Guiming xu

Prof. Landrus
ENGL 101
1/11/2015
Keep drinking age at 21: Teens aren't mature enough to handle
consequences
Have you seen young people were injured or killed in fatal traffic
accidents by drinking while driving on television or newspaper? Most
people will say yes to this question. However, although these accidents
still exist, the frequency of those has decreased remarkable due to
minimum legal drinking age laws nowadays. Have you ever taken time
to think about how the legal drinking age affects the situation of
underage drinking? Joyce Alcantara who studies about the effects of
legal drinking age is a member of Contra Costa Times Teen
Correspondent. In her article, Keep drinking age at 21: Teens aren't
mature enough to handle consequences she use powerful rhetorical
strategies to target the attention of audience to the effects of legal
drinking age. Alcantara also utilizes emotional and logical appeals, and
credible statistics and research to tell audience that legal drinking age
at 21 does well work and government should keep this effective laws in
order to protect young people in many fields.
Before talking about the writing skills used by the authors, it is
important to know the audience who author want to target with. I think
author aim her argument to all people in the united of states. The
reason she target all people as audience is because it is useful for
adults like parents, school professors, police and many people to
remind their children or other young people to not drink after reading
this passage, and young people can also be on the alert against
drinking because of potential dangers like author tell. Meanwhile, it is

vital that readers need understand the situation of the article.

Alcantara discusses the negative impacts to underage young people
who break the legal drinking age, and she believe the minimum legal
drinking age should keep.
In the front paragraph, Alcantara uses pathos by emotions in
order to appeal audience. So as to open her points, author asks we do
crazy things when we are drunk. We do crazy things when we are
young. What if we were young and drunk at the same time?
(Alcantara) asking such familiar question makes the targeted readers
begin to think about themselves and feel curious to read authors
opinions, which is a good way to connect author and audience and
motivate readers keep reading. At the begin of article, it is wise to use
a question to draw readers attention and make readers integrate the
article well. Generally speaking, these three sentences, which is normal
in every one life in the start of article, stimulate a deeper interest for
the audience to read and let author open the article more smoothly.
Then Alcantara provides some views which are opposed to her
viewpoints in order to make her article more comprehensive.
Eighteen-year-olds can vote, marry, drive and serve in the Army, so
why can't they legally drink alcohol? (Alcantara) and at the same
time, this movement will make audience confused: why author do not
explain her ideas directly, but instead of telling opposing view? This
implement definitely attracts audience again because this writing
technique is illogical but effectively. After questions, Alcantara uses the
result of research in order to make her article continue with reliable
support, which also let reader feel credible to this article. The author
says that U.S. According to one survey, young people who begin
drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism
than those who begin drinking at 21. On top of that, more than 25,000

lives have been saved in the U.S. thanks to the 21 minimum legal
drinking age, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (Alcantara)
And this is an effective use of logos because author uses several
number to introduce the effect of the legal drinking age. 25000 is an
enormous number and even they are young people who is under 21.
And these logos are helpful for author to make exigence and make a
karios to address her points and let audience to keep reading.
Then Alcantara continues to show her ideas by using pathos. By
demonstrating why the Maryland government should not lower the
legal drinking age to 18, the author is also using kairos in order to tell
audience one of the effects of lower the legal drinking age, that 18year-old person would make a purchase at liquor store for 16-year-old
person easily. When audience feels this is logical, the author proceeds
to say another negative effect about lowering legal drinking age.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one
of the primary factors in how much alcohol affects the brain is the age
that a person begins drinking.(Alcantara), author says, Drinking at an
earlier age also increases the possibility of liver diseases like cirrhosis,
which results from excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol can lower
inhibitions and lead to choices that a sober person might not ordinarily
make such as sex, which can lead to teen pregnancy.(Alcantara) The
author manages to emphasize many negative effects of the lower legal
drinking age has on underage young people. Meanwhile, author uses
effective appeal to kairos and exigence because she explains about
that these negative effects will influence young people after lower
legal drinking age, and lead audience to want to know more about the
negative effects of lower legal drinking age, and how to prevent these
kinds of situations.
In order to further gain credibility, appeal to audience, and

support her ideas clearly, the author uses ethos by demonstrating that
pop culture bolster her argument, which makes her more credible to
audience. On programs such as "Gossip Girl," "One Tree Hill" and other shows
and films, it seems like obtaining alcohol is easier than getting soda from a
vending machine. We see teens get wasted, but the underage characters are
seldom seen suffering any consequences, which makes the action all the more
appealing. In real life, abusing alcohol can have life-altering effects. I've seen the
damage alcohol can do. This is an compare between programs and reality, and
gives Alcantara credibility through getting rid of not true programs. Meanwhile,
author further illustrates that it is dangerous for underage young people to drink,
but author still believe these kinds of traffic accidents are able to prevent due to
the legal drinking age. This paragraph utilizes pathos about some programs in
order to make audience have more correct ideas about the reality instead of
comparing with programs.
Then author gives reason why the legal drinking age should keep 21.
Though there is only a three-year difference between 18 and 21, there's a world
of difference in maturity level. At 21 or older, with a few years of college and
independent living under their belts, young adults have enough sense and
maturity to think thoroughly before making decisions.(Alcantara) This sentence
uses pathos to fully demonstrate the reason why the government should keep the
legal drinking age at 21. Therefore, with after preceding text, audience will more
approve authors ideas.
In conclusion, Alcantara appeal to pathos It's cliche, but true: "Our
youths today are the leaders of tomorrow." We have to protect our future.
(Alcantara) Author uses words like our and we in order to let audience find a
personal connection with the article. And more importantly, author is able to let
every readers know that they are responsible to protect young people by this
emotional connection, and keep the legal drinking age is an effective way. After
using this kind of pathos, author emphasizes her idea that we need to protect
young people, so the legal drinking age should not lower.

In brief, Alcantara effective uses many kinds of rhetorical strategies to

help reader to be blend in the article and convince them to believe her ideas.
Using pathos is useful for author to let audience to make emotional connection
between articles and themselves. Using logos and ethos can make the article
more credible, which means readers will believe in the article more easily. The
use of kairos is a good way to make exigence and show how readers should do in
order to prevent negative effects on young people. At last, author synthesize these
strategies to emphasizes her points and convince readers that the legal drinking
age of 21 is useful.