AHSGE Reading Objective II5

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AHSGE Reading Objective II-5

• Recognize Summary Statements

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Summaries

• A summary is a shortened version of a longer
  work, including the main idea and the MOST
  important details.
• An effective summary of the passage should not
  only contain the most relevant information from
  the original passage, but it should also convey
  the originals underlying message or theme.

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Read this sample passage. Ask yourself, What
Main point does the author want me to understand
about the topic? Then notice how all the
important elements of the passage can be put
together to create a brief summary.

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• Although many people believe that John
• F. Kennedy was the youngest man ever
• to be president of the United states, that
• distinction actually belongs to Theodore
• Roosevelt. When William McKinley was
• elected to a to a second term in 1900, he
• named Roosevelt as his vice president.

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• Soon after, McKinley was assassinated.
• Roosevelt then became president at the
• age of 42. John F. Kennedy took office in
• 1961at 43 years old, just slightly older
• than Roosevelt. While Roosevelt was
• younger when he became president,
• Kennedy still seems the most youthful
• U.S. president.

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Notice the important elements in the passage you
have just read.
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Read the passages on the next few slides. Then
select the best summary.

• We need to remember as well to celebrate the
• end of World War I. We need to remember
• the dead and the wounded, the widows and
• orphans, the destroyed and broken homes,
• farms, and businesses. We need to remember
• these casualties of war. We must prevent
• another such war from happening.

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• What is the best summary for this passage?
• A) Widows and orphans should
• remember the dead and wounded.
• B) War is a part of the human condition.
• C) Remember those who were lost or
• wounded in the war.
• D) We must prevent war in the future.

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Answer

• What is the best summary for this passage?
• A) Widows and orphans should remember
• the dead and wounded.
• B) War is a part of the human condition.
• C) Remember those who were lost or
• wounded in the war.
• D) We must prevent war in the future.

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• An old male elephant was dying in the African
  wilderness. A
• group of elephants from his herd gathered around
  this male, trying
• to get him to stand up. They tried to stroke him
  with their trunks,
• raise him with their tusks, and put food in his
  mouth. Nothing
• seemed to work, so the herd left. However, a
  mother and her calf
• remained, standing with their backs to the dead
  elephant. The
• mother tried to touch the dead elephant with one
  foot. Then the
• herd returned and began circling the dead
  companion. After a
• time, they gathered tree branches and grass
  clumps, scattering
• these items on or around the body.

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• What is the best summary for the passage?
• A) Elephants often die alone in the wilderness.
• B) Some animals perform rituals to mourn their
• dead.
• C) Death is a fact of life in the African
• wilderness.
• D) The elephant population in Africa is
• declining because they are hunted and
• killed.

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• What is the best summary for the passage?
• A) Elephants often die alone in the wilderness.
• B) Some animals perform rituals to mourn their
• dead.
• C) Death is a fact of life in the African
• wilderness.
• D) The elephant population in Africa is
• declining because they are hunted and
• killed.

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AHSGE Objective III-1

• Recognize Logic and Arguments

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Logical Arguments

• When reading a piece of persuasive writing, it is
  important for you to be able to evaluate the
  strength and validity of the argument. The writer
  should support his or her position with solid
  evidence and sound reasoning.
• In a well-balanced argument, the writer usually
  counters or answers important objections to his
  or her point of view in a reasonable, thoughtful
  way.
• A weak argument lacks sufficient evidence to
  support the writers position and may also
  contain faulty logic or reasoning.

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• Writers can often fool you into believing an
  argument is sound by using faulty logic. Types
  of faulty logic include
• Circular Reasoning The writer takes the reader
  in a circle, stating the same thing over again in
  different words. It is vital that we protect the
  environment because saving the environment is an
  important responsibility.
• Either/Or Fallacies The writer implies that
  there are only two possible reasons for
  explanations for something. Without new
  cheerleading uniforms, our cheerleading team has
  no chance of winning the competition.
• Cause/Effect Fallacies The writer implies that
  one thing happens because of another thing that
  happened before it. Since last year, students
  have been required to wear uniforms and now
  students receive less detention.

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Read the passage below. Note the details that
strengthen and weaken the writers argument.

• Our school needs to build a new gymnasium.
  Without a new
• gym, students will be cheated out of a
  well-rounded education that
• includes sports and athletic activities. The
  old gymnasium is inadequate
• in many ways. First, for seating it has plank
  benches instead of
• individual seats, and most of the planks are
  cracked and warped. These
• planks are hard to sit on for a long time, and
  many people are having
• back problems. The old gym also doesnt hold
  enough fans. While
• some people oppose building a new gym because of
  the expense, they
• should also consider that a new, larger
  gymnasium could be used for assemblies, dances,
  and other activities that benefit all students.
• The writers position is clear.
• This statement is an example of either/or
  fallacy.
• This statement is an example of a cause/effect
  fallacy.
• This statement is not supported by facts.

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Read the passage below.Stop Traffic Congestion

• We should pass laws to get cars and trucks off
  our city streets. Without
• cars and trucks clogging our city streets, the
  general health of the local
• economy and of many of our citizens could be
  improved. First, underused
• and vacant parking lots could be converted into
  commercial space, which,
• according to the mayor, would provide more
  business opportunities in
• some sections of the city and could help lower
  unemployment in those areas.
• Parking lots could also be turned into living
  space, which would help end
• homelessness. In addition, more people would
  have to rely on public
• transportation, dramatically reducing the local
  consumption of gasoline. With
• increased dependence on public transportation,
  buses and trains will start
• running on schedule. Finally, and most
  importantly, with fewer vehicles on
• the street emitting harmful gas fumes, the air
  quality in our city has a greater
• chance of improving. According to recent EPA
  studies, better air quality
• results in fewer cases of chronic bronchitis,
  asthma attacks, and acute
• bronchitis in children. It is true that people
  would have less freedom to drive
• wherever they wanted and spending for public
  transportation would have
• to be increased however, I believe the
  guaranteed benefit of better air
• quality is too important for any of us to ignore.

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Now answer the questions on what youve just read.

• Which of the following idea from the passage is
  an example of faulty logic?
• A. With less traffic, the health of the local
• economy and citizens might improve.
• B. Buses and trains will run on schedule
• with more use.
• C. With fewer vehicles emitting fumes, the
• air quality may improve.
• D. The guaranteed benefit of better air quality
  is
• too important to ignore.

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• Which idea from the passage is not supported by
  evidence?
• A. Underused and vacant parking lots could
• become commercial space.
• B. Converting parking lots to commercial
• space would provide more business
• opportunities in the city.
• C. Additional commercial space could help
• lower unemployment in some areas of the
• city.
• D. Turning parking lots into living space
• would help end homelessness.

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Answers

• Which of the following idea form the passage is
  an example of faulty logic?
• A. With less traffic, the health of the local
  economy and citizens might improve.
• B. Buses and trains will run on schedule with
  more use.
• C. With fewer vehicles emitting fumes, the air
  quality may improve.
• D. The guaranteed benefit of better air quality
  is too important to ignore.
• Which idea from the passage is not supported by
  evidence?
• A. Underused and vacant parking lots could
  become commercial space.
• B. Converting parking lots to commercial space
  would provide more business opportunities in the
  city.
• C. Additional commercial space could help
  lower unemployment in some areas of the city.
• D. Turning parking lots into living space would
  help end homelessness.