AnswersMO-English Language Arts 10 B-CRUnit Test

Analyzing and Evaluating Arguments Answers

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Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell.Twitter, Facebook and other new media offer ways for the Arab-American news media to reach audiences, but also pose a threat to smaller outlets. In addition to keeping up with the online presence of larger news organizations, Arab-American media are forced to compete with user-generated content that is rapidly available to audiences. The utility of social media in accessing information became clear during the Arab uprisings and events such as Egypt’s parliamentary and presidential elections. However, [Suzanne] Manneh of New America Media points out that the credibility of this information is difficult to verify "depending on where it’s from, to whom it’s attributed, [and] especially when various events are happening very quickly."Arab-American news outlets find they must compete with this abundance of online content in order to evolve alongside readers who are increasingly turning to the internet for information. Newspapers have made the greatest inroads here so far, with most offering at least some form of digital content, while still maintaining print versions for older generations and those who prefer a physical newspaper. Radio programs, in light of the continuing challenge to find advertising sponsorship, are beginning to shift online. Arab-American television, on the other hand, has yet to even really find a place amid the satellite programming available from Arab countries.

A
The authors' use of quotations from eyewitnesses support the argument well, but the descriptions from their own experiences do little to support the claim.
B
The authors effectively use anecdotes to explain the challenges to Arab American news media, but the statistics they incorporate detract from the claim.
C
The authors do not effectively support their claim because they do not include eyewitness testimony.
D
The authors effectively use verifiable information and a quotation from an expert to support their claim.
2
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Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell.Almost immediately after the Arab uprisings began, there was debate over the role and influence of social media in the ouster of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the imminent overthrow of [Egyptian president Hosni] Mubarak . In covering what some deemed the Facebook or Twitter revolutions, the media focused heavily on young protesters mobilizing in the streets in political opposition, smartphones in hand. And since then, the violent and sectarian unrest in Syria has brought increased attention to the role of citizen journalism.Social media indeed played a part in the Arab uprisings. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt. Civil society leaders in Arab countries emphasized the role of "the internet, mobile phones, and social media" in the protests. Additionally, digital media has been used by Arabs to exercise freedom of speech and as a space for civic engagement.Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings.

A
During the Arab uprisings, media outlets focused on young protesters, who were unimportant in the struggle.
B
Media descriptions of the Arab uprisings related to Facebook or Twitter diminished interest in citizen journalism.
C
Social media affected the Arab uprisings, but its impact was not felt as strongly in Egypt as in other countries.
D
Social media affected the Arab uprisings, but its impact was not what the news media originally thought it was.
3

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell.Twitter, Facebook and other new media offer ways for the Arab-American news media to reach audiences, but also pose a threat to smaller outlets. In addition to keeping up with the online presence of larger news organizations, Arab-American media are forced to compete with user-generated content that is rapidly available to audiences. The utility of social media in accessing information became clear during the Arab uprisings and events such as Egypt’s parliamentary and presidential elections. However, [Suzanne] Manneh of New America Media points out that the credibility of this information is difficult to verify "depending on where it’s from, to whom it’s attributed, [and] especially when various events are happening very quickly."Arab-American news outlets find they must compete with this abundance of online content in order to evolve alongside readers who are increasingly turning to the internet for information.

A
Social media poses a threat to more traditional media outlets.
B
Traditional media can find truthful information within social media posts.
C
Social media content is difficult to create and publish.
D
Social media is generally a credible source of information.
4

What evidence could be used to support the authors’ claims in this excerpt? Select three options.

A
tweets (Twitter messages) describing the overthrow of Ben Ali at the time it happened
B
verifiable facts that help explain that social media has little effect on citizen journalism
C
speeches that give biographical accounts of the life and accomplishments of Mubarak
D
journal entries from a student describing how social media helped him join a protest
E
quotations from experts on social media use during uprisings within the Arab world
5

Which examples of evidence would best support this claim? Select three options.

A
a live television report from a youth fundraiser for Wilkins’s campaign
B
an anecdote from a family member about why Wilkins is the best person to vote for
C
an excerpt from a novel about a character named Wilkins who fights for democracy
D
a printed transcript of a campaign speech given by Wilkins at a local high school
E
a graph showing an increase in social media posts from young people about Wilkins during the campaign
F
a story a neighbor overheard about Wilkins while commuting to work last week
6

Which type of evidence is an example of testimony?

A
research studies
B
census figures
C
eyewitness accounts
D
historical instances
7

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell.Social media indeed played a part in the Arab uprisings. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt. Civil society leaders in Arab countries emphasized the role of "the internet, mobile phones, and social media" in the protests. Additionally, digital media has been used by Arabs to exercise freedom of speech and as a space for civic engagement.Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings.In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace based on an extensive content analysis of bit.ly links from the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain. Bit.ly links, or short URLs, are predominantly used in social media such as Twitter. The authors came to some conclusions that countered the initial assumption that social media was a causal mechanism in the uprisings.

A
The argument is convincing because the authors use varied forms of relevant evidence, including well-researched studies and verifiable data.
B
The argument is convincing because the authors use varied forms of relevant evidence, including eyewitness accounts and personal anecdotes.
C
The argument is not convincing because the authors support their points only with their own opinions, which is not sufficient evidence to support the claim.
D
The argument is not convincing because the authors focus only on facts and data related to bit.ly links and Twitter usage, which is not sufficient evidence to support the claim.
8

Consider this claim:School uniforms should be mandatory for all students.

A
According to the board of education, “school uniforms improve behavior, build school spirit, and develop a student’s sense of belonging.”
B
Making school uniforms mandatory directly contradicts Americans’ First Amendment right to express themselves freely.
C
Chris Hammock, a mother of three high school students, said that mandatory school uniforms would make back-to-school shopping much easier.
D
Recent reports indicate that school uniforms have a minimal impact on attendance rates in New York City Public Schools.
9

What types of evidence do the authors use in this excerpt? Select three options.

A
research related to the popular use of social media in Egypt
B
a statistic supporting the claim that social media use in Egypt is not widespread
C
testimony about how social media use has changed in Egypt
D
an example that compares how traditional media and social media handle a news story
E
data related to the decline of social media use after the Arab Spring
10

What is the claim in an argumentative text?

A
the facts and data that support a statement of opinion in the text
B
the statement that takes a position on an issue or controversy
C
the explanation of how the evidence in the text supports a reason
D
the quotations from primary sources that are used to validate a fact

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