Day 1

Which of the these potential additions would be LEAST LIKELY to strengthen Thrash’s argument?

• a list of non-profit organizations willing to work with college university student volunteers.
• a quoted excerpt detailing the benefits of service from a non-profit agency representative or recipient of its services
• statistics showing that students who have to serve volunteer hours miss less school and are involved in fewer fights and discipline issues
• personal testimony from the author himself describing his positive experience graduating from a high school that required volunteer service hours

What type of evidence does the author use to support his argument that students should be required to complete service hours in order to graduate?

• The author does not provide any real evidence to support his claims.
• The author presents evidence that appeals to the emotions of readers.
• The author presents rational and logical evidence to support his argument.
• The author cites statistics and other empirical evidence to support his points.

What is the author arguing that high schools should do?

• Make it harder for students to graduate on time.
• Give student more opportunities for field trips.
• Require students to participate in student government.
• Require students to complete a set number of service hours to graduate.

Which inference is supported in section 2, and again later in this passage?

• The writer believes students will be better people if they participate in service projects.
• Adding volunteer or service requirements would be a low cost initiative to improve schools.
• It could be dangerous for communities to ignore the need to foster the development of caring young adults.
• Because this has been successful in other countries, American schools should be willing to begin a similar program.

The editorial points out "how many hoops students must jump through" just to graduate. Because the writer seems to be criticizing these hoops, what would you expect him to argue for?

• for schools to create more testing requirements
• for test preparation classes to be required for every student
• for standards to be raised to ensure a strenuous program of study
• for graduation requirements to be reduced so students aren't so stressed out