Mandatory Volunteer Work for Teenagers

Which of the following TWO are counterclaims made by the Counterpoint argument?

• "The numerous advantages that come from volunteering definitely warrant making volunteering a compulsory part of school curriculum."

• "Another argument for making volunteer work a mandatory part of school curriculum is that this work will help teens gain self-esteem and self-confidence."

• "Another problem with making volunteer work a mandatory part of curriculum is that it defeats the purpose of volunteering in the first place."

• "However, as a society we should make sure that not just some, but all, teens volunteer."

• "One of the greatest arguments for this action is that mandatory volunteer work will prepare students for the future by giving them work experience..."

The Counterpoint argument is the argument ______________ mandatory volunteer work.

• for

• against

The Point argument is ______________ mandatory volunteer work.

• for

• against

What does the word "mandatory" mean?

• likely

• boring

• exceptional

• required

What evidence is given to support the claim by the Point author that volunteering benefits the volunteers themselves? (3)

• "Teens today are just too busy to add another stressor to their lives."

• "...volunteering improves people’s health and helps to make a difference in someone’s life..."

• "...volunteering helps people make important networking contacts, develop new skills, gain work experience, and enhance their resume."

• " Unfortunately, however, adults who were never encouraged to volunteer as youths may never start because they are oblivious of the benefits."

• "...volunteering gives people the opportunity to teach their skills to others and build self-esteem and confidence."

Which of the following illustrates the Counterpoint author's response to the following counterclaim?

"Another argument for making volunteer work a mandatory part of school curriculum is that this work will help teens gain self-esteem and self-confidence."

• "However, having time to socialize and develop hobbies and other interests is more important for self-esteem and self-confidence than volunteering."

• "Those teens without paying jobs still have plenty of prospects for gaining work experience in other ways such as an internship, or working at a school paper."

• "This will not help to make students feel useful or helpful, which would be counterproductive."

• "This eliminates the need to make volunteer work mandatory."

Which TWO quotes demonstrate the Point author acknowledging the opposing viewpoint?

• "Some people would immediately argue that this is an unnecessary action—many teens already volunteer without it being a requirement."

• "However, volunteering brings advantages that many people don’t think of right away: benefits to the volunteers themselves!"

• "The evidence is clear: Volunteering is beneficial to both the community and the volunteers themselves."

• "It’s true: teens have a propensity to volunteer more than adults."

• "However, as a society we should make sure that not just some, but all, teens volunteer."

The following piece of evidence supports which inference below?

"Volunteers make our world a cleaner place by doing things like picking up trash and teaching others about recycling."

• Volunteering benefits the volunteers, themselves.

• Mandatory volunteering provides an outlet for students to grow academically.

• Volunteering benefits the community.

• Mandatory volunteering does not help students gain work experience.

Which of the following TWO pieces of evidence supports the following rebuttal given by the Counterpoint?

"...but the flaw in this logic is that many teens already gain work experience through paying jobs."

• "Community service programs across the country will have a fresh new crop of enthusiastic, lifelong volunteers to count on."

• "Because the advantages of volunteering so heavily outweigh the disadvantages, it makes sense to start people on a path of volunteerism early by making volunteering a mandatory part of the school curriculum."

• "In fact, many of the teens working paying jobs are doing so out of necessity—to pay for gas to get back and forth to school, or to help their families with extra money."

• " Furthermore, students will not be able to experience the positive social benefits of volunteering because they see it as a requirement rather than a positive experience."

• "Those teens without paying jobs still have plenty of prospects for gaining work experience in other ways such as an internship, or working at a school paper."

What is the signal phrase in the following counterclaim that helps the reader see that a counterclaim is being introduced?

"One of the greatest arguments for this action is that mandatory volunteer work will prepare students for the future by giving them work experience, but the flaw in this logic is that many teens already gain work experience through paying jobs."

• "flaw in this logic"

• "mandatory volunteer work"

• One...argument"

• "experience through paying jobs."