Argumentative Essay Quiz

Evelyn, Elijah, and Henry are debating the impact of social media at their school. Which of the following is the BEST thesis statement for an argumentative essay on this topic?

• Social media has both positive and negative effects on society.

• This essay will discuss social media and teenagers.

• Schools should ban social media access during school hours because it reduces academic focus, increases cyberbullying incidents, and interferes with face-to-face social development.

• Many people think social media is bad for students.

Imagine Sophia and Michael are debating about homework in class. Sophia says, 'While opponents argue that homework reinforces classroom learning, studies show that excessive homework actually decreases student motivation and family time without improving test scores.' What is Sophia's sentence an example of?

• A claim

• A counterclaim and rebuttal

• Evidence

• A conclusion

Imagine Aria and Jackson are debating whether year-round schooling really helps students remember what they learn. Which piece of evidence would BEST help them prove that 'year-round schooling improves student retention of information'?

• Many countries around the world use year-round school calendars.

• Students say they prefer having shorter, more frequent breaks.

• A Johns Hopkins University study found that students in year-round schools scored 12% higher on retention tests than students with traditional summer breaks.

• Year-round schooling has been around for over 50 years.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Imagine Kai is writing an argumentative essay and Olivia challenges his main point. What is the real reason Kai should address Olivia's counterclaim in his essay?

• To show both sides are equally valid

• To demonstrate awareness of opposing views and strengthen your position by refuting them

• To make the essay longer

• To confuse the reader about your stance

Aiden, Sophia, and Maya are discussing whether school uniforms really help students. Which sentence gives the BEST explanation for the claim: 'School uniforms reduce socioeconomic inequality'?

• School uniforms help make everyone equal because students all wear the same clothes.

• When students wear uniforms, expensive brand names are no longer visible, eliminating a major source of social comparison and bullying based on family income.

• Many schools that have uniforms report positive results.

• Uniforms are good for schools because they solve problems.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RI.8.8

CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

Ava, Isla, and James are preparing for their big debate! Which of the following is the BEST way for them to organize a classic argumentative essay?

• Introduction with thesis → Body paragraphs with reasons and evidence → Conclusion

• Introduction → Narrative story → Personal opinion → Conclusion

• Claim → Claim → Claim → Evidence for all claims → Conclusion

• Hook → Background → Both sides equally → No clear position

Imagine Arjun, Noah, and Zoe are debating: 'Fast food restaurants should be required to display calorie counts on menus. People need this information. It would help them make better choices. Everyone wants to be healthy.' What is the PRIMARY weakness in their argument?

• The claim is unclear

• It lacks specific evidence and strong elaboration

• It includes a counterclaim

• The topic is inappropriate for an argument

Nora and William are having a lively debate in class. Which transition word or phrase would BEST help William introduce a counterclaim to Nora's point?

• Furthermore

• For example

• While some may argue that

• In conclusion

Imagine Aria, Abigail, and Sophia are writing argumentative essays. Where should they cleverly address counterclaims to make their arguments stronger?

• Only in the introduction

• Throughout the essay or in a dedicated paragraph before the conclusion

• Never—counterclaims weaken your argument

• Only in the conclusion

Imagine Ethan, Ava, and Priya are wrapping up their big debate in class. What should their conclusion do in their argumentative essay?

• Introduce new evidence they forgot earlier

• Restate the thesis, synthesize main points, and reinforce why their argument matters

• Apologize for having an opinion

• Present the counterclaim for the first time