Question

1 review the skill
a debatable topic is one that is open to different, and sometimes opposite, points of view. in such cases, authors present their differing claims about the topic and support those claims with reasons and evidence such as facts, statistics, quotations, or anecdotes. in some cases, different authors may even present the same evidence but emphasize or interpret it differently.
when asked to identify the similarities and differences between two opposing views, begin by identifying the main and supporting claims of each author. then identify the reasons and evidence each author gives to support those claims. consider the strategies each author uses to present the argument and to make it persuasive. on the basis of this analysis, you will decide which argument is stronger or more convincing.
2 refine the skill
by refining the skill of comparing opposing arguments, you will improve your study, writing, and test - taking abilities, especially as they relate to the ged® reasoning through language arts test. read the passages below. then answer the question that follows.
social media becoming a distraction
the appeal of socializing online has created a nation of mobile - device fans, many of whom can go barely 10 minutes without checking their smartphones.... some believe that... social media... may already be changing how people think and learn....
when electronic devices were first becoming popular, some hoped they would teach a new generation how to multitask better than previous generations did.
from the capress.com article social media explosion by marcia clemmitt, © 2013
texting can improve literacy
you call your son, daughter, or spouse to dinner. “just a minute!” he or she yells. in the distance, you see the glow of a small screen. a familiar annoyance builds. you respond, “stop texting and get in here!” the next time you find yourself in this situation, you may decide to hold your tongue. some studies have shown that texting improves communication skills.
researchers at coventry university have found that texting is about more than wasting precious time and annoying family members.
from texting can improve literacy by kristine leung, © 2013
a clemmitt writes to advance a point of view about social media. she supports her position by addressing an opposing viewpoint and later in the passage cites evidence from research on multitasking.
b leung writes to advance a different point of view regarding social media. she supports her position by mentioning evidence from research on literacy.

1. on the basis of the passages, what are the opposing viewpoints?

a. clemmitt claims that social media have affected learning and thinking; leung says that social media have positive effects on communication.
b. clemmitt claims that social media have positive effects on thinking. leung says that they have negative effects on communication.
c. clemmitt claims that social media have positive effects on learning; leung says that they annoy others.
d. clemmitt claims that social media have positive effects on communication; leung says that they have negative effects on learning.
test - taking tips
when authors acknowledge another point of view in their argument, they may follow it with their own response. watch for these paired arguments in your reading.
lesson 1 | compare opposing argume

Explanation:

Clemmitt argues social media is a distraction and may change how people think and learn, which implies negative effects on learning. Leung argues texting (related to social - media use) can improve communication skills and literacy, indicating positive effects on communication.

Answer:

C. Clemmitt claims that social media have negative effects on learning; Leung says that they have positive effects on communication.