Outlining Quiz (100 points)

For reference, here is a reminder that the four levels of writing—from most general to most specific— cover the entire body of the text.

Counter-Argument—the author’s opponent’s main point or purpose in opposition

Argument—the author’s main point or purpose (can appear as a problem thesis)

Concluding Argument: a summary of the argument that has gone before or the solution to the problem Argument earlier

1.  Important Ideas—key points that break down & debate the thesis
2.  Supporting Ideas—pts. that develop & explain a prior imp. idea
3.  Examples—after supporting ideas, these sentences provide further details
4.  Further details or explanations of points already made

 

**Every answer below except for the summary in IV. is ONE SENTENCE ONLY**

 

**ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS for each item.  It’s easy to miss some.**

 

1. Read the following paragraph and answer the questions after it.

A failure on the playing field or in the classroom?  A miserable performer in the game of life?  If you approach life expecting to fail, that prediction might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Performance may depend on whether one has a good or bad attitude.  One important component to having the right approach is how well one can visualize success.  Participants in studies who characterize themselves as chronic worriers, as insecure, or as introverts usually do poorly on a battery of standard tests.  On the other hand, participants who characterize themselves as optimistic, as forward-looking, or as extroverts perform much better.  Republican Bobby Jindal credits his optimism as the reason he was able to rise from political obscurity to become Governor of Louisiana and a possible future presidential candidate.  A Kenyan marathon runner, Wesley Korir put his success in perspective by explaining, “I saw myself passing all my competition and winning the race, and that is exactly what I did!”  Attitude also aids individuals in learning new skills.  Those who doubt their abilities before they start have a more difficult time grasping new information.  Ryan Leaf was one of the top quarterbacks drafted out of college into the National Football League, but he failed because as he said later, “I did not believe in myself, so I could never quite grasp the playbook.”  This defeatist attitude contrasts with those who may not have as much talent but whose “can-do” approach allows them to pick up and become comfortable practicing new skills much sooner.  College dropout Lorraine Hanson parlayed her skills handling new technology into a start-up social networking company that was purchased for $400 million by Facebook.  Likewise, attitude influences one’s problem solving capabilities.  When difficulties arise, those who doubt their abilities are much more likely to throw up their hands in despair at the first hint of trouble.  They make excuses for not even trying or they exaggerate the problems facing them.  Conversely, those with a confident attitude pitch in and do what they have to do to solve their problems.  They foresee a successful conclusion to their efforts even before they begin.  Nuns in a Los Ciento California monastery had failed at various money-making schemes like raising chickens and selling goat cheese to area super markets, but then they came up with the idea of offering meditation and yoga retreats, and reservations boomed.  Jeff Conroy’s application to Wharton Business School was rejected, so he started a website called “Ivy League College Rejects.”  Over fifty universities took out ads on the site, and Harvard was so impressed that it rescinded its rejection and offered him a spot in its freshman class.

 

(5 points)  Circle and label or type out the thesis in the paragraph above

 

Thesis:

 

(12 points)  Underline and number I, II, III the important idea sentences in the paragraph above or type them out below

I.

 

II.

 

III.

 

(3 pts)  Find one supporting idea sentence in the paragraph above and copy it out:

 

Supporting Idea sentence:

 

 

1.  Read the paragraph below and answer the questions after:

“Are SUV’s Too Much of a Good Thing?” by Jeremy Scott, NY Times 10/26/2007

America’s automakers continue to churn out these crowd-pleasing sports utility vehicles or SUV’s because they offer several advantages.  These vehicles have 4 wheel drive capability.  If you want to go off-road to your favorite fishing hole, a SUV will get you there.  They also have huge loading areas.  And they have powerful engines in case you want to tow a trailer.  Finally, they have comfortable, luxurious car-like interiors.  This luxury can be seen in higher-priced models from car brands like Porsche, BMW, and Lincoln.  However, despite the number of SUV’s you see on the streets and highways of America, the truth is that most people don’t need such large vehicles.  Living in town, they never or rarely use the 4 wheel drive option.  They never fill the loading bay with more than groceries.  The never use their SUV’s powerful motor to tow anything. In fact, it is easy to discover other reasons than “sports” or “utility” to explain why people drive such behemoths.  The biggest reason, of course, is that these trucks are fashionable.  Half the vehicles American automakers sell belong to the SUV category.  Also, some people make the excuse that they feel safer in such a massive vehicle.  Since SUV’s are much larger than passenger cars and they stand higher off the ground, drivers can see traffic better.  On the other hand, prospective SUV buyers should realize that are several disadvantages to owning a SUV.  Such vehicles represent an unnecessary waste of material resources and gas.  All that weight in steel, rubber, and glass requires $1000 more in gasoline per year than a passenger car.  Second. SUV’s handle stiffly—like the trucks they are—and so are a danger to the much smaller passenger vehicles with which they share the road.  At the same time, they are more prone to fatal rollovers.  For these reasons, Congress should consider adding a luxury tax to the purchase price of Sport Utility Vehicles because in the majority of cases driving a SUV is a luxury we can no longer afford.

 

(4 points each)    Underline and label I, II, III, and IV, the 4 Important Idea sentences in the paragraph above or type them out below.    (Make sure you underline and number only one sentence for each point.)

I.

 

II.

 

III.

 

IV.

 

(3 points)  Circle and label the paragraph’s “Solution Argument” sentence or write it out below.

 

Solution Argument:

 

(3 points)  Type out below the first few words of one supporting idea sentence from the paragraph above    (NOT an Important Idea or a example/detail sentence)

 

Supporting Idea Sentence:

 

 

III.  Read the following essay then answer the questions after it:

“Tired of Other People’s Cell Phone Conversations?”  by Stanley Clarke (2006)

After Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, face-to-face communications became less necessary.  The art of letter writing began to die, and some observers mourned the loss saying that society had become less communicative and polite.  The invention of the telephone raised questions about how public communications affect private behavior and manners—an issue that persists today.

Further improvements to the telephone replaced the rotary dial wheel with a push button system, and recently computer chips and satellite technology created portable cellular telephones.  Along with this advance in technology came other advances.  The cellular telephone has undeniable communications advantages.  First, less time is wasted.  Salesmen can conduct business with one client while driving to a meeting with another.  Also, cellular telephones can save the day in a crisis situation.  For example, a Boy Scout troop finds itself lost in the woods—until one of the boys takes a cellular telephone and calls for help.  Some of the newer cell phones have GPS tracking that allows owners to locate exactly where they are.  Last, just the convenience of being able to keep in touch is a relief.  Many parents require a teenage son or daughter to carry a cellular telephone or pager so they can keep in contact.

Conversely, while the cellualr telephone revolution has freed owners from land lines and improved communications, it has revived complaints about a corresponding loss of manners.  On the road, people yakking on the cell phones pay less attention to traffic than they should.  Distracted by their conversation, they go too fast or too slow, or block the passing lane, or neglect to use turn signals when they shift lanes themselves.  Owning a cellular telephone is so convenient that people carry and use them everywhere including inappropriate public places.  Walking along the street, it’s bad enough to be stuck behind someone talkling on his cell and being forced to hear what should be a private conversation.  The electronic beep or ring tone of a cellular telephone has also interrupted church sermons, restaurant dinners, and concerts or plays, and too often the recipients of these calls answer their telephones and start talking loudly while everyone else cringes.  It’s no wonder that some places have installed signal-blocking devices to prevent such interruptions.

For the sake of convenience, people are willing to make sacrifices.  The lack of polite manners while using cellular telephones is becoming more common as our communications become less private.  Often we do not recognize how the technology we use changes us.

 

(4 points)  Circle and label the or type out Problem Thesis in the cell phone article above

 

Problem Argument:

 

(4 points)  Circle and label or write out the Concluding Thesis in the cell phone article above

 

Conlcuding Argument:

 

(1 point each = 15)  Fill in the outline below by “quoting” the first few words from the appropriate sentences from the cell phone article above.

The 2 Argument statements are NOT part of this outline.  Start with the first important idea, I.

 

I.______________________________________________________________________

A.____________________________________________________________________

1.________________________________________________________________

B.____________________________________________________________________

1.________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________

C.____________________________________________________________________

1.________________________________________________________________

II._____________________________________________________________________

A.____________________________________________________________________

1.________________________________________________________________

B.____________________________________________________________________

1.________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________

a.__________________________________________________________

 

 

1. Read the following essay and answer the questions after it:

Cartoons Are for Everybody by Roger Lolich (1997)

The ancient Greeks believed that long before their time, when the gods ruled the earth, it was a Golden Age of peace and prosperity.  When the gods lost some of their power to humans, it became the Age of Silver.  And when humans gained further strength and began fighting among themselves, it became the Age of Iron.  Today, many critics say that the quality of our television cartoons has declined over time.  Congress and sociologists bemoan the animated violence that is teaching our children to become more aggressive.  At the same time, cheaply-made, short-lived, formulaic cartoons designed to promote toys like the Transformers and GI Joe are common but profitable.  Parents remember the MGM, King Feature, Hanna-Barbara, and Warner Brothers cartoons they watched as children and say that the production values of cartoons today do not measure up to the standards they recall.

However, despite these fears, the truth is that this is the golden age of cartoons.  Unlike “the good old days” when cartoons were produced by only a few Hollywood studios to accompany movies, today a whole host of companies are making hundreds of cartoons for television.  These include Saban of Japan, Pathe of France, as well as cartoon imports from Australia, Canada, and Great Britain.  As a result of such competition, production values are going up, and on a typical Saturday morning, one can find three or four top-flight cartoons running simultaneously on different channels.  Also, despite what Congressional watchdogs would have us believe, the moral and social content of our cartoons is higher than ever.  “Pinky and the Brain,” the on-going story of a lab mouse who is trying to take over the world often parodies political and Hollywood luminaries, teaching children in its own skewed way that power and stardom are not all that they are portrayed to be.  In “Rug Rats,” an ensemble cast of infants and toddlers teaches more about social interaction than any textbook could.  “Superman” and “Batman” fight crime and evil, where the stakes are higher and the triumphs more clear-cut than one will ever find in live action programs.  If you want cutting edge social controversy, just watch the cable cartoon “South Park,” though don’t expect high production values!  If you prefer heartwarming hero-and-heroine or “buddy” stories, watch any one of a half dozen Disney cartoons.  Appealing to while making gentle fun of the lifestyle of Middle America, both “Hank Hill” and “The Simpsons” are prime time hits for the Fox Network.

Today, there is such variety and competition available among cartoons that they appeal to a wider audience than ever before.  Yes, there will always be the cheap rock-‘em sock-‘em robot and dinosaur action genre, but all you have to do is turn the channel to find some of the freshest writing and most interesting animation effects on television today.  So forget those tired cookie-cutter sitcoms on Friday night.  Get up early and watch cartoons!

 

Fill in the outline below by typing out the first few words of the one sentence that applies in the article above.  Don’t repeat the same sentence for 2 different answers:

 

(4 points)  Counter-thesis:__________________________________________________

 

(3 pts.)  Important Idea I:

 

(3 pts.)  Important Idea II:

 

(3 pts.)  Important Idea III:

 

(4 points)  Thesis:_________________________________________________________

 

(3 pts.)  Important Idea I:

(3 pts.)  Important Idea II:

(3 pts.)  Important Idea III:

 

(3 pts.)  Concluding Thesis:_________________________________________________

 

1. (6 points)    Circle the letter of the best summary after the following passage:

Drug abusers are welcome to hurt themselves, but they do not have the right to hurt others, and often co-workers who are high on drugs act irresponsibly.  Even if occasional drug abuse does not affect one’s work performance on the job the risk to co-workers is constant.  Someone who is high while driving a forklift in an industrial chemical warehouse can create a disaster.  In addition, drug testing for employees or prospective employees will benefit employers.  As a group, drug abusers take far more sick days than others, and it is reasonable to assume that if they are prevented from abusing drugs, they will have better attendance and performance.  Workers who are still stoned from doing drugs the night before are unlikely to get up early for their job starting at 9 a.m.  Mandatory drug testing at work would weed out such troublesome workers.

 

1.  Drug abusers hurt themselves with their habit, but if they were not allowed to do drugs their coworkers would be safer, too.  Likewise, a ban on drugs would benefit employers since workers who are clean and sober take off fewer sick days from work.  This is why drug testing should be required on the job.

 

1.  People have the right to hurt themselves, but they do not have the right to hurt others.  If drug abusers indulge their habit in the workplace, they are putting their co-workers in danger due to the ways in which drugs affect one mentally and physically.  This is why drug abusers are putting more than themselves at risk.  Therefore, we cannot afford to ignore the problem workplace drug use.

 

1.  Drug abusers do not have the right to indulge their habit in the workplace.  Coworkers risk injury or worse at the hands of irresponsible drug abusers.  In a workplace with drug abusers, however, this danger is a constant risk that cannot be allowed.

 

1.  There are important reasons why drug testing should be required in all places of work.  Such test will definitely benefit employers.  Drug users as a group take more sick days than non-users.  Therefore, we can assume that is drug use is prohibited, work attendance will improve and the company will save money.