Exam 13: Persuasion

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) America's public schools should adopt the principles of Harlem, New York's Promise Academy, three charter schools established in 2004 to revitalize an impoverished urban area through better education. (2) First, public schools should lengthen the school day. (3) In the Promise Academy schools, the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and does not end until 4:00 p.m.; furthermore, teachers assign homework in every subject every night. (4) Putting this kind of emphasis on academic studies in public schools would result in graduates who are better prepared for the challenges of higher education and the workforce. (5) Second, public schools should offer an after-school program like the one at the Promise Academy. (6) In that program, which lasts until 6:00 p.m. for elementary school children and 7:30 p.m. for middle and high school students, young people can get academic help or take additional classes to learn to speak a foreign language, play a musical instrument, or explore a new hobby such as photography or chess. (7) If offered a similar program, public school children would be more likely to spend their time in safe, productive activities and less likely to get into trouble. (8) Finally, public schools should replicate what the Promise Academy calls its "culture of achievement and intellectual growth." (9) By creating this type of culture, public schools would increase their student success rates. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince someone to eat at Lou's Famous Barbeque Restaurant, you could say that

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $15.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Each of the following sentences states what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince this person that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade parents to enroll their children in piano lessons, you could say that

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) America's public schools should adopt the principles of Harlem, New York's Promise Academy, three charter schools established in 2004 to revitalize an impoverished urban area through better education. (2) First, public schools should lengthen the school day. (3) In the Promise Academy schools, the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and does not end until 4:00 p.m.; furthermore, teachers assign homework in every subject every night. (4) Putting this kind of emphasis on academic studies in public schools would result in graduates who are better prepared for the challenges of higher education and the workforce. (5) Second, public schools should offer an after-school program like the one at the Promise Academy. (6) In that program, which lasts until 6:00 p.m. for elementary school children and 7:30 p.m. for middle and high school students, young people can get academic help or take additional classes to learn to speak a foreign language, play a musical instrument, or explore a new hobby such as photography or chess. (7) If offered a similar program, public school children would be more likely to spend their time in safe, productive activities and less likely to get into trouble. (8) Finally, public schools should replicate what the Promise Academy calls its "culture of achievement and intellectual growth." (9) By creating this type of culture, public schools would increase their student success rates. Which of the following sentences does NOT contain a transitional expression that indicates persuasion (reasons)?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) Parents should not enter their little girls in children's beauty pageants. (2) First of all, children who participate in these pageants may develop an unhealthy body image. (3) Studies have found that children who competed in beauty contests are more likely than those who didn't compete to be dissatisfied with their bodies, an attitude that can lead later to eating disorders or other psychological issues. (4) Another reason to avoid pageants is the cost. (5) Participation requires a lot of money for clothing, props, coaching, and travel, and these expenses quickly add up to thousands of dollars per pageant. (6) Many parents have admitted going into debt to finance their pageant hobby; Rick and Misty Simon of Atlanta, Georgia, for example, say that their credit card debt rose to $30,000 after two years of entering their daughter in a series of local pageants. (7) The most important reason to avoid these pageants, though, is their tendency to sexualize little girls. (8) The "glitz pageants" in particular require young contestants to wear heavy makeup and elaborate hairstyles that adults would wear. (9) They encourage parents to put their children into revealing costumes and then have those kids gesture and dance flirtatiously while wearing inappropriately suggestive facial expressions. (10) Little girls have no business prancing around on stage made up like adult women, winking at the judges, blowing kisses, and swinging their hips. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) The swim-with-dolphin programs popular in tropical resorts have been described as a delightful way to get to know these gentle, intelligent animals. (2) However, people should consider the harmful consequences of swimming with a dolphin and avoid these programs. (3) For one thing, getting into a pool with a dolphin may result in injuries. (4) Quite a few participants have suffered from cuts, bruises, cracked ribs, and broken arms because dolphins are wild animals, and they don't always behave in predictable ways. (5) What's more, swimming with dolphins can be harmful not only to humans but also the dolphins. (6) Trainers may say that these playful, permanently smiling creatures are friendly and love interacting with humans. (7) According to marine mammal scientist Dr. Ben Coleman, though, the dolphins in these programs are being held captive, which causes them stress. (8) Their happy expressions mask their true mental and emotional state. (9) Finally and most important, capturing a wild animal and forcing it to perform tricks for humans' amusement is just downright unethical. (10) These animals deserve to live their lives in freedom in the open seas, as nature intended. How many arguments support the topic sentence?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) America's public schools should adopt the principles of Harlem, New York's Promise Academy, three charter schools established in 2004 to revitalize an impoverished urban area through better education. (2) First, public schools should lengthen the school day. (3) In the Promise Academy schools, the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and does not end until 4:00 p.m.; furthermore, teachers assign homework in every subject every night. (4) Putting this kind of emphasis on academic studies in public schools would result in graduates who are better prepared for the challenges of higher education and the workforce. (5) Second, public schools should offer an after-school program like the one at the Promise Academy. (6) In that program, which lasts until 6:00 p.m. for elementary school children and 7:30 p.m. for middle and high school students, young people can get academic help or take additional classes to learn to speak a foreign language, play a musical instrument, or explore a new hobby such as photography or chess. (7) If offered a similar program, public school children would be more likely to spend their time in safe, productive activities and less likely to get into trouble. (8) Finally, public schools should replicate what the Promise Academy calls its "culture of achievement and intellectual growth." (9) By creating this type of culture, public schools would increase their student success rates. How many arguments support the topic sentence?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) Amateur stargazing is an interesting and rewarding hobby. (2) Exploring astronomy builds knowledge about our amazing universe. (3) It's an inexpensive pastime, too. (4) All that's needed is a telescope, a book about how to understand what you're looking at, and maybe a membership in an astronomical club. (5) Studying the night sky is free! (6) That's why astronomy is also a great family activity. (7) In fact, looking at the heavens may awaken a love of science in children. (8) Plus, those who star-gaze long enough might even make an important discovery. (9) After all, many amateur astronomers have discovered comets, asteroids, and other heavenly bodies. (10) In 2005, for example, two amateur sky-watchers in New Zealand discovered a new planet 15,000 miles from Earth using only a backyard telescope. How many arguments support the topic sentence?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $15.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy. Which of the following sentences presents a fact to support a reason?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) Parents should not enter their little girls in children's beauty pageants. (2) First of all, children who participate in these pageants may develop an unhealthy body image. (3) Studies have found that children who competed in beauty contests are more likely than those who didn't compete to be dissatisfied with their bodies, an attitude that can lead later to eating disorders or other psychological issues. (4) Another reason to avoid pageants is the cost. (5) Participation requires a lot of money for clothing, props, coaching, and travel, and these expenses quickly add up to thousands of dollars per pageant. (6) Many parents have admitted going into debt to finance their pageant hobby; Rick and Misty Simon of Atlanta, Georgia, for example, say that their credit card debt rose to $30,000 after two years of entering their daughter in a series of local pageants. (7) The most important reason to avoid these pageants, though, is their tendency to sexualize little girls. (8) The "glitz pageants" in particular require young contestants to wear heavy makeup and elaborate hairstyles that adults would wear. (9) They encourage parents to put their children into revealing costumes and then have those kids gesture and dance flirtatiously while wearing inappropriately suggestive facial expressions. (10) Little girls have no business prancing around on stage made up like adult women, winking at the judges, blowing kisses, and swinging their hips. How many arguments support the topic sentence?

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince someone that the school day should be lengthened, you could say that

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade a person not to keep a wild animal as a pet, you could say that

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade someone to buy and use a couple of reusable cloth bags for transporting groceries home from the store, you could say that

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince someone to buy a particular product, you could say that

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) The swim-with-dolphin programs popular in tropical resorts have been described as a delightful way to get to know these gentle, intelligent animals. (2) However, people should consider the harmful consequences of swimming with a dolphin and avoid these programs. (3) For one thing, getting into a pool with a dolphin may result in injuries. (4) Quite a few participants have suffered from cuts, bruises, cracked ribs, and broken arms because dolphins are wild animals, and they don't always behave in predictable ways. (5) What's more, swimming with dolphins can be harmful not only to humans but also the dolphins. (6) Trainers may say that these playful, permanently smiling creatures are friendly and love interacting with humans. (7) According to marine mammal scientist Dr. Ben Coleman, though, the dolphins in these programs are being held captive, which causes them stress. (8) Their happy expressions mask their true mental and emotional state. (9) Finally and most important, capturing a wild animal and forcing it to perform tricks for humans' amusement is just downright unethical. (10) These animals deserve to live their lives in freedom in the open seas, as nature intended. Which sentence offers a reference to an authority to support a reason?

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) The swim-with-dolphin programs popular in tropical resorts have been described as a delightful way to get to know these gentle, intelligent animals. (2) However, people should consider the harmful consequences of swimming with a dolphin and avoid these programs. (3) For one thing, getting into a pool with a dolphin may result in injuries. (4) Quite a few participants have suffered from cuts, bruises, cracked ribs, and broken arms because dolphins are wild animals, and they don't always behave in predictable ways. (5) What's more, swimming with dolphins can be harmful not only to humans but also the dolphins. (6) Trainers may say that these playful, permanently smiling creatures are friendly and love interacting with humans. (7) According to marine mammal scientist Dr. Ben Coleman, though, the dolphins in these programs are being held captive, which causes them stress. (8) Their happy expressions mask their true mental and emotional state. (9) Finally and most important, capturing a wild animal and forcing it to perform tricks for humans' amusement is just downright unethical. (10) These animals deserve to live their lives in freedom in the open seas, as nature intended. Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

Each of the following sentences states what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince this person that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to persuade someone to support the construction of a new nuclear power plant, you could say that nuclear energy

Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. (1) Parents should not enter their little girls in children's beauty pageants. (2) First of all, children who participate in these pageants may develop an unhealthy body image. (3) Studies have found that children who competed in beauty contests are more likely than those who didn't compete to be dissatisfied with their bodies, an attitude that can lead later to eating disorders or other psychological issues. (4) Another reason to avoid pageants is the cost. (5) Participation requires a lot of money for clothing, props, coaching, and travel, and these expenses quickly add up to thousands of dollars per pageant. (6) Many parents have admitted going into debt to finance their pageant hobby; Rick and Misty Simon of Atlanta, Georgia, for example, say that their credit card debt rose to $30,000 after two years of entering their daughter in a series of local pageants. (7) The most important reason to avoid these pageants, though, is their tendency to sexualize little girls. (8) The "glitz pageants" in particular require young contestants to wear heavy makeup and elaborate hairstyles that adults would wear. (9) They encourage parents to put their children into revealing costumes and then have those kids gesture and dance flirtatiously while wearing inappropriately suggestive facial expressions. (10) Little girls have no business prancing around on stage made up like adult women, winking at the judges, blowing kisses, and swinging their hips. Which of the following sentences offers an example to support a reason?

Each of the following sentences tells what you are trying to persuade someone to do. Beneath each sentence are four reasons that attempt to convince the reader that he or she should take this particular course of action. Select the reason that seems irrelevant, illogical, or untrue. If you wanted to convince someone to adopt a dog from the animal shelter, you could say that