Identifying elements of argument & vocab

How much time per day do you devote to exercising? Is this something that you have even thought about? Young people in the United States are spending less time exercising, and the issue is only becoming larger. Students need more exercise; therefore, schools should provide more gym time.

Which sentence is the claim?

• Is this something that you have even thought about?

• Young people in the United States are spending less time exercising, and the issue is only becoming larger.

• Students need more exercise; therefore, schools should provide more gym time.

what do you call the argument that the author is making

• evidence

• counterclaim

• claim

what do you call the opposing argument

• hook

• evidence

• counterclaim

these support the claim

• reasons

• hooks

• evidence

this supports each reason

• introduction

• evidence

• hook

What is the authors purpose?
"Every house should have a dog. They are cute, loyal and will protect your house."

• Persuade
• Inform
• Entertain

School uniforms are far cheaper than the currently popular fashions. Many students work long hours at a paying job instead of doing homework because they feel they have to "keep up appearances." If students wore uniforms, there would be no need for most of them to have jobs that take away from their study time.

This passage is mostly about?

• popular fashions being expensive
• school uniforms being a good idea.
• students working many hours at jobs.
• teens enjoying wearing uniforms.

Most people want to think that they are in control of their pets. However, a study by Karen McComb at the University of Sussex found that cat owners are controlled by their cats. Cat owners probably won’t have too much trouble believing this. Cats make a fairly loud noise by mixing a purr with a cry. The sound seems to be less annoying to humans than straight meowing. Using this sound, cats tell humans when they want to eat and when they want the door opened. The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed, so the cat gets exactly what he or she wants.

Which sentence from the paragraph supports the idea that cats have a smart way of getting what they want? 

• "Most people want to think that they are in control of their pets."
• "The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed."
• "Cat owners probably won't have too much trouble believing this."
• "Cats make a fairly loud noise by mixing a purr with a cry."

According to the American Health Association, peanut butter is a great source of protein.

• Claim
• Evidence

What is an argument?

• An author's attitude on the issue.

• A reason that proves the claim.

• Carefully stated claim supported by reasons and evidence.