Claims & Counterclaims
An author argues that schools should eliminate homework. Which statement best represents the counterclaim?
a. Homework increases stress levels in teens.
b. Many educators argue that homework reinforces learning and building discipline.
c. Students report feeling overwhelmed.
d. Students show teens sleep less than recommended.
b. Many educators argue that homework reinforces learning and building discipline.
You should eat a banana every day. Bananas have nutrients like potassium and magnesium. Because our bodies need potassium and magnesium to work, it is a good idea to eat a banana every day.
Which is the evidence?
a. Bananas have nutrients like potassium and magnesium.
b. Because our bodies need potassium and magnesium to work, it is a good idea to eat a banana every day.
c. You should eat a banana every day because they have nutrients.
d. Bananas are sweeter when they are ripe.
a. Bananas have nutrients like potassium and magnesium.
An author includes a chart showing that graduation rates increased after tutoring programs were implemented. This primarily strengthens which rhetorical technique?
logos
An author includes a graph showing improvement after a new policy was implemented. However, the graph lacks a source citation.
What is the most accurate evaluation?
A. The graph automatically strengthens logos.
B. The missing source reduces credibility and weakens ethos.
C. The graph strengthens pathos.
D. The heading is sufficient.
B. The missing source reduces credibility and weakens ethos.
Original Claim: School lunches are unhealthy.
Which revision best narrows the focus and improves precision?
A. School lunches are disgusting and unhealthy.
B. Many middle school students dislike school lunches.
C. Some school lunch programs exceed recommended sodium guidelines, which may contribute to long-term health concerns.
D. School lunches should change.
C. Some school lunch programs exceed recommended sodium guidelines, which may contribute to long-term health concerns.
Identify the counterclaim to this argument: Students should be able to listen to music in class.
a. Some may argue that music is calming.
b. Many teachers state that they can choose the music for the students.
c. Some may argue that music distracts students.
c. Some may argue that music distracts students.
An argument includes strong evidence but fails to explain how it connects to the claim.
What is missing?
A. A counterclaim
B. Ethos
C. Reasoning
D. A heading
C. Reasoning
If evidence is outdated or from an unreliable source, the argument becomes:
a. more persuasive
b. logically sound
c. weakened in credibility
d. emotional
c. weakened in credibility
An author includes a bolded subheading titled “Health Risks of Vaping” before presenting medical research.
How does this text feature contribute to the argument?
A. It signals a shift to evidence that supports the claim about health dangers.
B. It adds bias.
C. It replaces the thesis statement.
D. It creates emotional appeal.
A. It signals a shift to evidence that supports the claim about health dangers.
Which refined claim is most defensible?
A. Fast food is unhealthy.
B. Consuming fast food regularly increases risks of obesity and heart disease because of high saturated fat and sodium levels.
C. Fast food is bad for people.
D. Some people eat fast food.
B. Consuming fast food regularly increases risks of obesity and heart disease because of high saturated fat and sodium levels.
Identify the rebuttal to a counterclaim that states food causes distractions.
a. Students get Hot Cheeto fingers on the Chromebooks
b. It's impossible to open a bag of chips quietly
c. Students leave crumbs everywhere, which attracts bugs
d. The real distraction is hungry students who can't focus
d. The real distraction is hungry students who can't focus
An author addresses a counterclaim but uses sarcasm instead of evidence.
What is the likely impact?
A. It strengthens ethos.
B. It improves logos.
C. It may weaken credibility and appear unprofessional.
D. It strengthens reasoning.
C. It may weaken credibility and appear unprofessional.
An author quotes a Harvard medical researcher to support their claim. This is an example of which rhetorical technique?
Ethos
An infographic presents statistics without listing sources.
How does this affect the argument?
A. It strengthens ethos.
B. It weakens credibility because readers cannot verify the information.
C. It improves organization.
D. It strengthens the rebuttal.
B. It weakens credibility because readers cannot verify the information.
Which addition would most effectively refine this argument?
Claim: Schools should ban cell phones.
A. Add a story about distraction.
B. Include research showing improved academic focus in schools that implemented bans and address emergency communication concerns.
C. Repeat the claim.
D. Use stronger adjectives.
B. Include research showing improved academic focus in schools that implemented bans and address emergency communication concerns
What is the italicized section? Schools shouldn't give homework. Some might argue it's important for practice, but students can end up practicing incorrectly.
rebuttal
Mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants. Plant cells have a cell wall and a large water storage compartment. Animal cells do not have a cell wall, and they only have a small water storage compartment. When you look at mushroom cells under a microscope, you can see that they have no cell wall.
Which of the following would make the best reasoning statement?
a. Because mushroom cells are more similar to animal cells than plant cells, mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants.
b. Even though mushrooms come out of the ground like plants, they are actually more like animals.
c. There are more than 14,000 different kinds of mushrooms.
d. Mushrooms don't look like animals, but they are more closely related to animals than plants.
a. Because mushroom cells are more similar to animal cells than plant cells, mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants.
An author combines emotional stories of struggling families with federal poverty data. What is the strategic impact?
a. overuse of pathos
b. balanced appeal to logos and pathos to broaden persuasion
c. weak ethos
d. informal tone
b. balanced appeal to logos and pathos to broaden persuasion
An article uses a timeline showing policy changes over 20 years.
How does this structure support the argument?
A. It organizes events chronologically to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships.
B. It adds emotional appeal.
C. It weakens counterclaims.
D. It replaces the thesis.
A. It organizes events chronologically to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships.
A student’s thesis states: “Pollution is harmful.”
What revision would make this claim more defensible?
A. Pollution is really harmful to everyone.
B. Industrial air pollution increases respiratory illnesses in urban communities due to prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals.
C. Pollution should stop.
D. Pollution is bad for Earth.
B. Industrial air pollution increases respiratory illnesses in urban communities due to prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals.
A claim states: “Online learning is ineffective.” The only evidence provided is one student’s negative experience.
What is the strongest evaluation?
A. The argument is strong because it includes a real example.
B. The argument lacks sufficient and varied evidence to support a broad claim.
C. The claim is refined.
D. The tone is persuasive.
B. The argument lacks sufficient and varied evidence to support a broad claim.
Choose the best evidence for this claim:
Wild animals should be protected.
a. Studies show that if we consume too much, it can cause health problems, like obesity and diabetes.
b. It's been proven that diversity in wildlife helps maintain a healthy ecosystem.
c. Scientists have found that eight million tons of plastic waste end up in our oceans every year.
d. Wild animals taste good.
b. It's been proven that diversity in wildlife helps maintain a healthy ecosystem.
A paragraph explains cause-and-effect relations supported by statistics. This demonstrates which rhetorical technique?
Logos
A caption under an image explains how the photo demonstrates economic decline.
What is the primary function of the caption?
A. To decorate the article
B. To restate the thesis
C. To connect the visual evidence directly to the claim
D. To add bias
C. To connect the visual evidence directly to the claim
Which refining strategy would most likely strengthen an original claim in an essay?
a. including a personal opinion
b. including emotional exaggeration
c. using an informal tone
d. acknowledging the counterclaim with a rebuttal
d. acknowledging the counterclaim with a rebuttal