The Eternal Frontier

The Eternal Frontier

Reading: Fact and Opinion

When you read nonfiction, it is important to be able to distinguish between fact and opinion. A fact is something that can be proved true. An opinion is a person’s judgment or belief. It may be supported by factual evidence, but it cannot be proven.

As you read, recognize clue words that indicate an opinion, as in the phrases “I believe” and “in my opinion.” Also look for words such as always, never, must, cannot, best, worst, and all, which may indicate a broad statement that reveals a personal judgment. Emotional statements are also often clues to opinion.

Reading: Fact and Opinion

You can tell that the statement below from “The Eternal Frontier” is an opinion because it cannot be proven. Another hint is that it contains the word must.

What is needed now is leaders with perspective; we need leadership on a thousand fronts, but they must be men and women who can take the long view and help to shape the outlines of our future.

Multiple Choice

“All that has gone before is preliminary.”

• Fact

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

“In 1900 there were 144 miles of surfaced road in the United States. Now there are over 3,000,000.”

• Fact

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

“There will always be the nay-sayers, those who cling to our lovely green planet as a baby clings to its mother.”

• Fact

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

“We have a driving need to see what lies beyond [the frontier] . . .”

• Fact

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

“We landed men on the moon; we sent a vehicle beyond the limits of the solar system, a vehicle still moving farther and farther into that limitless distance.”

• Fact

• Opinion

Multiple Choice

“Nor is the mind of man bound by any limits at all.”

• Fact

• Opinion

Literary Analysis: Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is a piece of nonfiction that presents a series of arguments to convince readers that they should believe or act in a certain way. Below are some techniques that are often used in persuasive essays. When you read a persuasive essay, be aware of these techniques; you will need to decide whether they are powerful enough to persuade you to accept the author’s ideas.

Literary Analysis: Persuasive Essay

• Appeals to authority: using the opinions of experts and well-known people

• Appeals to emotion: using words that convey strong feeling

• Appeals to reason: using logical arguments backed by statistics and facts

Multiple Choice

Which word or phrase in this statement from "The Eternal Frontier" indicates that the author is expressing an opinion?

All that has gone before is preliminary.

• All

• has gone

• before

• preliminary

Multiple Choice

According to Louis L'Amour, what might stand in the way of progress?

• a devastating war

• a negative attitude

• a lack of money

• a terrible disease

Multiple Choice

Why does the author of "The Eternal Frontier" mention the car, radio, television, and flight?

• to show that progress is occuring quickly

• to prove we have gone as far as we can

• to remind us that change takes time

• to urge us to stop wasting our potential

Multiple Choice

How can you tell that this statement from "The Eternal Frontier" is a fact?

In 1900 there were 144 miles of surfaced road in the United States.

• It contains a statistic.

• It can be proved true.

• It cannot be proved true.

• It comes from a reference book.

Multiple Choice

Where does Louis L'Amour think we should travel?

• to the planets

• to the moon

• to the asteroids

• to outer space

Multiple Choice

How can you tell that this statement from "The Eternal Frontier" is an opinion?

Mankind is not bound by its atmospheric envelope or by its gravitational field, nor is the mind of man bound by any limits at all.

• It contains a statistic.

• It can be proved true.

• It cannot be proved true.

• It is an expert's idea.

Multiple Choice

According to Louis L'Amour, what should our leaders do?

• They should pass laws to make space exploration easier.

• They should raise the money needed for space travel.

• They should show us what the future can hold for us.

• They should volunteer to travel on a space mission.

Multiple Choice

What does Louis L'Amour say about the vehicle we sent beyond the solar system?

• It is an example of the kind of vehicle we should send into space.

• It is an example of the difficulty of sending people into space.

• It proves that we have the technology to attempt space travel.

• It can prove to someone that we made the effort to go into space.

Multiple Choice

How does this statement from "The Eternal Frontier" appeal to emotion?

If we are content to live in the past, we have no future.

• It contains an expert's opinion.

• It presents a logical argument.

• It conveys strong feelings.

• It reveals the author's opinion.

Multiple Choice

What is Louis L'Amour trying to persuade us to do in "The Eternal Frontier"?

• give money to the space program

• show interest in space exploration

• understand history better

• train to become astronauts