Two authors, one topic, two conclusions

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Two Views on the Kingsley Rail Trail (a column and a letter)

   Text A, a column by Ms. Ruth Calder, who chairs the Kingsley Trail Group: [1] The old rail line between Kingsley and the river should become a paved trail, because asphalt would serve people in every season and draw more visitors than a gravel path would. [2] According to the county's estimate, the state grant of $600,000 would cover asphalt for the full three miles. [3] Asphalt stays smooth in wet weather, so people using wheelchairs, strollers and walkers could use the trail all year. [4] Gravel trails in the county's own parks wash out after heavy storms and must be regraded about twice a year. [5] Snow can also be plowed from asphalt, so the trail would not have to close in January. [6] The trail group asks the town to choose asphalt for the whole route.

   Text B, a letter from Mr. Dev Anand, whose farm borders the rail line: [7] I welcome a trail on the old rail line, but I hope the town will choose crushed stone, because it would cost less and protect the fields beside the line. [8] The county's estimate shows that crushed stone would cost about $350,000 for the three miles, leaving money for benches, signs and a small parking area. [9] Crushed stone lets rain soak into the ground, while asphalt sends it rushing into the ditches along my fields. [10] A packed stone surface is firm enough for most wheelchairs, as long as it is kept graded. [11] Many visitors come to a rail trail for the quiet and the woods, and a softer path keeps that feeling. [12] The town should use crushed stone, at least for the two miles that run past farms, and could pave the last mile near the high school.

2. 1.

   Ari checks each conclusion in the matrix for a limit. Which author qualifies the conclusion, and how?

   • Neither author: each one asks for a single surface along the whole three miles.
   • Ms. Calder: asphalt at least for the mile near the high school, with stone elsewhere (sentence 6).
   • Mr. Anand: stone is firm enough for most wheelchairs, as long as it is kept graded (sentence 10).
   • Mr. Anand: stone at least for the two farm miles, with the last mile possibly paved (sentence 12).
3. 2.

   Bo compares the two columns of the matrix. Why do the authors reach different conclusions about the trail surface?

   • They share the county's estimate but weigh it differently: Ms. Calder puts the savings and runoff first, Mr. Anand year-round use.
   • They share the county's estimate but weigh it differently: Ms. Calder puts year-round use first, Mr. Anand the savings and runoff.
   • They rely on different evidence: Ms. Calder on the county's estimate, Mr. Anand on his own count of trail visitors.
   • They disagree on the facts: Ms. Calder says stone costs more than asphalt, and Mr. Anand says it costs less.
4. 3.

   Esme splits each claim into parts. Ms. Calder: asphalt serves every season and draws more visitors. Mr. Anand: stone costs less and protects the fields. Whose evidence covers every part of that author's claim?

   • Mr. Anand: sentences 8 and 9 support both parts; Ms. Calder gives nothing for drawing more visitors.
   • Ms. Calder: sentences 3 and 5 support both parts; Mr. Anand gives nothing for protecting the fields.
   • Both authors: each part of each claim has a sentence of support in its own text.
   • Ms. Calder: sentences 3 and 6 support both parts, since the trail group asks for asphalt.

5. Two Views on Turf for Hollow Field (a column and a letter)

   Text A, a column by Mr. Gene Okafor, who chairs the Lowell Park Recreation Commission: [1] Lowell Park should replace the grass at Hollow Field with artificial turf, as long as the youth leagues can raise half of the cost. [2] Last season the grass field was closed on thirty-one days because of rain or mud, and most of those canceled games were never made up. [3] A turf field drains within minutes, so the commission expects that nearly all of those days could have been played. [4] Turf would also end the cost of mowing, watering and reseeding, which came to about $22,000 last year. [5] The field company quoted $1.1 million for a surface that should last about ten years. [6] In short, turf would end most canceled games and cut the town's upkeep costs, which makes it worth the price.

   Text B, a letter from Ms. Ines Marrow, a parent of two young players: [7] I understand why the commission is tired of canceled games, but artificial turf would be too hot for summer play and would cause more injuries. [8] On sunny July afternoons, turf can grow far hotter than grass, and the county extension office measured one nearby turf field at 150 degrees. [9] The league's summer camp meets on Hollow Field every weekday morning in July, and by late morning a plastic surface would already be hot. [10] Children at camp now cool off by sitting in the shade at the edge of the grass, which stays much cooler than turf does. [11] Turf fields are also harder on knees and ankles, so families would pay a price that never shows up in the budget. [12] The town should fix the drainage under the grass instead, which is a choice the commission has never priced.

6. 4.

   Kira compares the two columns of the matrix. Why do the authors reach different conclusions about turf?

   • They build on different evidence: Mr. Okafor on how hot turf gets in July, Ms. Marrow on the thirty-one closed days.
   • They disagree on the facts: Ms. Marrow says the field was closed on far fewer than thirty-one days.
   • They build on different evidence: Mr. Okafor on the thirty-one closed days, Ms. Marrow on how hot turf gets in July.
   • They read the same figures and weigh them differently: Mr. Okafor values games, Ms. Marrow values cost.
7. 5.

   Luz splits each claim into parts. Mr. Okafor: turf ends canceled games and cuts upkeep. Ms. Marrow: turf is too hot for summer and causes more injuries. Whose evidence covers every part of that author's claim?

   • Both authors: each part of each claim has a sentence of support in its own text.
   • Ms. Marrow: sentences 8 and 12 support both parts, since she wants the drainage fixed.
   • Ms. Marrow: sentences 8 and 11 support both parts; Mr. Okafor gives nothing for upkeep.
   • Mr. Okafor: sentences 3 and 4 support both parts; Ms. Marrow gives nothing for more injuries.

8. Two Views on Library Fines in Marston (a column and a letter)

   Text A, a column by Ms. Opal Reyes, director of the Marston Public Library: [1] The Marston Public Library should stop charging late fines, because fines keep families away and do little to bring books back on time. [2] Right now 340 library cards are blocked because their owners owe more than ten dollars, and most of those cards belong to children. [3] When a card is blocked, a child cannot borrow anything, even for a school report, until an adult pays the amount owed. [4] Last year the fines brought in about $6,000, which is less than one percent of the library's budget. [5] Staff members also spend hours each week collecting small sums and explaining charges at the front desk. [6] The board should end late fines for every card this summer.

   Text B, a letter from Mr. Walt Kerrigan, the library board's treasurer: [7] Ending late fines sounds generous, but the board should think carefully about what that money pays for. [8] The $6,000 that fines brought in last year paid for the prizes and book giveaways in the summer reading program. [9] Without that money, the program would have to shrink or find a sponsor, and sponsors are hard to find in a town of our size. [10] Fines also remind borrowers that a book sitting on their shelf is a book that someone else is waiting to read. [11] I do agree that a child's card should not stay blocked for months, so the board could cap children's fines at two dollars. [12] The library should keep its late fines, at least until the board finds another way to pay for the summer program.

9. 6.

   Milo checks each conclusion in the matrix for a limit. Which author qualifies the conclusion, and how?

   • Mr. Kerrigan: keep fines at least until the board finds another way to pay for the program (sentence 12).
   • Ms. Reyes: end fines at least until the board finds another way to pay for prizes (sentence 6).
   • Mr. Kerrigan: fines remind borrowers that someone else is waiting for the book (sentence 10).
   • Neither author: both state their conclusions about the fines without any condition.
10. 7.

    Noah compares the two columns of the matrix. Why do the authors reach different conclusions about late fines?

    • They disagree on the facts: Mr. Kerrigan says the fines raised far more than $6,000 last year.
    • They share the $6,000 figure but weigh it differently: Ms. Reyes sees a whole summer program, Mr. Kerrigan a small sum.
    • They use different evidence: Ms. Reyes counts the blocked cards, while Mr. Kerrigan counts the late books.
    • They share the $6,000 figure but weigh it differently: Ms. Reyes sees a small sum, Mr. Kerrigan a whole summer program.
11. 8.

    Pia splits each claim into parts. Ms. Reyes: fines keep families away and do little to bring books back. Mr. Kerrigan: the fine money pays for the summer program. Whose evidence covers every part of that author's claim?

    • Both authors: each part of each claim has a sentence of support in its own text.
    • Ms. Reyes: sentences 2 and 4 cover both parts; Mr. Kerrigan gives nothing on the program.
    • Mr. Kerrigan: sentence 8 covers the claim; Ms. Reyes gives nothing on whether fines bring books back.
    • Ms. Reyes: sentences 2 and 6 cover both parts, since the board should end the fines.

12. Two Views on Friday Nights at the Center (a column and a letter)

    Text A, a column by Mr. Felix Arden, director of the Juniper Ridge Community Center: [1] The community center should stay open until ten o'clock on Friday nights, at least through the end of the school year. [2] During last fall's eight-week trial, an average of forty-five teenagers came each Friday to play basketball, use the art room or study. [3] The sign-in sheets show that more than half of them had never used the center before the trial began. [4] Two staff members and a volunteer were on duty each night, and the staff logs record no damage to the building and no serious problems. [5] Parents told the staff that they liked knowing exactly where their teenagers were on Friday nights. [6] Keeping the doors open for the rest of the year would give these teenagers a place they have clearly chosen.

    Text B, a letter from Ms. Lena Hoult, who lives across the street from the center: [7] Many neighbors on Spruce Street were glad to see teenagers busy last fall, but late Friday hours bring noise, blocked driveways and too much cost. [8] The center's parking lot faces our bedrooms, and car doors, music and voices carried until nearly eleven o'clock each week. [9] During the trial, the neighborhood association logged eleven written complaints about noise after ten o'clock. [10] Our street is also narrow, and parents picking up their teenagers blocked driveways on at least four of the eight nights. [11] The center would have to pay its staff for the extra hours, which would cost the town far too much. [12] The center should end its Friday hours at eight o'clock, when the noise would bother far fewer people.

13. 9.

    Tala compares the two columns of the matrix. Why do the authors reach different conclusions about Friday nights?

    • They disagree on the facts: Ms. Hoult says far fewer than forty-five teenagers came each Friday.
    • They build on different evidence: Mr. Arden on the teenagers who came, Ms. Hoult on the noise and blocked driveways.
    • They weigh the same attendance count differently: Mr. Arden sees a success, Ms. Hoult sees a crowd.
    • They build on different evidence: Mr. Arden on the noise and blocked driveways, Ms. Hoult on the teenagers who came.
14. 10.

    Zee splits each claim into parts. Mr. Arden: late Fridays drew new teens and ran without trouble. Ms. Hoult: they bring noise, blocked driveways and too much cost. Whose evidence covers every part of that author's claim?

    • Both authors: each part of each claim has a sentence of support in its own text.
    • Ms. Hoult: sentences 9 and 10 cover noise and driveways, and sentence 7 calls the hours a poor fit.
    • Mr. Arden: sentences 3 and 4 cover both parts; Ms. Hoult gives nothing for the cost.
    • Ms. Hoult: sentences 9 to 11 cover the noise, driveways and cost; Mr. Arden gives nothing for new teens.