Argument Reading CA Review (pt. 1)

The main purpose of the passage is to…

• Stress the positive qualities of a smartphone.

• Highlight the large number of smartphone users in America.

• Emphasize the influence smartphones can have.

• Question the accuracy of study results.

The central claim of the passage is that…

• Distraction levels vary from individual to individual.

• Experiences are changed when interacting with smartphones.

• Cognitive abilities were weakened when their smartphones were farther away.

• The ability to think and problem solve is adversely affected by the proximity of their smartphone.

Paragraph 1 (lines 1 – 7) indicates that the assumption being made about the connection between smartphone proximity and concentration may be…

• Negative.

• Isolated.

• Unsupported.

• Unrelated.

Which choice provides the best evidence to support the idea that the connection between smartphone proximity and concentration is negative?

• “Importantly, all phones had sound alerts and vibration turned off, so the participants couldn’t be interrupted by notifications.”

• “In two lab experiments, nearly 800 people completed tasks designed to measure their cognitive capacity.”

• “Thus, merely having their smartphones out on the desk le to a small but statistically significant impairment of individuals’ cognitive capacity – on par with effects of lacking sleep.”

• “This task measures ‘fluid intelligence,’ or people’s ability to reason and solve novel problems.”

The authors mention the benefits of smartphone usage in paragraph 11 (lines 64-68) in order to…

• Refute opposing views.

• Manipulate the reader.

• Anticipate reader’s objections.

• Show they are unreasonable.

Which line best serves as the authors’ rebuttal to the benefits smartphones provide us?

• “There are situations in which our smartphones provide a key value, such as when they help us get in touch with someone we’re trying to meet, or when we use them to search for information that can help us make better decisions.”

• “But, rather than smartphones taking over our lives, we should take back the reins: when our smartphones aren’t directly necessary, and when being fully cognitively available is important, setting aside a period of time to put them away – in another room – can be quite valuable.”

• “Smartphones have distinct uses.”

• “So how do we resolve this tension between the costs and benefits of our smartphones?”