Analyzing and Evaluating Arguments — Unit test Answers

Examine the public service ad.

Read the passage.The salaries of athletes who take part in professional sports are well earned and well deserved. These athletes benefit more than just fans like me. In a recent survey, 92 percent of children stated that they viewed at least one athlete as a role model; 75 percent go on to state that they learn about fair play and sportsmanship from professional athletes. While not all athletes exhibit sportsmanship, most kids focus on athletes with admirable traits, since 76 percent of children surveyed agree that it is never okay to taunt an opponent.

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell.In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace. . . .. . . The study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. . . .Data from the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project at least somewhat supports this conclusion with its findings that the majority of Egyptians are not online. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of the total population do not use the internet. When looking specifically at those with a college education, use of social media for obtaining political information is more prevalent than in other segments of the population. Though most of the country is disconnected from the internet, 84% of those who are online say they visit social networking sites for news about Egypt’s political situation. These findings point to social media’s important role in spreading information, but do not necessarily indicate that social media was a mobilizing force in the uprisings.

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. This passage is about Egypt.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.

Read the passage.Social media is here to stay. No amount of complaining by a generation who cannot even turn on a computer will change the fact that we live in a social media world. Increasing access to social media for people who are unfamiliar with it or afraid of using it should be the first step toward making the playing field a bit more even for everyone.

What evidence could the authors use to support their claim in the last sentence of this excerpt? Select three options.

Which rhetorical devices does President Trump use in this excerpt? Select two options.

Read the two passages about school uniforms.Passage 1"What should I wear today? Will this help me fit in?” If we listen to recent studies, which reveal the impact that school uniforms have, our children no longer have to ask themselves those questions. Uniforms decrease fighting. Uniforms decrease drug use. Uniforms decrease vandalism. There is no other possible solution to fix our schools.Passage 2When schools introduce uniforms, students become complacent, no longer interested in individuality. When schools introduce uniforms, schools lose their identities, blending in to look the same as other schools. When schools introduce uniforms, what is the true cost? The unfortunate answer will come as no surprise.