Vocab.
A reason(s) given with the goal of convincing or influencing others that an idea or decision is right or wrong.
What is an argument/argumentative writing?
Which information has the MOST value to a writer arguing that the driving age should be set nationally at a minimum of seventeen years old?
A. Sixteen-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
B. With minimal effort, most teenagers could pass the written portion of a driving test.
C. Vehicles in the 21st century are equipped with many safety features in case of accidents.
D. Teenagers need to drive by the age of sixteen to get to work on time.
A. Sixteen-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
What punctuation correctly completes the sentence: She had never been to a foreign country before _______ thus, the experience of traveling to Europe was both exciting and familiar.
A. colon (:)
B. semicolon (;)
C. dash (-)
B. semicolon (;)
Which version of this sentence from a research paper written in MLA format is punctuated correctly?
The source quoted in the sentence is from page 44 of Jeffrey Cleghorn's book titled The Novel in America.
A. When the author Henry James finally met the author Edith Wharton, the two "began a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives" (44) Cleghorn.
B. When the author Henry James finally met the author Edith Wharton, the two "began a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives" (Cleghorn 44).
C. When the author Henry James finally met the author Edith Wharton, the two "began a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives" Cleghorn, (44).
D. When the author Henry James finally met the author Edith Wharton, the two "began a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives (The Novel in America, Cleghorn, 44).
B. When the author Henry James finally met the author Edith Wharton, the two "began a friendship that lasted the rest of their lives" (Cleghorn 44).
A. Varsity coaches have been vocal in their protests against a longer school day which means, invariably, that practices end later.
B. Longer school days end up being more expensive for districts because of the increased number of hours that teachers work and must be paid for completing.
C. A longer school day is taxing not only to students, but also to the students too who are easily exhausted.
D. Studies have shown that increasing the school day has raised standardized test scores by two to three points.
E. The increased length of a school day also makes it possible to include more tutoring time throughout the day for athletes who have practice after school.
D. Studies have shown that increasing the school day has raised standardized test scores by two to three points.
E. The increased length of a school day also makes it possible to include more tutoring time throughout the day for athletes who have practice after school.
When a writer or speaker exhibits a partiality for - or prejudice against - a person, a topic, or an idea; some biases are directly stated, while others are implied.
What is bias?
"My grandfather believed this, my father believed this, and therefore, I believe this!"
What is the fallacy in this statement?
A. It posits an unquestioning faith in nature.
B. It posits an unquestioning faith in the wisdom of one's forebears.
C. It implies an unbroken family line where it doesn't necessarily exist.
D. It sends the message that grandfathers, fathers, and sons always make the same mistakes.
B. It posits an unquestioning faith in the wisdom of one's forebears.
Which sentence has an incorrect shift in verb mood?
A. Take two aspirins and then you should call me in the morning.
B. All the people at the gym this morning decided to do cardio first.
C. The moving truck accidentally backed into the side of the building.
D. After the football players finished morning practice, they hit the showers.
A. Take two aspirins and then you should call me in the morning.
Selma, Lord, Selma by Regina King.
Free at Last: the Civil Rights Legacy by Franklin Abbadoon.
The Civil Rights Era in America by Jeffrey Maclean.
If you used these three sources for a research paper on the Civil Rights movement in American in the 1960's, in what order would they appear on the "Works Cited" page?
A. Abbadoon, King, Maclean
B. Maclean, King, Abbadoon
C. King, Abbadoon, Maclean
D. King, Maclean, Abbadoon
A. Abbadoon, King, Maclean
You have been assigned to compose an essay in which you discuss an event while maintaining a formal style and an objective tone.
Which sentence would NOT be acceptable for the assigned essay?
A. Before the game began, anticipation mounted.
B. In an exciting and hotly-contested battle, the home team emerged victorious.
C. I could hardly contain myself and I screamed loudly as the final goal was scored.
D. The fans rooted lustily for their beloved team, but at first the victory seemed elusive.
C. I could hardly contain myself and I screamed loudly as the final goal was scored.
A statement made in response to another claim for the purpose of opposing it.
What is a counterclaim?
You have been assigned to write a "how-to" essay on the subject of making friends at a new school. Which statement would make the best transition for the start of the paragraph following the introductory paragraph of the essay?
A. Some people have a difficult time making friends.
B. To begin with, you need to be able to introduce yourself to new people.
C. Finally, it is a good idea to smile and generally have a pleasant attitude and demeanor.
D. Moving can be hard, and making friends at a new school is just one aspect of this difficult circumstance.
B. To begin with, you need to be able to introduce yourself to new people.
You have been instructed to compose a paragraph which tells a story about a day in your life. Your teacher has told you only to speak in the active voice. Which statement needs to be changed from how it is written?
A. I woke up that Tuesday morning, with no idea of what was going to happen.
B. I ate breakfast then left the house to drive to school.
C. On the way, I observed a terrible fire in the distance.
D. The fire was seen throwing off massive flames.
D. The fire was seen throwing off massive flames.
Which parenthetical citation is formatted correctly according to the MLA style guide?
The source quoted is from page 266 of Pietro Barilla's book titled Harmonious Harvest.
A. (Barilla 266).
B. .(Barilla 266)
C. (Barilla, 266).
D. ("Harmonious Harvest" 266).
A. (Barilla 266).
You have been assigned to compose an essay about why personal fitness is a highly important goal.
Which would best work as a concluding statement for the essay?
A. Fitness is less important for some than others.
B. I used to be quite fit, but lately I have become a bit lazy.
C. Whoever you are, a healthy lifestyle is dependent upon a daily dose of fitness.
D. Fitness "freaks" can cross the line sometimes, but they are generally on the right path.
C. Whoever you are, a healthy lifestyle is dependent upon a daily dose of fitness.
Arguments that have the appearance of being plausible but lack valid ideas; these ideas weaken the intended argument.
What is a logical fallacy?
Which word correctly completes the sentence?
My uncle lives in the _________ of France.
A. South
B. south
B. south
Which sentence contains an example of correct parallel structure?
A. I was nervous, uptight, and was worried.
B. The train sometimes would either go fast, or it would be stopping.
C. The only choices were to operate or refrain from operating
D. The boys had to choose between playing soccer, playing volleyball, or to swim.
C. The only choices were to operate or refrain from operating
Which of the following correctly formats a book title in an MLA Works Cited page?
A. The Great Gatsby
B. The Great Gatsby
C. “The Great Gatsby”
D. “The Great Gatsby”
B. The Great Gatsby
Read the following questions:
• How is this source proved?
• Is this website from an organization or author I can trust?
• What is the purpose of this source?
• When was the material published?
• Who is the author? Is he or she known and respected in the specific field?
MOST LIKELY, what is the purpose of the five provided questions?
A. They encourage writers to consider the format of their essays.
B. They address the presence of counterclaims and alternative views.
C. They invite writers to measure the credibility of evidence and data.
D. They provide reflection opportunities for a writer's personal anecdotal evidence.
C. They invite writers to measure the credibility of evidence and data.
The art of persuasive and effective communication.
What is rhetoric/rhetorical appeals?
Select the sentence that uses a semicolon and conjunctive adverb to link two independent clauses.
A. Her mother has explained many times; doing something right the first time is more efficient.
B. Running the dishwasher with food stuck to plates; dishes will almost certainly be dirty.
C. Jesse was frustrated because she had to wash; plates, bowls, cups, pots and pans by hand.
D. Jesse failed to wash the dishes well; consequently, she had to rewash them all by hand.
D. Jesse failed to wash the dishes well; consequently, she had to rewash them all by hand.
This word is a verb ending in -ing that functions as a noun in a sentence.
Ex: Swimming is fun.
What is a gerund?
Which of the following is the correct MLA heading format for the first page of an essay?
A. Centered: Name, Teacher, Course, Date
B. Left-aligned: Name, Teacher, Course, Date
C. Right-aligned: Name, Teacher, Course, Date
D. Left-aligned: Name, Course, Teacher, Date
B. Left-aligned: Name, Teacher, Course, Date
Which would be the MOST precise claim about the benefits of art and music classes for high school students?
A. Art and music classes might be a good way for students to be creative.
B. Art and music classes are the next big thing, and they are needed now.
C. Art and music classes would be good for students because it would make them happy.
D. Art and music classes have been shown to raise student test scores in other areas such as math and English.
D. Art and music classes have been shown to raise student test scores in other areas such as math and English.