Question

theme: weighing the evidence
an argument states an authors position about a topic and tries to get readers to agree with it. as a reader, its your job to evaluate, or judge, whether the authors argument is sound—that is, whether it presents clear thinking and sensible ideas.
begin evaluating an argument by tracing, or figuring out, how the author has \built\ it. first, identify the authors position on the topic. then study any claims. claims are statements the author presents as true in order to support his or her position. also note any reasons and evidence the author gives to support each claim.
look carefully at the cartoon below. try to figure out the girls argument.
this chart shows details about the girls argument. add the evidence she gave in the cartoon to support claim 1. then add a sensible reason or evidence to support claim 2.
argument: the girl should have a dog.
claim 1: having a dog will make her more responsible.
reason or evidence: he friend got a dog and was more responsir.
claim 2: a dog will be a good friend and companion to her.
reason or evidence:
after you trace how an author develops an argument, evaluate it further to decide if it is sound. ask: does each claim support the authors argument and make sense? does the author give reasons and evidence that support each claim? if you can ask and answer such questions, youll be able to distinguish strong, sound arguments from weak ones.

Explanation:

For Claim 1, the evidence is directly from the cartoon's dialogue. For Claim 2, a sensible, real-world reason is provided to support the claim that a dog is a good friend and companion.

Answer:

1. Reason or Evidence for Claim 1: My friend became more responsible when he got a dog.
2. Reason or Evidence for Claim 2: Dogs provide consistent, loyal emotional support and companionship during lonely times.