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English 9 Activity Sheet

Quarter 4 – MELC 1 - Lesson 2

Judging the Soundness of Author’s Reasoning

REGION VI – WESTERN VISAYAS

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English 9
Activity Sheet No. 2
First Edition, 2021

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 6 – Western Visayas

Republic Act 8293, Section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things,
impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

This Learning Activity Sheet is developed by DepEd Region 6 – Western

Visayas.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this learning resource may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical
without written permission from the DepEd Regional Office 6 – Western Visayas.

Development Team of English 9 Activity Sheet

Writer/s: Roju M. Dumdum, PhD

Illustrator: Jerome Jordan Z. Ponsica

Layout Artist/s: Eldiardo E. de la Peña

Schools Division Quality Assurance Team:

Jessa P. Go

Division of Escalante City Management Team:

Clarissa G. Zamora, CESO VI
Atty. Fevi S. Fanco, EdD
Ivy Joy A. Torres, PhD
Jason R. Alpay
Ma. Theresa L. Tabotabo, PhD

Regional Management Team

Ramir B. Uytico, EdD, CESO IV
Pedro T. Escobarte, Jr., PhD
Elena P. Gonzaga, PhD
Donald T. Genine
Nestor Paul M. Pingil, PhD

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Introductory Message
Welcome to English, Grade 9!

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Escalante City and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western Visayas
through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is
developed to guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible
adults) in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education
Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
contextualized resources in the community. This will also assist the learners in
acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and attitudes for productivity and
employment.

For learning facilitator:

The English 9 Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the leaching-learning
activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) with
minimal or no face-to-face encounter between you and learner. This will be made
available to the learners with the references/links to ease the independent learning.

For the learner:

The English 9 Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue learning

even if you are not in school. This learning material provides you with meaningful
and engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner, carefully
read and understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer the
assessments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.

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 Quarter 4, Week 2

Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) Number 2

Name of Learner: _________________________ Grade and Section: ______________

Date: ___________________

ENGLISH 9 ACTIVITY SHEET

Judging the Soundness of Author’s Reasoning

I. Learning Competency with Code

Judge the relevance and worth of ideas, soundness of author’s reasoning, and
the effectiveness of the presentation (EN9RC-IVf-2.22)

Judge the soundness of author’s reasoning


II. Background Information for Learners

As a reader, you may be under the impression when reading informational or
argumentative texts that all ideas and information presented are valid and sound. This
could not be true at all. A lot of informational or argumentative texts are based on an
author’s ideas, beliefs, or opinions.

Authors present their ideas and support them with specific reasons and evidence
to convince the reader. However, readers also question the author’s reasoning. Thus,
readers, like you, should not assume that everything you read is true and just.

In this lesson, you will learn how to evaluate an author’s argument and validate
its soundness based on how strong and valid supporting evidence are.

It is said that a good argument is not only valid, but also sound. Soundness is
defined in terms of validity. In philosophy, a sound argument is a valid argument that
has all true premises. That means that the conclusion of a sound argument will always
be true.

In an argument, a sound reason is one that supports the claim. It is a reasoning

that make sense, and follows some sort of logic. Sound reasoning means logical
reasoning. Take this example below.

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 CLAIM

All students in the Philippines

should learn a foreign language.

Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3

Students in other countries Studying a language helps Knowing other languages

learn foreign language. students excel in other is important in the business
subjects. world.

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Companies are often

In a study of 20 countries,
17 countries required all
students to learn at least
one foreign language.
One study found that international; employees
students who took foreign must be able to
language had higher point communicate with
averages than those who customers and with each
didn’t. other.

The author presented his/her argument with a claim. He/She, then, provided
sound reasons to support the claim with evidence that is related to and relevant to the
reason.

Now, if the reasons help prove the claim by explaining why the author thinks what
he/she thinks, then the reasons are sound.

How to Judge an Author’s Reasoning

Step 1: Identify the Author’s Assumptions

An author’s assumptions consist of things the author takes for granted without
presenting any proof. In other words, what the author believes or accepts as true and
bases the argument on. Ask yourself, “What does the author take for granted?” If the
author’s assumptions are illogical or incorrect, the entire argument will be flawed.
Readers may be misled unless they identify the author’s assumptions.

Step 2: Identify the Types of Support

Types of support refers to the kind of evidence the author uses to back up the
argument. Ask yourself, “What kind of support does the author present to back the
argument?” Support can include research findings, case studies, personal experience or
observation, examples, facts, comparisons, expert testimony and opinions.

Step 3: Determine the Relevance of the Support

Relevance means the support is directly related to the argument. Ask yourself, “Is
the support directly related to the argument?” Unless the author is an expert, his or her
opinion or personal experience may not be particularly relevant.

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Step 4: Determine the Author’s Objectivity

The author’s argument has objectivity when the support consists of facts and
other clear evidence. Ask yourself, “Does the author present facts and clear evidence as
support?”

Step 5: Determine the Argument’s Completeness

An argument is complete if the author presents adequate support and overcomes

opposing points. Sometimes authors do not give enough support. Sometimes they leave
out information that would weaken their argument. Their argument would be stronger if
they presented it and countered it.

Step 6: Determine if the Argument Is Valid

An argument is valid if it is logical. Ask yourself, “Is the argument logical (well-
reasoned)?”

Step 7: Decide if the Argument Is Credible

An argument has credibility if it is believable (convincing). Ask yourself, “Is the

author’s argument believable?” Validity and credibility are closely related since an
argument that is not valid will not be credible.

III. Accompanying DepEd Textbook and Educational Sites

Department of Education (2014). A journey through Anglo-American literature - Grade 9,
pages 528-531

Evaluating an author's argument. https://www.google.com/url?

sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjP273C-
_TvAhUCPnAKHauHCYYQFjABegQIAxAD&url=https://www.rowan.k12.ky.us/
userfiles/1200/Classes/12985/
Evaluating%20an%20Argument.ppt&usg=AOvVaw1JmFX5N3qz2PyM99-UfK0J

Smeken Educational Solutions, Inc. (2015, Sept. 22). Identify and evaluate an author’s
ideas. https://www.smekenseducation.com/identify-and-evaluate-an-author/

Soundness. (2021, March 10). Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://
human.libretexts.org/@go/page/27897

IV. Activity Proper

1. Directions
Answer and accomplish the activities on pages 3 to 8.

2. Activity/Exercise

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Activity 1. Justify Ideas

Read the video transcript of America’s President Barack Obama. Find out the
issue he has presented in his message to the American people.

Obama: ‘There Were No Winners In This’ Government Shutdown

(President Barack Obama’s Address to the Americans)

Hi everybody. This week, because Democrats and responsible Republicans

came together, the government was reopened, and the threat of default was removed
from our economy.

There’s been a lot of discussion lately of the politics of this shutdown. But the
truth is, there were no winners in this. At a time when our economy needs more growth
and more jobs, the manufactured crises of these last few weeks actually harmed jobs
and growth. And it’s understandable that your frustration with what goes on in
Washington has never been higher.

The way business is done in Washington has to change. Now that these clouds
of crisis and uncertainty have lifted, we need to focus on what the majority of Americans
sent us here to do – grow the economy, create good jobs, strengthen the middle class,
lay the foundation for broad-based prosperity, and get our fiscal house in order for the
long haul.

It won’t be easy. But we can make progress. Specifically, there are three places
where I believe that Democrats and Republicans can work together right away.

First, we should sit down and pursue a balanced approach to a responsible

budget, one that grows our economy faster and shrinks our long-term deficits further.
There is no choice between growth and fiscal responsibility – we need both. So we’re
making a serious mistake if a budget doesn’t focus on what you’re focused on: creating
more good jobs that pay better wages. If we’re going to free up resources for the things
that help us grow – education, infrastructure, research – we should cut what we don’t
need, and close corporate tax loopholes that don’t help create jobs. This shouldn’t be as
difficult as it has been in past years. Remember, our deficits are shrinking – not growing.
Second, we should finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system. There’s
already a broad coalition across America that’s behind this effort, from business leaders
to faith leaders to law enforcement. It would grow our economy. It would secure our
borders. The Senate has already passed a bill with strong bipartisan support. Now the
House should, too. The majority of Americans thinks this is the right thing to do. It can
and should get done by the end of this year.

Third, we should pass a farm bill – one that America’s farmers and ranchers can
depend on, one that protects vulnerable children and adults in times of need, and one
that gives rural communities opportunities to grow and the longer-term certainty they
deserve.

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 We won’t suddenly agree on everything now that the cloud of crisis has passed.
But we shouldn’t hold back on places where we do agree, just because we don’t think
it’s good politics, or just because the extremes in our parties don’t like compromise. I’ll
look for willing partners from either party to get important work done. There’s no good
reason why we can’t govern responsibly, without lurching from manufactured crisis to
manufactured crisis. Because that isn’t governing – it’s just hurting the people we were
sent here to serve.

Those of us who have the privilege to serve this country have an obligation to do
our job the best we can. We come from different parties, but we’re Americans first. And
our obligations to you must compel all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to cooperate,
and compromise, and act in the best interests of this country we love.

Thanks everybody, and have a great weekend.

Answer the following questions about President Obama’s address. Write

your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What is the issue presented in the speech?

2. Are the terms used clearly defined and applied throughout the message?
3. Is the thesis (the point to be made) clearly and directly stated? What is the thesis
statement?
4. Are facts provided as evidence? If so, identify them.
5. Is the reasoning sound and logical? (Does one point follow from another?)
6. Does the author succeed in persuading you to accept his argument?

Activity 2. Validate Info

Statements below are taken from President Obama’s There Were No Winners...
address. Identify which among the statements contain factual information (statements
that can be verified or proven to be true or false) or subjective content (involves
judgment, feeling, opinion, intuition, or emotion rather than factual information). Write F
for factual and S for subjective. Write your answer on separate sheet of paper.

____ 1. There were no winners in this government shutdown.

____ 2. At a time when our economy needs more growth and more jobs, the
manufactured crises of these last few weeks actually harmed jobs and growth.
____ 3. The way business is done in Washington has to change.

____ 4. First, we should sit down and pursue a balanced approach to a responsible
budget, one that grows our economy faster and shrinks our long-term deficits
further.

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____ 5. Second, we should finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system.
There’s already a broad coalition across America that’s behind this effort, from
business leaders to faith leaders to law enforcement. It would grow our

economy. It would secure our borders.

____ 6. The Senate has already passed a bill with strong bipartisan support.

____ 7. Those of us who have the privilege to serve this country have an obligation to
do our job the best we can.

Activity 3. Judge Me


Read the essay below and answer the questions that follow. Write your answer
on a separate sheet of paper.

Why I Hate Facebook

The use of social networking sites, in particular Facebook, cannot only skew your
understanding of reality, it can cause you actual, physical harm. According to Jean
Conklin, a clinical psychiatrist at University of Maryland Hospital, in Baltimore,
“Facebook is to your mind what sugar is to your body – bad all around.”

The main reason we all ought to stop looking at Facebook is because it makes
us think that the people in our lives (or virtually in our lives, anyway) are happier, more
fulfilled and more successful than they probably are; which makes us feel more
depressed, frustrated and unfulfilled than we probably are. Why? Think about it. How
quickly do people post good news to Facebook? Exotic vacations; engagements,
anniversary parties, raises, promotions… when was the last time you read that the
devastatingly handsome new boyfriend of your college roommate is actually a
recovering alcoholic, or that the new six‐figure job that your old friend got two months
ago didn’t last two weeks because it turns out she didn’t have the people skills required
to make it work? “Thinking that everyone else is doing better in life than you are isn’t
motivating,” says Clint White, career counselor with My New Job, Inc. “It’s depressing,
and can be debilitating for some people, who think there’s something wrong with them
because they have problems in their life that no one else seems to have.” Mr. White
cited fifty‐four clients in the past year alone whom he has seen who were seeking a
career change for no reason other than that they didn’t believe that they measuring up
to their Facebook peers.

As if the psychological problems weren’t enough, Facebook triggers a stress

response in the body, even if you don’t think or realized that you are stressed out.
Studies have shown that reading new information on Facebook triggers the release of

1. What is the author’s claim? ______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

2. List the reasons and evidence the author offers to support his/her claim.

Reason 1: _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Evidence: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Reason 2: _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Evidence: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________


3. Which of the following does the author use to support his/her claim? Choose all that
apply.

A. The author mentions research.

B. The author appeals to the reader’s emotions.
C. The author uses the bandwagon technique (everyone else believes this so you
should too).
D. The author’s tone makes him/her seem believable and trustworthy.

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Activity 1. Justify Ideas

1. Obama delivered a speech in response to his critics. He discussed

concerns that had plagued the nation previous to his term of office.
This was due to political deadlock in Washington which has
undermined the US economy and damaged the reputation of US
political system internationally.
2. Yes.
3. Yes. The thesis statement is “There are no winners in this
government shutdown, so, politicians need to focus on what the
majority of Americans sent us here to do—grow the economy,
create good jobs, strengthen the middle class, lay the foundation
Activity 3. for broad-based prosperity, and get our fiscal house in order for
Judge Me
the haul.”
4. Yes. Reason 1: We should sit down and pursue a balanced
Answers may vary.
approach to a responsible budget, one that grows our economy
faster and shrinks our long-term deficits further.
Evidence: Cut what we don’t need and close corporate tax
loopholes. It has been done in past years.

Activity 2.
Reason 2: We should finish the job of fixing our broken
Validate Info
immigration system.

Evidence: The Senate has already passed a bill with strong

1. F bipartisan support.

2. S 5. Yes, the reasoning is sound and logical. If the key plans and
3. S priorities of Obama— crafting a balanced budget, fixing a broken
4. F immigration system, and passing a farm bill—are considered, no
5. F similar political deadlock will be experienced again.
6. F 6. Possible answer: Yes. Obama succeeds in his persuasion
7. S because his argument is valid, credible, and objective.
VI. Answer Key
_____________________________________________________________________.

______________________________________________________________________
I have learned that when I want to make a sound reasoning I have to _________

V. Reflection
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. Does the author make a sound reasoning? Support your answer.
G. The author includes real world examples.
F. The author includes credible data.
E. The author quotes experts.