Question

In a well-structured paragraph, state the claim of the previous passage and evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the authors present to support it.

Answer 1

I think that most of the claims listed above could be argued well with specific evidence from Thoreau's essay, but I would be a little suspicious of one of the claims and downright skeptical about another one. To me, Thoreau seems disturbed by the emphasis on technological "improvements" in his day, such as the telegraph and railroad, but does he really believe that technology is the "primary cause of distress"? Right now, I really don't know, so I would wait to see how well the writer could support this interpretation before I would make up my mind

Answer 2

In the passage, the authors claim that the rise of new sweeteners helped end the practice of slavery. They provide empirical evidence to support this idea. The evidence includes a description of advances in sweetener production during the 1800s. For example, percentages show a dramatic increase in sugar made from beets from 1854 to 1899. This information is verifiable, and it is relevant because it coincides with the end of slavery in many parts of the world. For these reasons, the authors’ evidence is effective because it provides reliable information that bolsters their claim and purpose.