Show:
Author's
Position
Compare/
Contrast
Main
Idea
100
What does author's position mean?
The author’s position is usually made clear in the introduction. It is the idea that the author is trying to persuade, or convince, you to believe.
100
"Listening to the comments about year-round school, I can’t help but think that it is for the benefit of the mother, not the child! In reality, year-round school should not be established because it would overwork the students and teachers, and it has not been proven to raise a student’s ability to learn." What is the author's purpose in this passage?
to persuade the school district not to adopt a year-round school calendar
100
Where is the main idea of a passage typically found?
at the beginning; in the introduction.
200
"Some personal possessions should be banned at school, but cell phones are not one of them. Cell phones should be allowed in school to enhance the educational experience. They can be used as an organizational tool. Students can use the convenient calendar function to schedule tutoring sessions or plan school events. The reminder function can help them stay on top of their schedule and learn important time-management skills. The alarm capabilities will help students track themselves on timed work. When students are more organized they will be more prepared to learn." What is the author's position?
The author’s position is cell phones should be used in schools.
200
"Year-round schools are becoming more popular. There are many benefits to them. It would be a great idea if we switched to year-round school too! Some of the benefits are less downtime for the students to forget instruction, a positive place for them to go to year round, and a consistent place for the students to have structure in their lives." What is the problem-solution in this passage?
The problem the author sees is that the current school schedule creates an environment where students forget what they learn over summer, lose access to a safe place, and lose structure when they are out of the school environment. The solution to the problem is having year-round school.
200
What are supporting details and where are they typically found in the passage?
a fact that gives evidence of the main idea; in the middle paragraphs -- in the body
300
"Some personal possessions should be banned at school, but cell phones are not one of them. Cell phones should be allowed in school to enhance the educational experience. They can be used as an organizational tool. Students can use the convenient calendar function to schedule tutoring sessions or plan school events. The reminder function can help them stay on top of their schedule and learn important time-management skills. The alarm capabilities will help students track themselves on timed work. When students are more organized they will be more prepared to learn." What evidence supports the author's position?
The evidence supporting this position is that cell phone calendars can be used for scheduling, make students more organized, and the alarm function can track timed work.
300
"First, switching to year-round school would only lead us to overworking and tiring out our students. We always say that kids need time to be kids. How can that happen if we always have them in school? The news has reported that students are tired and suffering from severe bouts of anxiety and stress-related health issues. If we place our children in year-round school, don’t you think that there will be a rise in student anxiety and depression?" What is a cause-effect relationship in this passage?
If students are in year-round school, then student anxiety and depression would increase
300
"People are social beings and rely on one another in family and community units. We need each other to make sure that there is plenty of food and shelter. Humans also rely on one another for a sense of belonging and for love. Those are the interactions that make us feel happy and look forward to seeing our social network (friends and family) every day. Sometimes, however, it is our friends and family who have to tell us the truth about ourselves and others. How they communicate with us can make a huge difference in how we feel about ourselves and about them; therefore, we also have to know how to communicate with others if we are not being treated as we would like. Lastly, we have to know how to resolve conflicts with others so we remain part of our group. Because of this, having good communication skills is essential to our health and well-being." What is the topic of this passage?
Good communication is necessary for health and well-being
400
"My fellow students, it’s time to enter into a new era of freedom at our school! If you elect me for student body president, I will make it my mission to bring you new food options for lunch. Other candidates are talking about the dances they will make cooler and the activities they will make better, but let’s be honest, the food is where it’s at! We all eat it, everyone needs it, and right now, everyone is limited in what he or she can choose. Just think, if you elect me, you will have all those things the other candidates promised plus healthier and tastier food options, shorter lunch lines, and, best of all, the freedom to choose!" What is the author's position in this introduction paragraph of a persuasive essay?
The author’s position is that a vote for him or her means more food options, shorter lunch lines, and longer lunch periods.
400
"As a youth soccer coach, I can see the benefit of year-round school. In athletics, I observe how more practice and training results in better performance from my team. My athletes know that to achieve good results, they have to sustain their efforts and give more than they think they are capable of. If students in our district were in year-round school, they would benefit from having a productive environment year round, just like athletes benefit from consistent training." What is a cause-effect relationship in this passage?
in athletics, when athletes practice, they get better
400
"People are social beings and rely on one another in family and community units. We need each other to make sure that there is plenty of food and shelter. Humans also rely on one another for a sense of belonging and for love. Those are the interactions that make us feel happy and look forward to seeing our social network (friends and family) every day. Sometimes, however, it is our friends and family who have to tell us the truth about ourselves and others. How they communicate with us can make a huge difference in how we feel about ourselves and about them; therefore, we also have to know how to communicate with others if we are not being treated as we would like. Lastly, we have to know how to resolve conflicts with others so we remain part of our group. Because of this, having good communication skills is essential to our health and well-being." What is the main idea of this passage?
We have to know how to communicate with others if we are not being treated as we would like. We also have to know how to resolve conflicts with others so we remain part of our group. Because of this, having good communication skills is essential to our health and well-being.
500
"Great schools understand students and want the best for them. Since our school is a great school, the students here should be allowed to carry and use cell phones whenever they need them. Cell phones can be used in emergencies, because they can be helpful in dangerous situations. For example, if 98 percent of the students had cell phones with them every day, then schools would be much safer places for everyone." What 3 details support the author's position that students should be allowed to carry cell phones in school and during school hours?
1. School would be a safer place if students had cell phones with them at all times. 2. Students would be able to ignore the occasional ring of the phone, since we are all used to this anyway. 3. If students had cell phones, they could call their parents when needed to have them bring something that was accidentally forgotten.
500
Passage #1: "Therefore, if we truly value learning and education, we should keep our current schedule. Going to a year-long school would make the students even more exhausted and resistant to learning." Passage #2: "It would seem that the best thing for our children would be to create a year- round school system, where they could be engaged in learning, be safe, and have a structured environment." Compare and contrast these two passages. (What is similar and different?)
Compare: The author’s purpose is to persuade. Contrast: #1 does not want year-round school. #2 wants year-round school.
500
"Perhaps you have had a friend who had to tell you something that might have made you uncomfortable. Perhaps your hair was sticking up in a funny manner, or you were accidentally wearing two different shoes, or you had managed to sit on wet paint. If your friend was tactful, he or she probably told you the issue and then helped you come up with a quick solution. He or she was discreet. But if your friend was not tactful, he or she may have loudly and laughingly told you about the problem. He or she may have pointed it out to everyone else and continued to laugh while you tried to fix it. You probably did not want to talk to that friend for several days or maybe longer. It is important to approach our friends and family with consideration and tact." What supporting details support the main idea of this paragraph?
Sometimes friends help us, which is positive, e.g., “If your friend was tactful, he or she probably told you the issue and then helped you come up with a quick solution. He or she was discreet.”