INFORMATIONAL TEXTS AND ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

Which of these would use the most FORMAL diction?

• movie review

• journal entry

• business proposal

• letter to a friend

Which sentence is written using formal language?

• Chill out, there is nothing to get excited about.

• We are fixing to go to the mall to pick up some stuff.

• Do y'all want to hang out at the bowling alley on Friday night?

• Make a list of items that will be needed to complete the project.

We went to a movie early in the evening; _______________ we enjoyed a mocha latte at the coffee shop.

Which transition word or phrase BEST completes the sentence?

• afterwards

• for example

• specifically

• on the contrary

I can hardly remember what I did before I got my own personal computer. Not only does it improve the quality and efficiency of my homework, the games I play are really cool. I also like to surf the Internet in search of websites about interesting topics such as skateboarding and rollerblading.

Which would be the BEST topic sentence for the paragraph?

• Last night I looked for information on Tony Hawk.

• My mom and dad never had a computer when they were young.

• Having my own computer has made life so much easier and much more fun.

• Computer use should be monitored by parents at all times to protect their children.

I believe that Seneca School District should not start year-round classes, as this would harm many students and teachers. Having year-round classes with short breaks could save our school money, but could harm students' educations. I believe that having four, rather than one, extended breaks will make students forget more information. Students need to review after their current summer breaks and will need to review three times more per year if they are given four extended breaks. Also, students will not be able to get summer jobs or be involved in summer camps if they go to school during the summer. Furthermore, some of the schools in our district do not have air conditioning, which makes them inappropriate for use during the summer. Read this draft of the beginning of a argumentative speech. Which of these choices BEST states the author's purpose in writing this speech?

• to explain how year-round schooling works

• to describe the schedule of a year-round school

• to teach the audience how to begin year-round schooling

• to convince the audience that year-round schooling is harmful

(1) It happens to everyone. (2) You’re sitting in class, and you suddenly realize that you’ve forgotten your homework. (3) Leaving your homework at home can negatively affect your GPA, making more work for you in the end. (4) The solution to this common problem has finally arrived! (5) The GSX360 is a revolutionary device that scans your homework into a small and portable flash drive. (6) After you’ve completed your homework, simply run the GSX360 over your papers. (7) The device creates a scan of your homework and automatically saves it on your flash drive. (8) Even if you’ve left all your books at home, you can use your GSX360 to print out copies of your work. Which of these sentences is the correct conclusion to place at the end of this advertisement?

• The GSX360 comes in a variety of fashionable colors.

• The GSX360 is available at many stores and costs $19.99.

• The GSX360 is the fast, easy way to keep your homework organized.

• The GSX360 comes with a complete operating guide to explain the device.

I would like to nominate my friend Angela Consolo for class president. Angela is an excellent student who participates in many extracurricular activities. She has always had a knack for leadership. She currently acts as captain of the soccer team and president of the honor society. I believe that Angela could help our class reach its goals over the next school year. Jason wrote a letter to nominate his friend Angela for class president. Do the examples Jason provided in this part of his letter support his position?

• no, because they do not explain why Angela wants to be president

• yes, because they support the idea that Angela is an excellent leader

• no, because they do not tell readers what Angela would do as president

• yes, because they show readers how popular Angela is with other students

Which sentence makes a claim for an argument about how Mr. Jones is a great teacher?

• Mr. Jones is the sponsor of three different time-demanding clubs at school.

• Mr. Jones teaches seven different classes with seven different lessons each day.

• Mr. Jones gets to school earlier and stays later than any other teacher at the school.

• Mr. Jones is one of the hardest working and most talented teachers at Riverdale High School.

Which sentence makes a claim for an argument about why cats make good pets for elderly people?

• Cats can stay indoors all the time and can be left alone overnight.

• Cats sleep the majority of the day and enjoy cuddling with their owners.

• Cats would be a wonderful pet for elderly people because they require minimal care.

• Cats do not have to be taken for walks and do not have to be played with all the time.

Which statement most clearly links the evidence and conclusion for an argument about the positive effects of video game playing?

• Because video games are worth playing, they help develop a person's hand-eye coordination.

• Video games are worth playing because they help develop a person's hand-eye coordination.

• If video games are worth playing, then they help develop a person's hand-eye coordination.

• Video games are not worth playing because they help develop a person's hand-eye coordination.