Reading Questions
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5
Reading 1/1:
Ramesh, R. (2010, Dec 23). A Fifth of All Homeless People Have Committed a Crime to Get Off the Streets. The Guardian, n.p.
1) References.
Is the APA formatting accurate and consistent, and are the sources reliable?
A. The formatting is mostly accurate and consistent. The sources are reliable news media and government sources. The reliability would be even better if the references included peer-reviewed journal articles.B. The formatting is mostly accurate and consistent. However, the news media and government sources do not count as reliable.
2) Paragraph 2. The writer states that deterrence works because people know that if they don't break the law, they won't go to prison; then she suggests that this may not work as intended. She supports this statement with the following evidence: "A survey by Sheffield Hallam University found that one fifth of surveyed homeless people committed a crime to spend at least one night in a cell off the streets (Ramesh, 2010)."
Next Question
Does the evidence effectively support the statement?A. Not entirely. It shows that for some people (e.g., the homeless), the deterrent may not work because a night in prison may be better than a night on the streets. However, statistics from a survey on the effectiveness of deterrence, or similar, would have been a closer match to the statement.
Next Reading
B. Yes, it does. By showing that some people actually want to go to prison, it suggests that prison is comfortable and not a deterrent at all.
3) Paragraph 2. The writer states the following: "The punishment system gives people an incentive to obey the law. If one does not break the law, one will not be punished by being sent to prison."
What does the phrase "gives people an incentive to obey the law" suggest? Can you think of a better way to express this idea?
A. "Giving an incentive" suggests fear and has a negative connotation. A better phrase might be "provides prisoners with an incentive to obey the law."B. "Giving an incentive" suggests that people are rewarded, and has a positive connotation. A better phrase might be "provides a deterrent."
4)Paragraph 1.
Which of the following statements is correct regarding the presentation of a stance in the paragraph?A. The sentence "In reality, prisons are often overcrowded places with people who do not necessarily deserve to be there for as long as they are" is a thesis statement showing the writer to be in favour of punishment.
B. The final sentence "This essay will look at the arguments for and against each and will discuss a possible conclusion" indicates no stance on the writer's part in the argument between rehabilitation and punishment.
5) Paragraph 4. The paragraph opens with the following sentence: "After examining the benefits and downsides of both systems, I believe that the prison system should involve both punishment and rehabilitation."
Is this an effective transition sentence?
A. No. The sentence includes two opposing ideas and represents a false dichotomy (logical fallacy).
B. Yes. The sentence effectively brings the focus to the writer's overall position and serves as a topic sentence for the paragraph in which she expands on her position.
