Newsela Should the Bill of Rights be Updated (8.RI.1.C)

Which sentence from the passage presents the main argument in favor of year-round schooling?

• A. "Many schools have adopted year-round schooling to improve student retention and reduce summer learning loss."

• B. "Critics, however, claim that the model disrupts family schedules and provides no real academic benefit."

• C. "Proponents argue that shorter breaks between terms help students remember what they've learned."
  

• D. "A 2021 study by the National Education Institute found that students in year-round schools scored 15% higher."

Which of the following best summarizes Elizabeth Wydra's main argument in favor of updating the Bill of Rights?

• A. The Bill of Rights should remain unchanged to preserve historical integrity.

• B. Modern challenges necessitate updates to the Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.
  

• C. The Bill of Rights is irrelevant in today's society.
  

• D. Updating the Bill of Rights would complicate the legal system unnecessarily.

Jeffrey Sikkenga argues against updating the Bill of Rights. Which of the following statements best represents his reasoning?

• A. The Bill of Rights is outdated and needs modernization.

• B. Frequent changes to the Bill of Rights would undermine its authority and stability.

• C. The Bill of Rights has already been updated multiple times in recent years.
  

• D. There is unanimous agreement that the Bill of Rights should be revised.

What is one way Wydra addresses potential criticism of updating the Bill of Rights?

• A. She says critics misunderstand the original Bill of Rights.
  

• B. She claims the Founding Fathers expected the Constitution to evolve.
  

• C. She dismisses any opposing viewpoints as irrelevant.
  

• D. She argues that amendments should only be made by the Supreme Court.

Which of the following best describes Sikkenga’s view on how the Bill of Rights is already capable of addressing modern issues?

• A. The Bill of Rights is regularly reworded by Congress.

• B. Judges frequently rewrite constitutional amendments.
  

• C. The Bill of Rights contains broad principles that courts can interpret in modern contexts.
  

• D. Modern rights are not covered, and no further interpretation is needed.

8. How does each author use evidence differently to support their viewpoint?

• A. Wydra uses legal theory, while Sikkenga relies only on personal anecdotes.
  

• B. Wydra cites current social issues, while Sikkenga uses historical context and the structure of government.
  

• C. Wydra refers to fictional examples, while Sikkenga avoids evidence entirely.
  

• D. Both rely solely on statistics and surveys.

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CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.5