Title: Reading
Course: Question Banks

Q: Consider the following scenario: Your English instructor makes reference to the Restoration era in British history. You know you should know what the instructor is talking about, but you can’t really remember. Where do you need to look for background information on the topic before class the next day?
- A book about the Restoration, which you can access online, will give you the full analysis and history of the period in history.
- A journal on British Literature will give you the targeted academic analysis your instructor was referring to in the last lecture, which is the source of her notes for it.
- An encyclopedia will give you the concise summary of the political history and will present the events and people clearly and concisely.
A: An encyclopedia will give you the concise summary of the political history and will present the events and people clearly and concisely.

Q: Consider the following scenario: You’ve been assigned a crisis watch topic in your Contemporary Affairs class, and you need to keep a log of a crisis as it progresses throughout the month. You have chosen a water quality crisis in the area schools--they’ve found lead in water pipes at a local pre-school. Which source is going to be most useful in this assignment?
- The news in your school databases are always the go-to for research. You can look up a wide variety of sources and perspectives on water quality.
- The news in the Sunday magazine for the nearby urban paper, like the San Jose Mercury News or the London Times, will give you the current thinking and analysis you need, as well as interviews with key players.
- The news on the web, especially the local news and the school district’s page, will be most frequently updated, though sometimes the information might be incorrect.
A: The news on the web, especially the local news and the school district’s page, will be most frequently updated, though sometimes the information might be incorrect.

Q: Your Spanish instructor has asked you to explicitly explain why there are differences between New World and Old World Spanish speech patterns and accents. Which of the course readings is most likely to help you answer this question?
- A government publication, put out by the CIA, which reports on the specific conditions of the people and government of the Spanish-speaking countries.
- The course textbook, which gives direct language instruction, defines key terms, and doesn’t clutter your reading with citations
- A book that discusses the history of the language as well as its variations, which includes sub-topics in the index
A: A book that discusses the history of the language as well as its variations, which includes sub-topics in the index

Q: Read the following excerpt. Evaluate its traits to determine its type of text from the options below.

Definition and meanings

Karma is the executed "deed", "work", "action", or "act", and it is also the "object", the "intent". Halbfass[3] explains karma (karman) by contrasting it with another Sanskrit word kriya. The word kriya is the activity along with the steps and effort in action, while karma is (1) the executed action as a consequence of that activity, as well as (2) the intention of the actor behind an executed action or a planned action (described by some scholars[9] as metaphysical residue left in the actor). A good action creates good karma, as does good intent. A bad action creates bad karma, as does bad intent.[3]

Karma also refers to a conceptual principle that originated in India, often descriptively called the principle of karma, sometimes as the karma theory or the law of karma.[10]
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a textbook because it contains factual content, clear and unbiased word choice, organized text, and it seeks to educate.
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a journal article because it contains advanced vocabulary, describes an analysis and the author’s finding, and it seeks to distribute new ideas.
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a reference source because it contains factual content, embedded links to related sources or footnotes, clear and unbiased word choice, and it seeks to inform.
A: Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a reference source because it contains factual content, embedded links to related sources or footnotes, clear and unbiased word choice, and it seeks to inform.

Q: Read the following excerpt. Evaluate its traits to determine its type of text from the options below.

Vowel features

Notice what you do with your mouth when you pronounce the names of the letters “a,” “e,” “i,” and “o.” What features of your mouth seem to distinguish these vowels from one another?

A complete account of the sounds of a spoken language would have to make reference both to the way sounds are produced, articulation, and the way they are perceived, their auditory properties. Differences in articulation are obviously pointless if they aren’t reflected in the way results sound to hearers. In fact, two quite different ways of articulating a sound can sometimes produce the same auditory effect. From the perspective of a hearer, those would have to belong to the same phoneme.

In order to understand how vowels and consonants work, we need to know a little bit about the physical apparatus that is used to produce them. The figure below shows a side view of the vocal tract, with labels for some of the parts that we’ll be discussing in this section and the next sections.
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a reference source because it contains factual content, cited sources, visuals to aid understanding, and it seeks to inform.
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a journal article because it contains advanced vocabulary, describes an analysis and the author’s finding, visuals to aid understanding, and it seeks to distribute new ideas.
- Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a textbook because it contains factual content, visuals to aid understanding, organized text, and it seeks to educate.
A: Based on the traits in the excerpt, this is from a textbook because it contains factual content, visuals to aid understanding, organized text, and it seeks to educate.

Q: Is the following email effective for reminding an audience of new car owners about maintenance requirements?

Congratulations on your purchase!

We at Speedometer Motors want to thank you for your business. Now that you have had your Model RRR coupe for a week, we want to make sure that you have the resources you need to maintain your vehicle and the assurance that we stand behind you and your purchase.

Remember to check for tune up indicators on the dash, next to the gas mileage indicator. This will tell you when it is time to make the routine adjustments that keep the car running smoothly.

Remember that the free Road Service contact number is in your owner’s manual, the emergency tool kit packet, and on the inside of the driver’s side door. This service is available for three years after purchase.

Remember to pull to the side of the road when safe to do so if there is any emergency with your vehicle.

Remember to check the oil every thousand miles and to change the oil every 3000-5000 miles.

Finally, remember that we are here to answer your questions and provide the maintenance needed for speedy motoring.
- No. This is too informal to come from a business. The dealer should make sure that this covers its legal bases and avoids potential blame.
- Yes. This is effective for new car owners because it is important to let people know what is available to them and to maintain contact for later referral business.
- Yes. This is effective because the tone is friendly, yet professional, and the message addresses issues new car owners may not think of in a brand new car.
A: Yes. This is effective because the tone is friendly, yet professional, and the message addresses issues new car owners may not think of in a brand new car.

Q: You receive the following message from your bank. Is this an effective way of addressing an overdraft?

To Whom it May Concern:

Your checking balance appears to be overdrawn. You do not have the funds to cover the $1.50 underage from your savings account.

Before you try using this account again, we need that money deposited immediately. We are a bank, not a charity. Your credit rating is going to suffer if you don’t deposit that $1.50.

Your Personal Banker
- This message is ineffective for its audience. The threats are out of proportion to the amount overdrawn. Also, the message says “appears to be overdrawn,” which is not the same thing as actually being overdrawn.
- This letter is effective. It is important to let customers know what is expected out of them and the consequences are clear, as is the related fact that the customer does not have the savings to cover the checking deficit.
- This message is ineffective for its audience.The tone mixes levels of formality and professionalism, which leads to confusion. The logos and ethos needed for a persuasive argument are missing, and the argument relies on pathos.
A: This message is ineffective for its audience.The tone mixes levels of formality and professionalism, which leads to confusion. The logos and ethos needed for a persuasive argument are missing, and the argument relies on pathos.

Q: Anansi barely skimmed the journal article about spiders her Entomology professor handed out: too much text, too much small print, too many big words. She rolled it up and shoved it into her backpack, deciding to save it for “later.” It is now “later”--how do you advise her to get started with this reading?
- “Anansi, you need to boost your vocabulary, seriously. Go get a dictionary, then write in the margins as you go, defining the words you don’t know. You might even try drilling the words so you know them later.”
- “Anansi, this is a case for a professor’s office hour. Just take the article with you to your professor’s office tomorrow. Ask him to summarize it for you or at least to let you know which parts are going to be on the test. That will show him you are at least trying, right?”
- “Anansi, you’ve got this. Before you read, preview. Look at the title, but ask yourself why you need to read this--and why is the author writing in the first place? What do you already know about spiders? Look at how the article is structured and where there are figures and tables. Where do you think the author is going to go with this?”
A: “Anansi, you’ve got this. Before you read, preview. Look at the title, but ask yourself why you need to read this--and why is the author writing in the first place? What do you already know about spiders? Look at how the article is structured and where there are figures and tables. Where do you think the author is going to go with this?”

Q: Archie, your classmate, has been working with you to improve his reading skills. He tells you, “I’m trying to summarize this article for Professor Mehitabel’s class. I can’t seem to stop myself from just writing out everything in my own words. It’s taking forever.” Which response should you offer to help him get better with active reading?
- “Archie, you’ve got to write down all the stuff in the headings and make an outline first. Then you can try summarizing based on that. A summary is just the chapter, only shorter.”
- “Archie, it sounds like you’re paraphrasing, rather than summarizing. Make sure your notes all use exact language from the article so that you can find the passages later when you’re studying.”
- “Archie, while working on active reading, don’t worry about summarizing. Focus instead on marking words and concepts as you go, and make predictions about what is coming. Create a vocabulary list for the things to define later.”
A: “Archie, while working on active reading, don’t worry about summarizing. Focus instead on marking words and concepts as you go, and make predictions about what is coming. Create a vocabulary list for the things to define later.”

Q: You just finished reading a long assignment, and take a look at the pages of notes you made about it. How are you going to make sense of what you just read so that you don’t forget it?
- It is time to begin another reading of the book, after a good hour of exercise. For the next reading, take notes on all of the parts you had difficulty with the first time and then talk about them with your professor.
- It is time to look over the book to see how it is put together structurally. You need to make notes on the key questions you want to answer as you skim, and you need to review what you already know about the subject.
- It is time to take your notes and create an outline or concept map so that you can summarize the material. You read actively, annotating your text and making a vocabulary list, so you have the ingredients you need for a summary.
A: It is time to take your notes and create an outline or concept map so that you can summarize the material. You read actively, annotating your text and making a vocabulary list, so you have the ingredients you need for a summary.

Q: Tabitha completed the reading process loop by reviewing her Organic Chemistry reading notes. What advantage did she have over her classmates who only highlighted the key terms in the book?
- Tabitha had physical proof that she actively read and could use her review concept maps and summaries as backup for an open note exam.
- The concept maps, summaries, matrices, and group discussions she did provided evidence that she fully understood the material and was prepared for the quiz.
- The review helped her recall the content because she made links between the concepts and the material she already knew. Now her new vocabulary terms have context for her.
A: The review helped her recall the content because she made links between the concepts and the material she already knew. Now her new vocabulary terms have context for her.

Q: How is the act of reading online different from reading a physical copy of a text, and what are some considerations for academic reading online?
- You are going to be able to follow the links that interest you when reading online. This greater freedom is going to help you own the information and will require greater concentration and responsibility in reading every word.
- You really won’t need to change much when reading online, though your highlighters won’t be as useful. You’ll still need to start at the beginning and use the careful pathways that the authors have provided you. You may see more pictures.
- You are going to scan for information and summarize more when reading online. What you read is going to be more interactive, so you will want to use the links given, while remembering to come back to the text when finished exploring the links.
A: You are going to scan for information and summarize more when reading online. What you read is going to be more interactive, so you will want to use the links given, while remembering to come back to the text when finished exploring the links.

Q: You are assigned the chapter “Functions and Function Notations” to read for homework in your Finite Math course. It includes definitions, formulas, worked example problems, and interactive exercises. Which is the best strategy to read this text?
- Classify the reading. Do not rely on underlining or highlighting; instead determine things like concepts, values, and key variables. Determine the problems that the author has solved, and which she hasn’t.
- Analyze and synthesize after a preview. Look for the patterns in the text--are they problem-solving, experiment-instruction, classification, or process passages--or some combination? Take notes.
- Every word counts. Follow each line, reading with pencil in hand so that you can reproduce the examples as you go. Pay extra attention to the visual illustrations.
A: Every word counts. Follow each line, reading with pencil in hand so that you can reproduce the examples as you go. Pay extra attention to the visual illustrations.

Q: Which is the most effective way to read the chapter “What Are Intelligence and Creativity?” from your Introduction to Psychology course textbook? The chapter includes learning objectives, headings and subheadings, definitions in bold text, and history of the concepts, as well as sample exercises at the end.
- Every word counts. Follow each line, reading with pencil in hand so that you can reproduce the examples as you go. Pay extra attention to the visual illustrations.
- Analyze and synthesize after a preview. Look for the patterns in the text--are they problem-solving, experiment-instruction, classification, or process passages--or some combination? Take notes.
- Classify the reading. Do not rely on underlining or highlighting; instead determine things like concepts, values, and key variables. Determine the problems that the author has solved, and which she hasn’t.
A: Classify the reading. Do not rely on underlining or highlighting; instead determine things like concepts, values, and key variables. Determine the problems that the author has solved, and which she hasn’t.

Q: An Earth Science reading assignment involves reading the chapter “Water on Earth.” It includes learning objectives, illustrations, vocabulary, graphs, formulas, and problem sets. Which is the most effective way to approach reading it?
- Every word counts. Follow each line, reading with pencil in hand so that you can reproduce the examples as you go. Pay extra attention to the visual illustrations.
- Classify the reading. Do not rely on underlining or highlighting; instead determine things like concepts, values, and key variables. Determine the problems that the author has solved, and which she hasn’t.
- Analyze and synthesize after a preview. Look for the patterns in the text--are they problem-solving, experiment-instruction, classification, or process passages--or some combination? Take notes.
A: Analyze and synthesize after a preview. Look for the patterns in the text--are they problem-solving, experiment-instruction, classification, or process passages--or some combination? Take notes.

Q: You come across the following visual in your textbook. What is your best approach to reading and understanding it?
- Analyze and synthesize after a preview. Look for the patterns in the text--are they problem-solving, experiment-instruction, classification, or process--or some combination? Take notes.
- Every word counts. Follow each line, reading with pencil in hand so that you can reproduce the examples as you go. Pay extra attention to the visual illustrations.
- Rephrase the title, get an idea of what is measured by looking at labels, determine the units of measurement, check for color-codes and keys, and try summarizing the trends you see in the data.
A: Rephrase the title, get an idea of what is measured by looking at labels, determine the units of measurement, check for color-codes and keys, and try summarizing the trends you see in the data.

Q: Which context clue type is going to be most useful in decoding the word slurryslip in the following passage from Macchiavelli’s The Prince?

It is not unknown to me how many men have had, and still have, the opinion that the affairs of the world are in such wise governed by Slurryslip and by God that men with their wisdom cannot direct them and that no one can even help them; and because of this they would have us believe that it is not necessary to labour much in affairs, but to let chance govern them. This opinion has been more credited in our times because of the great changes in affairs which have been seen, and may still be seen, every day, beyond all human conjecture. Sometimes pondering over this, I am in some degree inclined to their opinion. Nevertheless, not to extinguish our free will, I hold it to be true that Slurryslip is the arbiter of one-half of our actions, but that she still leaves us to direct the other half, or perhaps a little less.
- Slurryslip probably means wisdom. We know this because because in the general sense Macchiavelli is talking about what good government needs.
- Slurryslip probably means free will or self-determination. We know this because free will is the antonym of chance.
- Slurryslip probably means chance. We know this because slurryslip seems to be used for its synonym chance in first sentence.
A: Slurryslip probably means chance. We know this because slurryslip seems to be used for its synonym chance in first sentence.

Q: Explain which context clue type is going to be most useful in decoding the word zishernosh.

Obviously 1 zishernosh is a very small quantity of time compared with a whole week. Indeed, our forefathers considered it small as compared with an hour, and called it “one zishernosh,” meaning a zishernosh fraction—namely one sixtieth—of an hour. When they came to require still smaller subdivisions of time, they divided each zishernosh into 60 still smaller parts, which, in Queen Elizabeth’s days, they called “second zishernosh” (i.e. small quantities of the second order of zishernoshness). Nowadays we call these small quantities of the second order of smallness “seconds.” But few people know why they are so called.
- Zishernoosh most likely means small quantities of time. We know this because this appears to be a synonym.
- Zishernosh most likely means a subdivision. We know this because of the general sense of the reading.
- Zishernosh most likely means minute. We know this because of examples throughout and its history.
A: Zishernosh most likely means minute. We know this because of examples throughout and its history.

Q: Which vocabulary tools would be most helpful for a student who rarely read before college and who keeps an active social media presence?
- To help wean him of his social media addiction, he should use hard copies of a good dictionary and train himself to look up words in a thesaurus.
- He should get out and talk to people, as well as read more. Then he can keep a field notebook or lexicon of words he is learning.
- To find definitions online, he should bookmark dictionary.com or Merriam Webster for quick look up. He should also look for online interactive word games.
A: To find definitions online, he should bookmark dictionary.com or Merriam Webster for quick look up. He should also look for online interactive word games.

Q: If you need to build a working vocabulary out of the terms you’ve been reading and hearing in class, which would be the most effective advice in retaining these words for the long term?
- Write the words in your notebook. Drill yourself with note cards. Have a study buddy work with you on them.
- Write the words in a personal lexicon. Keep that with you at all time so you can refresh your memory until the discussion. Pay attention to what the instructor is saying and mark those words.
- Use the words once you understand their deeper meaning. Keep a notebook of the words, but go beyond drilling yourself on them. Set up a process for yourself, which might include playing games with words.
A: Use the words once you understand their deeper meaning. Keep a notebook of the words, but go beyond drilling yourself on them. Set up a process for yourself, which might include playing games with words.

Q: What is the academic consequence of not reading appropriately challenging material through your teens?
- If you didn’t have access to books or read as a teenager, you are stuck with the limited vocabulary you have at that time.
- Not reading appropriately challenging material can have a direct impact on your earning power and future education.
- You may have to make a greater effort to read as you get older in order to build your working vocabulary, but learning words does not stop when you graduate high school.
A: You may have to make a greater effort to read as you get older in order to build your working vocabulary, but learning words does not stop when you graduate high school.

Q: Read the following passage excerpted from Christopher Sebastian Parker, “Does ‘Black Live Matter’ Still Matter?”

The case for why BLM [Black Lives Matter] will continue to matter

Making the case for why the movement will regain its footing, if it ever completely lost it, is even easier than arguing the case that it won’t.

We already know why: racism. Let me explain how.

To the degree that the BLM movement’s chief goal, in the present moment, is the reduction of blue-on-black violence, the movement will continue apace. As it turns out, police officers, especially white ones, tend to believe that black folk don’t deserve treatment on par with whites. Of course, this paves the way for continuing discriminatory treatment of blacks on their part.

Despite its current focus on addressing police brutality, BLM’s agenda isn’t confined to this issue. Indeed, the BLM movement is about contesting the systemic oppression of black folks.

Toward this end, BLM has its work cut out. Research suggests that the impact of race and racism on American society has only grown worse in recent years, especially since President Obama was first elected. Indeed, in recent polls, 63 percent of the country believes race relations are “bad.” Among blacks and Hispanics, the numbers are 72 and 65 percent, respectively.

The 2016 election cycle isn’t helping. Trump’s deployment of race as a means of rallying his “base” only adds to the already noxious racial climate.

The tragedy of the Dallas and Baton Rouge shootings cannot be denied. These deaths represent senseless losses of lives, for both the police and the shooters. Likewise, the deaths of Sterling and Castile were at least as useless and tragic.

But because the complicity of law enforcement with black oppression remains a problem almost 250 years after the founding of the republic and because racism continues to haunt us some 400 years after the establishment of the 13 colonies, I’m betting that the Black Lives Matter movement will continue to matter for the foreseeable future.

This is regrettable, but necessary.

Which statement below best evaluates the thesis of this passage?
- The explicit thesis is “Making the case for why the movement will regain its footing, if it ever completely lost it, is even easier than arguing the case that it won’t.” A reader will recognize this as a comparison between two positions, and expect that the rest of the essay will lay out the differences and similarities between them.
- The explicit thesis is “The tragedy of the Dallas and Baton Rouge shootings cannot be denied.” A reader will recognize the emotional appeal of this claim, and expect that the rest of the essay will be about the descriptions of these two shooting situations.
- The explicit thesis is “But because the complicity of law enforcement with black oppression remains a problem almost 250 years after the founding of the republic and because racism continues to haunt us some 400 years after the establishment of the 13 colonies, I’m betting that the Black Lives Matter movement will continue to matter for the foreseeable future.” A reader will understand the challenge that the Black Lives Matter movement is currently facing will be overcome, and expect to see justifications for this position in the rest of the essay.
A: The explicit thesis is “But because the complicity of law enforcement with black oppression remains a problem almost 250 years after the founding of the republic and because racism continues to haunt us some 400 years after the establishment of the 13 colonies, I’m betting that the Black Lives Matter movement will continue to matter for the foreseeable future.” A reader will understand the challenge that the Black Lives Matter movement is currently facing will be overcome, and expect to see justifications for this position in the rest of the essay.

Q: Consider the following passage from the article “Nutrition.”

Developing eating healthy eating habits doesn’t require you to sign up for a gimmicky health-food diet or lifestyle: you don’t have to become vegan, gluten-free, “paleo,” or go on regular juice fasts. It’s okay to take small, simple steps. The key is choosing a variety of foods and beverages from each food group (vegetables, fruits, grains, protein foods, and dairy)—and making sure that each choice is limited in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.

Which statement below best evaluates the thesis of this passage?
- The implicit thesis is that it might take a while to find the right specific diet plan that’s right for you, so you should try them all. A reader will recognize the different names of diet plans in this passage, and expect to learn more about each type of diet as he keeps reading.
- The implicit thesis is that different people require different amounts of items in each food group. A reader will recognize this as a classification essay, and will expect to find charts telling him which category he falls into as he keeps reading.
- The implicit thesis is that healthy eating involves making smart choices on a daily basis, rather than following one concrete set of rules. A reader will be encouraged by the message of this passage, and will expect to learn more about what these smart choices consist of as he keeps reading.
A: The implicit thesis is that healthy eating involves making smart choices on a daily basis, rather than following one concrete set of rules. A reader will be encouraged by the message of this passage, and will expect to learn more about what these smart choices consist of as he keeps reading.

Q: Which statement below best evaluates this graphic’s implicit thesis?
- This chart indicates that women should be concentrating more efforts on All Blog Activity. The bar in orange emphasizes that aspect of the chart.
- This chart persuades viewers that women consider Status Updating an unimportant activity. The placement of Status Updating on the left side of the image underscores this.
- This chart demonstrates that most women who use social media participate in Social Networks. The percentages shown at the top of each bar confirm this.
A: This chart demonstrates that most women who use social media participate in Social Networks. The percentages shown at the top of each bar confirm this.

Q: Evaluate the two versions of this thesis. Explain why one is more effective than the other.

1. A thesis statement can be effective placed in virtually any location of an essay.
2. Though often at the beginning of an essay, a thesis is an idea, not a location, and is best placed where the reader can grasp the main idea and will be most likely to agree to or consider a proposition.
- A is the better choice because it makes a claim boldly.
- B is the better choice because it is concise and flows more smoothly.
- B is the better choice because the direct cause and effect of the actions taken are linked to the main claim and preface what the readers will learn.
A: B is the better choice because the direct cause and effect of the actions taken are linked to the main claim and preface what the readers will learn.

Q: Your reading for tonight is a chapter from your book on the history of economics, which opens with basic definitions of economic schools of thought, describes various systems, and ends with comparison of eastern and western economic thought. Which thesis statement best prepares you as a reader for this chapter?
- Though most Americans see economics as some form of capitalism, there are a number of different systems. This chapter defines and describes the most historically relevant systems and compares economic thought in Asian with that in the West.
- Economic thought is different is Eastern and Western societies because the values of the two culture sets, both now and over time.
- Although the West is now dominant in economic theory, a look at the definition of economic theories, descriptions of their variations, and comparisons between Eastern and Western economic thought show us that there is more to economics than just buying and selling.
A: Although the West is now dominant in economic theory, a look at the definition of economic theories, descriptions of their variations, and comparisons between Eastern and Western economic thought show us that there is more to economics than just buying and selling.

Q: Your English class is working on a unit about cities, with a heavy emphasis on places like New York, Los Angeles, London, Beijing, and Paris. One of the readings argues that cities are dying, using an historian as the basis of his argument. What more would the writer have to say or do in this reading to make the argument convincing to the reader?
- The writer should provide his own observations from the cities he has lived in and worked in so that he can speak from greater experience.
- The writer should use interviews and surveys of people who live in cities about their experiences.
- In addition to this expert historical testimony, the writer would need to provide statistics and a broader range of examples to be convincing.
A: In addition to this expert historical testimony, the writer would need to provide statistics and a broader range of examples to be convincing.

Q: An article you’re reading is presenting an argument about the cultural implications of the New York subway system. It includes several maps that demonstrate changes in the service areas over time. What do these exhibits help you understand, as a reader?
- These maps are a well-constructed example of the main point. Exhibits show, rather than tell.
- These maps are the primary sources included in papers and presentation. Exhibits are evidence by themselves.
- These maps, properly explained, illustrate the thesis of the article. Exhibits are the concrete evidence readers need to grasp many concepts or consequences.
A: These maps, properly explained, illustrate the thesis of the article. Exhibits are the concrete evidence readers need to grasp many concepts or consequences.

Q: In an argument about paper versus plastic grocery bags, is it more convincing when the author uses authoritative appeals?
- Yes, the personal anecdotes will help the author build a personal connection with the readers.
- No. Authoritative appeals are less effective than logical appeals like statistics and established facts.
- This depends on whether the author is actually an expert or has cited recognized experts in the field.
A: This depends on whether the author is actually an expert or has cited recognized experts in the field.

Q: The Pure Air League has distributed a pamphlet urging students not to use vapor cigarettes on campus. As you are reading their argument, you determine that they’ve relied primarily on emotional appeals. What research-based form of support do they most need to add to convince to you to agree with their position?
- Illustrations and exhibits from around campus of people vaping
- Personal anecdotes from a variety of people in Pure Air League
- Cited experts who provide experimental results that supporting their claims that vapor is bad
A: Cited experts who provide experimental results that supporting their claims that vapor is bad

Q: You are reading a newsletter distributed to members of your health club. The club is encouraging all members to bring their own BPA-free water bottles instead of using single-serving plastic bottles. As evidence, the newsletter includes information from the following:

- A Wikipedia article on BPA
- Personal testimony from the gym’s founding members who stopped using single-serving plastic bottles
- A price list of BPA-free water bottles from the gym store

How convinced of this claim do you think you and your fellow members will be?
- This letter should be very convincing. The weight of the founding members’ opinions is strong because they likely made their choices on researched information; other members should trust the objectivity of the founding members.
- This may be convincing to some members. The evidence is potentially irrelevant to the health concerns of the members.
- It is unlikely to be convincing. The members represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The newsletter should offer cited evidence and objective data on the dangers of BPA and avoid the sales pitch for the gym store.
A: It is unlikely to be convincing. The members represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The newsletter should offer cited evidence and objective data on the dangers of BPA and avoid the sales pitch for the gym store.

Q: Read the following excerpt from an academic article entitled “Coping Strategies for Landslide and Flood Disasters: A Qualitative Study of Mt. Elgon Region, Uganda.”

The occurrence of landslides and floods in East Africa has increased over the past decades with enormous public-health implications and massive alterations in the lives of those affected. In Uganda, the Elgon region is reported to have the highest occurrence of landslides and floods, making this area vulnerable. This study aimed at understanding both coping strategies and the underlying causes of vulnerability to landslides and floods in the Mt. Elgon region.

What is the rhetorical mode of this work, and why might it be an effective strategy in the context of this study?
- The rhetorical mode in this excerpt is cause/effect. The authors will determine how the coping strategies cause the landslides and flooding.
- The rhetorical mode in this excerpt is process analysis. The authors will demonstrate the steps a landslide or flood will take as it passes through the Mt. Elgon Region.
- The rhetorical mode in this excerpt is problem/solution. The authors will define the problem of vulnerability to landslides and floods and also explain the coping-strategy solutions.
A: The rhetorical mode in this excerpt is problem/solution. The authors will define the problem of vulnerability to landslides and floods and also explain the coping-strategy solutions.

Q: Read the following passage from “Leaders Who Feel Undeserving May Be Less Selfish.”

Whether or not high-ranking people feel worthy of their prominent social position has a lot to do with their level of selfishness, research suggests. A series of six scientific studies shows that people with high social status who don’t believe they’ve earned that status are much more generous than high-status people who feel they’re owed the respect and admiration of others.

Prominent people who don’t feel their status is fair and equitable may be more generous as a way to alleviate their sense of inequity, says Nicholas Hays, assistant professor of management at Michigan State University.

In separate studies with more than 1,200 total participants, Hays and Steven Blader, professor at New York University, examined the effects of social status on generosity. In one of the studies, for example, they surveyed 255 MBA students organized into 51 teams twice during a six-month project on the students’ willingness to help their teammates and on their perceptions of their own and their teammates’ social status.

The research project is one of the first of its kind. Previous studies have looked at the effects of power—which is defined as control over resources, whereas status is about being respected by others—and found that powerful people tend to become more selfish regardless of fairness or equity.

Which of the following describes the rhetorical mode of this passage and explains why it’s appropriate for the purpose of the writing? Choose the best answer.
- Process analysis—this mode is well suited for explaining the procedural challenges researchers faced while studying social status.
- Problem/solution—this mode is well suited for establishing the reader’s expectation that the solution to unfair social status will be discussed.
- Description—this mode is well suited for giving the reader an overview of the different studies of social status.
A: Description—this mode is well suited for giving the reader an overview of the different studies of social status.

Q: Which of the following rhetorical modes would you expect to find in a technical manual that describes procedures for installing and using new computer software?
- Compare/contrast
- Cause/effect
- Process analysis
A: Process analysis

Q: Read the following passage from “Can 8 Servings of Fruits and Veggies Make You Happier?”

A study of 12,000 people published in the scholarly journal American Journal of Public Health found that those who started eating more fruits and vegetables felt much happier. On the basis of the study’s findings, health professionals at the University of Queensland are developing an ambitious and costly educational program to persuade people to consume more fruits and vegetables.

Suppose you are on the university board and have been asked to review the study yourself and decide whether the educational program should receive funding. Which of the following questions will be most important to your assessment of the study’s conclusions?
- Were the participants paid to be in the study, and how much will the educational program cost?
- Should the university health professionals conduct their own study on the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables in order to obtain additional data?
- Are there other explanations for the participants’ increased happiness besides fruits and vegetables?
A: Are there other explanations for the participants’ increased happiness besides fruits and vegetables?

Q: Consider the following poll question: “Which political party do you think is best equipped to bring the federal government’s reckless spending under control?

Which of the following is a suppressed premise of this question, with a misleading underlying assumption?
- Political parties are out of touch.
- The people taking the poll belong to a political party.
- The federal government’s spending is reckless.
A: The federal government’s spending is reckless.

Q: You read an essay analyzing the methods used by codebreakers in World War II. Later you learn that the book’s author had lied about her credentials. Which of the following would be most damaged by your discovery?
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to deductive reasoning
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to pathos
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to ethos
A: Your opinion of the author’s appeal to ethos

Q: You read a sociological study of marriage rituals in rural India. Later you learn that the study’s authors had fabricated some of the data. Which of the following would be most damaged by your discovery?
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to popularity
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to pathos
- Your opinion of the author’s appeal to logos
A: Your opinion of the author’s appeal to logos

Q: You have a borrowed textbook that you can’t write in. Your plan is to write out definitions to technical terms on blue stickies and flag the key points and topic sentences in narrow pink stickies, putting the paragraph numbers on each just to be clear. What else should you do to help you understand the reading better in preparation for a test or discussion?
- You should try writing out your notes in a two-column notebook instead. Writing by hand is going to help you remember the terms better and will give you something to use in class discussions or on open note exams.
- You might consider photocopying the text instead of using post its, which is going to allow you to underline the topic sentences instead of writing them out and will let you write the technical definitions in the margins.
- You should annotate more actively, which means you need to write notes about connections you see and ask questions about what you read. You should also write personal notes that help you connect with the reading topic.
A: You should annotate more actively, which means you need to write notes about connections you see and ask questions about what you read. You should also write personal notes that help you connect with the reading topic.

Q: Evaluate the way the second paragraph paraphrases the first. Explain why this is or is not an appropriate paraphrase.

Original Source

Now those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. They -- and let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed. Their mistaken course stems from false notions, ladies and gentlemen, of equality. Equality, rightly understood, as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences. Wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism.

Paraphrase

People seeking absolute power are only trying to put their ideals on everyone else, even if they are trying to do the right thing. These are the people we should blame for bad governments, like the Nazis did with Hitler. Anybody who wants unchecked influence is suspect because unchecked influence always twists people inside; we need to fight these people. The problem is that these people don’t get what equality means. Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin knew what equality meant and it wasn’t what these people seeking unchecked influence think it is; the founders knew that equity leads to freedom and the openness to create. It is unfortunate that the other definition leads us now to “conformity” then tyranny.
- This paraphrase is just plagiarism. Any time a writer copies the structure too closely or just substitutes words it is plagiarism.
- This is a good paraphrase. The definition does not change meaning, and the structure walks us through the definition of netiquette in the same way.
- This paraphrase has a few issues. The writer has some difficulty in stepping away from the original structure and in several places uses synonyms for key words. The writer also adds examples and specifics not in the original.
A: This paraphrase has a few issues. The writer has some difficulty in stepping away from the original structure and in several places uses synonyms for key words. The writer also adds examples and specifics not in the original.

Q: Imagine that you are given this introduction from The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin (1875) to write a summary of for class.

The sole object of this work is to consider, firstly, whether man, like every other species, is descended from some pre-existing form; secondly, the manner of his development; and thirdly, the value of the differences between the so-called races of man. As I shall confine myself to these points, it will not be necessary to describe in detail the differences between the several races- an enormous subject which has been fully discussed in many valuable works. The high antiquity of man has recently been demonstrated by the labours of a host of eminent men, beginning with M. Boucher de Perthes; and this is the indispensable basis for understanding his origin. I shall, therefore, take this conclusion for granted, and may refer my readers to the admirable treatises of Sir Charles Lyell, Sir John Lubbock, and others. Nor shall I have occasion to do more than to allude to the amount of difference between man and the anthropomorphous apes; for Prof. Huxley, in the opinion of most competent judges, has conclusively shewn that in every visible character man differs less from the higher apes, than these do from the lower members of the same order of primates.

Of your classmate’s summary statements of this passage below, which uses quotations from the source most effectively?
- “The sole object of this work is to consider, firstly, whether man, like every other species, is descended from some pre-existing form; secondly, the manner of his development; and thirdly, the value of the differences between the so-called races of man.” From this we can see that Darwin is clearly setting out the expectations of the reader for how he is going to organize his main thesis.
- Darwin decided not to talk about the details of the differences between races. “As I shall confine myself to these points, it will not be necessary to describe in detail the differences between the several races- an enormous subject which has been fully discussed in many valuable works” (5).
- Charles Darwin sets out his purpose for writing in his introduction to The Descent of Man. His only purpose in writing, is to answer three questions: whether man, “like every other species, is descended” from another, “the manner” of this evolution, and “the value of the differences between the so-called races” (Darwin 5). This purpose is scientific, yet it is we can infer that Darwin does not give support to differences in “so-called” races.
A: Charles Darwin sets out his purpose for writing in his introduction to The Descent of Man. His only purpose in writing, is to answer three questions: whether man, “like every other species, is descended” from another, “the manner” of this evolution, and “the value of the differences between the so-called races” (Darwin 5). This purpose is scientific, yet it is we can infer that Darwin does not give support to differences in “so-called” races.

Q: Evaluate the following passage from the Wikipedia entry “Tax Credit.” Determine the major and the minor points.

A tax credit is a tax incentive which allows certain taxpayers to subtract the amount of the credit from the total they owe the state. It may also be a credit granted in recognition of taxes already paid or, as in the United Kingdom, a form of state support for low earners.

Incentive tax credits may be used to encourage behaviors like investment or parenting. A credit directly reduces tax bills, unlike tax deductions and tax exemptions, which indirectly reduce tax bills by reducing the size of the base (for example, a taxpayer's income or property value) from which the tax bill is calculated.

Most tax credits are nonrefundable tax credits and so do not apply if no taxes are owed. However, some tax credits are refundable tax credits so if the credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed, the excess is returned to the taxpayer.
- The main point is that tax credits can be used to get taxpayers to do things by paying them. The minor point is that tax credits can be refundable or non-refundable.
- The main point comes from the phrase a “tax incentive which allows certain taxpayers to subtract the amount of the credit from the total they owe the state.” The minor point comes from the phrase “It may also be a credit granted in recognition of taxes already paid or, as in the United Kingdom, a form of state support for low earners.”
- The main point is to define what a tax credit is and how it works. The minor points are that they can be used to “encourage behaviors” and that they can be refundable or non-refundable.
A: The main point is to define what a tax credit is and how it works. The minor points are that they can be used to “encourage behaviors” and that they can be refundable or non-refundable.

Q: Abe has found the reading assignments in his Geology class challenging throughout the term. He has come to rely upon previewing, active reading, and annotation strategies to better understand them. Now he is ready to summarize their contents, in order to prepare for his final exam. Which of the strategies below will be the most useful to create successful summaries for this purpose?
- Copy all the chapter headings and section titles from the text. Draft a summary from those, expanding to explain sections in Abe’s own words, using personal examples from his own life to clarify the points. The total length of the summary will be roughly 20% the length of the original.
- Identify the most important features of the text. Draft a summary using his own words, using personal examples from his own life to clarify the points. The total length of the summary will be roughly 50% the length of the original.
- Identify the most important features of the text. Draft a summary using his own words to describe the contents. Report only what’s in the text--none of Abe’s personal opinions should appear. The total summary will be roughly 20% the length of the original.
A: Identify the most important features of the text. Draft a summary using his own words to describe the contents. Report only what’s in the text--none of Abe’s personal opinions should appear. The total summary will be roughly 20% the length of the original.