Is the evidence good enough?
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
A Speech for the Mill Creek Footbridge (article)
[1] Members of the council, I ask you tonight to fund a footbridge over Mill Creek, where our children have no safe way across. [2] Right now, children from the Eastgate homes must walk two miles around the creek to reach school, along a road with no sidewalk for most of the way. [3] In a survey of forty Eastgate families, thirty-two said their children are late at least once a week. [4] Last winter, one child slipped on the icy shoulder of the road while walking around the creek, and was fortunate to be unhurt.
[5] A footbridge would cut the walk from two miles to a quarter mile. [6] Everyone in Eastgate is counting on you tonight. [7] A similar footbridge in the next town cost $60,000, which fits within this council's yearly budget for roads.
[8] If we do nothing, more children will arrive late and miss the start of the school day, when the most important lessons are taught. [9] I urge the council to vote yes, and to do it tonight.
Pia reads the speech as a listener would. Which evaluation is fair?
- The speech is weak, because a speech uses feelings and feelings are not evidence.
- The speech is strong, because forty families are enough to speak for the whole town.
- Each sentence adds evidence, so the case for the footbridge is complete.
- The speech has relevant numbers, but sentence [6] presses the council instead of giving evidence.
Tala looks for the pressure in the speech. Which sentence leans on what other people expect instead of on evidence?
- [7] A similar footbridge in the next town cost $60,000, which fits within this council's yearly budget for roads.
- [6] Everyone in Eastgate is counting on you tonight.
- [5] A footbridge would cut the walk from two miles to a quarter mile.
- [3] In a survey of forty Eastgate families, thirty-two said their children are late at least once a week.
A Speech to the Swim Parents (article)
[1] Thank you all for coming tonight, and for giving up an evening to listen. [2] I am asking you to support a third weekly practice for our swim team. [3] Last season, the team lost four meets by less than one second per race, and every one of those races was close. [4] Swimmers who attended each practice last season improved their times by an average of three seconds, according to our timing sheets.
[5] The pool is free on Thursday afternoons, so no new fees are needed from the team or from the parents. [6] I have coached for twenty years, and I know what a team needs. [7] Some parents worry that a third practice will cut into homework time.
[8] But the Thursday practice would end at five o'clock, leaving the evening free for dinner and homework. [9] I hope you will support the change, and I will answer any questions you have.
Zee reads the speech as a listener would. Which evaluation is fair?
- The numbers support the request, but sentence [6] offers experience, not evidence.
- The speech is strong, because the team lost four meets and that alone shows the need.
- The speech is complete, because sentence [8] answers the worry parents might have.
- The speech is weak, because the coach is the person who wants more practice.
Ari wants to make the evidence more convincing. Which addition would help most?
- A letter from swimmers saying they would love to have another weekly practice at the pool.
- A list of the awards the coach has won over twenty years.
- Race times for the whole team, compared with swimmers who skipped practices.
- A promise that a third practice will win the team a championship.
Bo looks for the weak point. Which sentence leans on the speaker's experience instead of on evidence?
- [8] But the Thursday practice would end at five o'clock, leaving the evening free.
- [5] The pool is free on Thursday afternoons, so no new fees are needed from the team or from the parents.
- [6] I have coached for twenty years, and I know what a team needs.
- [4] Swimmers who attended each practice last season improved their times by an average of three seconds, according to our timing sheets.
Closing Main Street on Saturdays (article)
[1] Our town should close Main Street to cars on Saturdays during the summer. [2] Last June, the town closed Main Street for one Saturday during its summer festival, and shops reported 20 percent more sales than on a usual Saturday. [3] The street filled with walkers, bikes, and musicians, and children drew pictures on the pavement with chalk. [4] Shop owners who were interviewed that day said they were pleased with the crowds and hoped the street would stay closed again.
[5] A survey of walkers found that most of them would come again. [6] Closing the street on Saturdays would cost the town about $400 a week in signs and cones. [7] The mayor drives down Main Street every day on the way to work.
[8] Critics say that drivers will be angry about the change and will take other roads through the quiet neighborhoods nearby. [9] But one successful Saturday shows that the idea works.
Jun wants the evidence to be enough. Which addition would help most?
- A promise that closed Saturdays will keep raising sales by 20 percent.
- Sales from several closed Saturdays, compared with usual Saturdays.
- More shop owners saying they were pleased with the closed street that day.
- A history of how often the mayor drives down Main Street.
Kira looks for the stretch. Which sentence claims more than the evidence shows?
- [6] Closing the street on Saturdays would cost the town about $400 a week in signs and cones.
- [9] But one successful Saturday shows that the idea works.
- [5] A survey of walkers found that most of them would come again.
- [2] Last June, the town closed Main Street for one Saturday during its summer festival, and shops reported 20 percent more sales than on a usual Saturday.
A Late Bus on Wednesdays (article)
[1] Fellow students, our school needs a late bus on Wednesdays, and I am here to explain why. [2] Twenty-six students in the robotics club told me they miss the bus home after meetings that end at 4:30, because the last bus leaves at 4:15. [3] Their families have to drive them, which many parents cannot do on a workday, and some students walk home alone in the dark. [4] About sixty students in all belong to clubs that meet after school.
[5] The district already runs late buses at three other middle schools, so the schedule and the cost are not new problems. [6] A late bus would cost the district about the same as one extra hour of an ordinary route. [7] Some students say that no one would ride a late bus.
[8] But the robotics club alone has twenty-six members who would ride it. [9] A late bus would make our school fairer for every student.
Luz reads the speech. Which evaluation is fair?
- The evidence is weak, because other schools are not this school.
- The evidence is complete, because it shows a late bus would be fairer for the whole school.
- The numbers are relevant, but most come from one club, not the whole school.
- The evidence is strong, because a speaker who is a student knows what students need.
Milo wants the evidence to cover the whole school. Which addition would help most?
- A list of the sports that the district's other middle schools offer.
- A statement that a late bus would fix the problems of after-school clubs.
- A petition of students who say they would like a late bus.
- A count of students in other clubs who also miss the bus home.
Noah looks for the stretch. Which sentence claims more than the evidence shows?
- [7] Some students say that no one would ride a late bus.
- [9] A late bus would make our school fairer for every student.
- [2] Twenty-six students in the robotics club told me they miss the bus home after meetings that end at 4:30.
- [5] The district already runs late buses at three other middle schools, so the schedule and the cost are not new problems.