Author’s Argument

7th Language Arts

Author’s Argument Guided Notes

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Which of the following is not a clue to find the author’s argument?

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1. What is the issue or topic the author is talking about?

2. What is the author’s viewpoint on the issue/topic?

3. How many supporting details does the author use?

4. Where does the author state his/her viewpoint?

Thesis statement + 3 to 4 pieces of support = an effective argument

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1. True2. False

To support the author’s argument, what are the three “A” requirements for supporting details? Supporting details must be...

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1. adequate, adjustable, abstract2. accurate, active, absurd3. adequate, accurate, applicable4. applicable, adverse, average

Facts, statistics, anecdotal support, and expert testimony are ways to support an argument.

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1. True2. False

I Am a Native of North America

by Chief Dan George

Author’s Argument Worksheet

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“I Am a Native of North America”

Author’s Argument Worksheet

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What is Chief Dan George’s argument In “I Am a Native of North America?

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1. Native Americans do not prize the hoarding of private possessions.

2. Native Americans prize friendship and companionship.

3. Native Americans have important values to offer their “American brothers”.

4. Native Americans have little to offer their “American brothers”.

What Details Does George Use To Support His Argument?

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1. Native Americans lived in small communal houses and learned to serve, respect and accept others. Americans live in much larger homes and do not know or care about their neighbors.

2. Americans blot nature from their cities, throw poison in the waters, and choke the air with fumes. Native Americans have a deep respect for nature and see the Earth and all it contains as a gift from the Great Spirit.

3. Native Americans prize friendship and companionship, not privacy. Privacy builds walls and promotes distrust.

4. All of the above

What Types Of Supporting Details Does Chief Dan George Use To Support His Argument?

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1. facts2. anecdotal support3. expert testimony4. all of the above

What detail does the author not use to describe the communal houses that he grew up in?

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1. contained sleeping apartments separated by blankets

2. contained an open fire in the middle for all to cook at

3. several families lived in these dwellings

4. the houses were small

Letter to Supermart

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According to the letter, which of the following will the author most likely do?

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1. wait for a response2. find another place

to shop3. shop for bakery

items only4. recommend the

store to friends

In the passage, which of the following is an example of a fact?

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1. I have never been able to purchase nacho cheese soup at your store.

2. Your grocery store is outstanding in many ways.

3. Regent Brand Chili Seasoning is superior in flavor to its peers.

4. My time is valuable.

In this passage, which of the following is not an example of the letter writer’s purpose for writing the letter?

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1. to ask for a special seasoning

2. to request a price reduction

3. to identify concerns4. to compliment the

store

In this passage, which of the following details supports the author’s argument?

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1. There are many items your store does not carry.

2. I sincerely hope to continue a relationship with your store.

3. I enjoy the selection of produce and fresh bakery items.

4. Your low prices and excellent customer service keep me coming back.

What does the author want the reader to do?

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1. stock the items he finds at other stores

2. match the competitors’ prices

3. increase the selection in the bakery

4. sell fresher produce

“MIrror, MIrror, on the Wall, Do I See Myself

As Others Do?”

by Joan Burditt

“Mirror, Mirror...” Worksheet

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You can tell from this article that the writer believes

that...

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1. Students feel tremendous pressure to look a certain way.

2. Teen magazines do not influence the way teenagers feel about their appearance.

3. Parents should keep their children from reading magazines that have models in them.

4. Students should wear uniforms to school so they won’t worry so much about their appearance.

Which of the following statements uses statistics to

support a position?

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1. I’ll bet most students who are thin feel fat.

2. Students feel they have to wear a certain brand of clothing.

3. Models in advertisements are 9 percent taller and 23 percent thinner than the average woman.

4. Computers can change the way people look in photgraphs.

Which type of evidence does the writer use to support her point that

brand names on clothing are important to many students?

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1. An anecdote2. An interview3. An expert’s opinion4. A magazine article

What is the most likely reason the author wrote this essay?

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1. To change readers’ views about their appearance.

2. To tell a story about the woman who works in the drugstore.

3. To interview students about the clothes they wear.

4. To explain why sports improve girls’ self-esteem.

Which statement is a fact - a statement that can be proven true?

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1. Everyone wants to be thin.

2. Out of 220 pages, 70 were advertisements.

3. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

4. The females look as though they haven’t eaten in months.

“Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...” Questions

1. How does the opening anecdote relate to the writer’s main point?

2. What is topic, or subject, of this article?

3. What is the writer’s perspective, or point of view, on this subject?

ReferencesGeorge, Dan. “I Am a Native of NorthAmerica.” 4 August 2008<http://www.umilta.net/chief.html>.

IDEAL. “AIMS Practice Quick Links: 7thOnline Practice Tests: Passage 4 Test.”Arizona Department of Education andArizona State University. 1 September 2008<https://www.ideal.azed.gov/aims/practice>.

ReferencesMongello, Laura , ed. “Mirror, Mirror,on the Wall, Do I See Myself As Others Do?”Elements of Literature: First Course. Austin:Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005.

Wikipedia. “Dan George.” 4 August 2008.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_George>