount of complaining by an older generation who cannot even turn on a computer will change the fact that we live in a social media world. (3) Increasing access to social media for people who are afraid to use it or unwilling to try it should be the first step toward making the playing field a bit more even for everyone. - A) an ad hominem attack B) an appeal to emotion C) a false dilemma D) a bandwagon appeal

A) an ad hominem attack

How do the fallacies in the first passage differ from the fallacies in the second? Read the two passages. Passage 1 Many people think that standardized testing is unnecessary; however, standardized testing is the only way to measure student achievement. Viewing student testing only from a student's perspective is missing the point. If we think of it in practical terms, we can see that testing students gives us a baseline to assist those students in their areas of greatest need. Without standardized testing, that assistance would not be possible. Passage 2 Students experience anxiety during standardized testing. Everyone knows this, and everyone should realize that no child deserves to feel unnecessary stress. Imagine one of your own children suffering through the rigors of a week—or more—of testing. Imagine that anxiety, even though there were clearly alternatives available to avoid it. This is just one of the many reasons to eliminate standardized testing in our schools. - A) Passage 1 contains an ad hominem attack, while passage 2 contains a false dilemma. B) Passage 1 contains a false dilemma, while passage 2 contains a bandwagon appeal. C) Passage 1 contains a bandwagon appeal, while passage 2 contains an appeal to emotion. D) Passage 1 contains an appeal to emotion, while passage 2 contains an ad hominem attack.

B) Passage 1 contains a false dilemma, while passage 2 contains a bandwagon appeal.

What is the best definition of an argumentative text? - A) a text that uses persuasive language to promote one point of view on an issue B) a text that supports a claim about a debatable topic using evidence as support C) a text that presents evidence to inform the audience about a specific topic D) a text that uses rhetorical devices to support a particular perspective

B) a text that supports a claim about a debatable topic using evidence as support

What evidence does President Obama use to support the claim that the child-refugee problem needs to be addressed and fixed? Select TWO options. Read the passage from a speech by President Barack Obama. Good afternoon. Mr. Secretary General; Your Excellencies, we are here because, right now, in crowded camps and cities around the world, there are families—from Darfur in Chad, Palestinians in Lebanon, Afghans in Pakistan, Colombians in Ecuador—who've endured years—in some cases, decades—as refugees, surviving on rations and aid, and who dream of someday, somehow, having a home of their own. We're here because, right now, there are young girls . . . like my daughters . . . who are just as precious and just as gifted—like the 16-year-old refugee from Myanmar that I met in Malaysia—who've suffered unspeakable abuse . . . girls who pray at night that someone might rescue them from their torment. - A) Obama uses empirical evidence, since he names the specific countries where refugees live. B) Obama uses empirical evidence, since he uses a verifiable source in the refugee from Myanmar. C) Obama uses logical evidence, since it is reasonable to state that refugees want homes of their own. D) Obama uses logical evidence, since it is common sense that most young girls are gifted. E) Obama uses anecdotal evidence, since he shares stories about his visits to war-torn countries. F) Obama uses anecdotal evidence, since he shares a personal experience he has had with a refugee.

C) Obama uses logical evidence, since it is reasonable to state that refugees want homes of their own. - and - F) Obama uses anecdotal evidence, since he shares a personal experience he has had with a refugee.

Which statements are examples of debatable claims about immigration? Select TWO options. - A) The majority of the country is in favor of significant changes to current immigration policies. B) The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration policy that was established in 2012. C) The number of immigrants allowed to stay in the country is affecting job availability for others. D) Immigrants are responsible for many of the advances in technology and other areas of industry. E) Permanent legal residents and foreign nationals are two examples of legal US immigrants.

C) The number of immigrants allowed to stay in the country is affecting job availability for others. - and - D) Immigrants are responsible for many of the advances in technology and other areas of industry.

Which rhetorical device does Obama use in this passage? Read the passage from a speech by President Barack Obama. Mr. Secretary General; Your Excellencies, we are here because, right now, in crowded camps and cities around the world, there are families . . . who've endured years . . . as refugees, surviving on rations and aid, and who dream of someday, somehow, having a home of their own. We're here because, right now, there are young girls . . . who've suffered unspeakable abuse . . . who pray at night that someone might rescue them from their torment. . . . We are here because, right now, there are mothers separated from their children—like the woman in a camp in Greece, who held on to her family photographs . . . and who said "my breath is my children . . . every day I am dying 10, 20, 30 times." - A) understatement B) tricolon C) anaphora D) allusion

C) anaphora

How does the evidence in the first passage differ from the evidence in the second? Read the two passages. // Passage 1 The need for standardized testing in education is a sensitive topic to some. Many fear that the use of these tests with students of all ages would lead to a decline in both academic growth and innovation; however, if standardized testing continues to be a reliable and objective source of measuring student achievement, we must conclude that the means justify the end. We can simply state the results of a 100-year analysis of testing research for proof: 93 percent of studies on student testing found a favorable outcome for student achievement. // Passage 2 When the Brookings Institution, a 100-year-old organization made up of experts in education and government, reports that up to 80 percent of standardized test score improvements were temporary and did not lead to improvements in learning, we must realize that student testing is not working. I have visited several schools during testing time, so I can personally vouch for the negative effect that standardized tests have on students' emotions. Standardized testing is unnecessary and must end. - A) Passage 1 uses anecdotal evidence, while passage 2 uses empirical evidence. B) Passage 1 uses empirical evidence, while passage 2 uses logical evidence. C) Passage 1 uses anecdotal evidence, while passage 2 uses logical evidence. D) Passage 1 uses logical evidence, while passage 2 uses anecdotal evidence.

D) Passage 1 uses logical evidence, while passage 2 uses anecdotal evidence.

Which passage provides more effective evidence, and why? Read the two passages. // Passage 1 Raising the minimum wage for workers will provide a significant boost to the economy. For example, changing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would add $22 billion to the economy by increasing people's purchasing power. Household spending would increase by $48 billion in one year with a similar minimum wage increase. Increased earnings lead to increased spending and a greater demand for products and services. This phenomenon then leads to the need for more workers and, thereby, job growth. // Passage 2 The current federal minimum wage for workers is $7.25. If the government increased that by $1.75, studies show that household spending would also increase—by $48 billion annually. An economic move like this makes too much sense to ignore. A rise in household spending would mean an expansion in the profits of many businesses, including small businesses. As a small-business owner, I would certainly welcome the extra income. The last time the minimum wage was increased, my profit margin increased substantially. My fellow small-business owners experienced a similar profit growth that year. - A) Passage 1 is more effective because the evidence is logical and does not include fallacies. B) Passage 1 is more effective because the evidence is logical and cannot be opposed. C) Passage 2 is more effective because the evidence is logical and includes two perspectives. D) Passage 2 is more effective because the evidence is logical and is supported by anecdotes.

D) Passage 2 is more effective because the evidence is logical and is supported by anecdotes.

Which sentence in the passage contains an allusion? Read the passage. (1) Ask young people today if they know of anyone who has had smallpox, and they might ask, "What's smallpox?" (2) That is because this disease was eradicated from the planet decades ago, thanks to vaccinations. (3) Despite the obvious effectiveness of vaccination, opponents of this procedure argue that humans are better off fighting diseases on their own without adding anything potentially harmful to their bodies. (4) Still, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that vaccines can be 99 percent effective, and the Centers for Disease Control claims that, over a 10-year period, vaccines allowed 322 million children to avoid illnesses. (5) So the next time someone tells you that vaccines are poisoned apples that will lead to a fate like Snow White's, counter their argument with the facts. (6) The bottom line is that vaccines are safe to use and save lives. - A) sentence 1 B) sentence 3 C) sentence 4 D) sentence 5

D) sentence 5