Argumentative: Digital Diet

Look at this cartoon from the selection.

What is the most likely reason the author includes the cartoon?

• To highlight how children have created new ways to use phones

  for play

• To indicate that children today should use phones when outside

• To suggest that children are too attached to phones

• To emphasize that phones can help children complete activities

1. Which sentence from the article best states the author’s claim?

• 1. They spend less time outside, get less sleep, and develop a shorter attention span. (paragraph 2)

• Doctors suggest establishing a specific time of night when all devices must be turned off. (paragraph 4)

• As a result, children and teenagers today spend as little as four minutes outside per day. (paragraph 5)

• The goal is to use digital devices when they are needed but to spend some time away from them as well. (paragraph 6)

The intended audience for the article is most likely —

• teenagers with poor grades

• owners of cellphones and smart devices

• adults who dislike technology

• Doctors who want people turn off devices

What does the word attentive mean in paragraph 5?

•  Encouraging

• Focused

• Grateful

• Understanding

Based on the information throughout the selection, how could a

person put a digital diet into practice?

• By adjusting the brightness of a screen when using an electronic

  device at night

• By playing games over the computer with a group of friends

• By memorizing different routes to avoid using a map on the

  internet

• By putting away the phone when eating lunch with a friend

Which detail from the selection supports the key idea that a digital

diet is rewarding?

• Television screens offer a good source of entertainment.

• Students can use a computer to help them with homework.

• Mindfulness allows us to be more present with others.

• Reading text messages keeps the mind alert.

The author uses a comparison to present the ideas in paragraph 2

so that the reader will understand that a digital diet —

• is a complicated process that requires careful planning

• causes some people to think about food

• solves a number of problems for everyone

• can help people form better habits

What is the best summary of the selection?

• Technology is an important part of people’s lives, but the time

  spent with digital devices needs to be balanced with other

  activities. A digital diet would help people limit screen time and

  reverse some bad habits from too much digital use. This balance

  could mean more time outside, more sleep, and longer attention

  spans. A digital diet would be worth the effort.

• Young people depend on technology for almost everything, but

  too much technology can be bad. Everyone who uses digital

  devices needs to restrict the hours they spend with screens.

  People can limit their time on a screen by spending more time

  outside or reading a book before they go to bed. Even though

  computers are still needed for homework, people would benefit

  from less screen time.

• Most people rely on technology to communicate with others

  through text and email, but too much time looking at a screen

  creates bad habits. Instead, everyone should try to go outside

  during their free time so that they can get better grades in

  school and develop their creativity. Although a digital diet would

  be hard at first, it would help people in the end.

• Although electronic devices can help people, they can also be

  bad for people’s health. Digital overload should be replaced with

  a digital diet. Most people know that a food diet helps people get

  rid of poor eating habits, and the same is true with a digital diet.

  Going on a digital diet would prevent people from developing

  poor habits with their digital devices.

What is the most likely reason the author includes the phrase

“Everywhere you look” in paragraph 1?

• To suggest that people want to ignore a critical issue

• To show how society has only recently changed

• To explain that people are fascinated by trends

• To emphasize a problem that is widespread

What primary claim does the author make in this selection?

• Electronic devices are the main reason why people have

  meaningless conversations.

• Children and teenagers should give up their digital devices

  completely.

• People would benefit greatly by limiting their time with

  technology.

• Individuals are spending more time indoors using screens than

  ever before.