Claims & thesis
True or False:
A claim is the main argument or position the writer is trying to prove
what is true?
The use of statistics, historical examples, personal anecdotes, and logic in an essay/ writing
What is:
Evidence
True or False:
A counterclaim presents a viewpoint that opposes the writer’s position.
What is true?
"Freedom of speech should have more limits"
What is:
protects vulnerable groupsprevents the spread of misinformation and the possible harm from it
maintains social stability
Fill in the blanks:
A strong thesis must express a clear ______ and offer main ______ that support it.
What is opinion; reasons
Electra is a circa 420–410 BCE play by Sophocles, translated in 1870 by R.C. Jebb. Electra, who is in mourning for her dead father and her long-absent brother, is aware of the intensity of her grief but believes it to be justified: ______
Which quotation from Electra most effectively illustrates the claim?
A. O thou pure sunlight, and thou air, earth's canopy, how often have ye heard the strains of my lament, the wild blows dealt against this bleeding breast, when dark night fails!
B. I know my own passion, it escapes me not; but, seeing that the causes are so dire, will never curb these frenzied plaints, while life is in me.
C. Send to me my brother; for I have no more the strength to bear up alone against the load of grief that weighs me down.
D. But never will I cease from dirge and sore lament, while I look on the trembling rays of the bright stars, or on this light of day.
What is:
B) I know my own passion, it escapes me not; but, seeing that the causes are so dire, will never curb these frenzied plaints, while life is in me.
Fill in the blanks:
A writer first presents a ______ and then uses a ______ to disprove it.
what is Counterclaim ; rebuttal?
"Art and Music are less important than STEM subjects"
What is:
STEM leads directly to employment
Economic priorities (growth of a nation depends on technical innovations)
Core academic efficiency (Schools should improve practical outcomes)
In the digital era, cybersecurity has become a paramount concern for individuals and organizations alike. The recent surge in cyber attacks highlights the vulnerability of digital infrastructure and the need for robust security measures. Cybersecurity strategies now prioritize not only the protection of sensitive information but also the resilience of systems to ensure continuity in the face of threats. Advances in encryption technology and the development of more sophisticated firewalls have been critical in defending against hackers. However, the human element remains the weakest link, with social engineering attacks exploiting human psychology rather than technical flaws. Education and awareness programs have thus become essential components of comprehensive cybersecurity plans, aiming to equip people with the knowledge to recognize and resist phishing attempts and other deceptive practices.
What is the thesis of this passage?
A) Cybersecurity is critical in the digital age requiring advanced technology and human vigilance to protect against increasing cyber threats.
B) The advancement of encryption technology is the single most important factor in the fight against cyber attacks
C) Social engineering attacks have become the primary concern in cybersecurity. Overshadowing technical vulnerabilities.
D) Cybersecurity education programs are ineffective in mitigating the risk of syber attacks due to the sophistication of hackers.
What is:
A) Cybersecurity is critical in the digital age requiring advanced technology and human vigilance to protect against increasing cyber threats.
Jan Gimsa, Robert Sleigh, and Ulrike Gimsa have hypothesized that the sail-like structure running down the back of the dinosaur Spinosaurus aegyptiacus improved the animal's success in underwater pursuits of prey species capable of making quick, evasive movements. To evaluate their hypothesis, a second team of researchers constructed two battery-powered mechanical models of S. aegyptiacus, one with a sail and one without, and subjected the models to a series of identical tests in a water-filled tank.
Which finding from the model tests, if true, would most strongly support Gimsa and colleagues' hypothesis?
A. The model with a sail took significantly longer to travel a specified distance while submerged than the model without a sail did.
B. The model with a sail displaced significantly more water while submerged than the model without a sail did.
C. The model with a sail had significantly less battery power remaining after completing the tests than the model without a sail did.
D. The model with a sail took significantly less time to complete a sharp turn while submerged than the model without a sail did.
What is:
D) The model with a sail took significantly less time to complete a sharp turn while submerged than the model without a sail did.
"The death penalty is an unreasonable punishment for criminals"
What is:
prevention of the same action happening again
Justice for crime(Closure for victims' family)
Only good solution for highly dangerous committed crimes
"Failure should be publicly displayed in schools (Test wise)"
What is:
Encourages Accountability (Makes others feel pressured to improve)
Motivates Competition (rivalry amongst others boots academic effort)
Prepares students for real-world evaluation (performance is key and public in careers)
Passage: Urban planner Fatima Rossi is renowned for her designs integrating public art with functional infrastructure. Rossi's work often reflects the complex history and diverse communities of the neighborhoods she redesigns. In an architectural journal, a critic argues that Rossi's ability to embed local narratives within her designs is what creates such a strong sense of place and community connection in her projects.
Question: Which of the following findings from a community survey would best support the critic’s argument?
A) Residents praise Rossi's designs primarily for their modern aesthetic and use of durable materials.
B) Attendance at community events held in Rossi-designed plazas has increased by 15% year over year.
C) Surveys show residents in Rossi-designed areas report a significantly higher feeling of connection to local history and neighbors compared to residents in areas with standard infrastructure.
D) Rossi's design process involves numerous consultations, but final decisions often prioritize engineering requirements over community suggestions.
What is:
C) Surveys show residents in Rossi-designed areas report a significantly higher feeling of connection to local history and neighbors compared to residents in areas with standard infrastructure.
Several studies of sediment (e.g., dirt, pieces of rock, etc.) in streams have shown an inverse correlation between sediment grain size and downstream distance from the primary sediment source, suggesting that stream length has a sorting effect on sediment. In a study of sediment sampled at more than a dozen sites in Alpine streams, however, geologists Camille Litty and Fritz Schlunegger found that cross-site variations in grain size were not associated with differences in downstream distance, though they did not conclude that downstream distance is irrelevant to grain size. Rather, they concluded that sediment influx in these streams may have been sufficiently spatially diffuse to prevent the typical sorting effect from being observed.
Which finding about the streams in the study, if true, would most directly support Litty and Schlunegger's conclusion?
A. The streams contain several types of sediment that are not typically found in streams where the sorting effect has been demonstrated.
B. The streams are fed by multiple tributaries that carry significant volumes of sediment and that enter the streams downstream of the sampling sites.
C. The streams mostly originate from the same source, but their lengths vary considerably due to the different courses they take.
D. The streams regularly experience portions of their banks collapsing into the water at multiple points upstream of the sampling sites.
What is:
D) The streams regularly experience portions of their banks collapsing into the water at multiple points upstream of the sampling sites.
"Gender neutral bathrooms should be mandatory in public"
What is:
privacy concerns
safety concerns
social and cultural norms
"Schools should deny admission based on behavior"
What is:
protects learning environment
Rewards discipline
Prepares students for real consequences
The following text is adapted from Pablo Neruda's 'Sonnet XVII.' The poem delves into the depth of unconditional and profound love.
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz, or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off. I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul. I love you as the plant that never blooms but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers; thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
According to the text, why is the speaker's love significant?
A) The speaker's love is not merely drawn to the external allure of the beloved, but to an INTRINSIC, unseen essence. This love transcends superficial attractions, seeking a deeper, hidden beauty.
B) Neruda's verse suggests that love is transient, evolving with time and circumstance. However, the interpretation misses the poem's emphasis on love's enduring, immutable nature.
C) Neruda articulates a love profound and INTRINSIC, listened to the love for "certain dark things" between the "shadow and the soul". This love is significant for its depth, existing beyond the superficial and visible.
D) The poem is interpreted as suggesting that love gains it true value when recognized by others. Yet, Neruda;s focus is on a personal, intimate connection that does not reply on external validation.
What is:
C) Neruda articulates a love profound and INTRINSIC, listened to the love for "certain dark things" between the "shadow and the soul". This love is significant for its depth, existing beyond the superficial and visible.
Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Héctor Tobar has built a multifaceted career as both a journalist and an author of short stories and novels. In an essay about Tobar's work, a student claims that Tobar blends his areas of expertise by applying journalism techniques to his creation of works of fiction.
Which quotation from a literary critic best supports the student's claim?
A. For one novel, an imagined account of a real person's global travels, Tobar approached his subject like a reporter, interviewing people the man had met along the way and researching the man's own writings.
B. Tobar got his start as a volunteer for El Tecolote, a community newspaper in San Francisco, and wrote for newspapers for years before earning a degree in creative writing and starting to publish works of fiction.
C. Many of Tobar's notable nonfiction articles are marked by the writer's use of techniques usually associated with fiction, such as complex narrative structures and the incorporation of symbolism.
D. The protagonist of Tobar's third novel is a man who wants to be a novelist and keeps notes about interesting people he encounters so he can use them when developing characters for his stories.
What is:
A) For one novel, an imagined account of a real person's global travels, Tobar approached his subject like a reporter, interviewing people the man had met along the way and researching the man's own writings.
"college should be free"
What is:
Taxpayer burden (increased taxes are needed to be able to fund free education)
Risk of Education quality (could overcrowd schools and lower teaching standards)
Devalues degree achievement (Less motivation to word hard if education is completely free)
Double points:
"Societal safety strategies unintentionally restrict women's freedoms"
What is:
Places responsibility on women instead of offenders
limits freedom of movement
normalizes unequal movement
creates fear-based lifestyles changes
reinforces victim-blaming culture