Name:____________________________________________ Date:_______________________ Period:_____

They Say, I Say Templates

INTRODUCING “STANDARD VIEWS”

Americans today tend to believe that ___. It is often said that ___.
Conventional wisdom has it that ___. My whole life I have heard it said that ___.
Common sense seems to dictate that ___. You would think that ___.
The standard way of thinking about topic X has it Many people assumed that ___.
that ___.

INTRODUCING QUOTATIONS

X states, “___.” Writing in the journal ABC, X complains that “___.”

As the prominent philosopher X puts it, “___.” In X’s view, “___.”
According to X, “___.” X agrees when she writes, “___.”
X himself writes, “___.” X disagrees when he writes, “___.”
In her book ___, X maintains that “___.” X complicates matters further when he writes, “___.”

EXPLAINING QUOTATIONS

Basically, X is saying ___. X is insisting that ___.

In other words, X believes ___. X’s point is that ___.
In making this comment, X argues that ___. The essence of X’s argument is that ___.

ESTABLISHING WHY YOUR CLAIMS MATTER

X matters/is important because ___. These conclusions/This discovery will have

Although X may seem trivial, it is in face crucial in significant applications in ___ as well as in ___.
today’s concern over ___. Although X may seem of concern to only a small
Ultimately, what is at stake here is ___. group of ___, it should in fact concern anyone who
These findings have important consequences for the cares about ___.
broader domain that ___.
My discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger
matter of ___.

ADDING METACOMMENTARY

In other words, ___. What is more important, ___.

What ___ really means by this is ___. Incidentally, ___.
My point is ___. By the way, ___.
Essentially, I am arguing that ___. Chapter 2 explores ___, while Chapter 3 examines
My point is not that we should ___, but that we ___.
should ___. Having just argued that ___, let us now turn our
What ___ really means is ___. attention to ___.
To put it another way, ___. Although some readers may object that ___, I would
In sum, then, ___. answer that ___.
My conclusion, then, is that ___.
In short, ___.
 Introducing Something Implied or Assumed
Although X does not say so directly, she/he apparently assumes that __________________.
While they rarely admit as much, _______________ often take for granted that _______________.

Introducing An Outgoing Debate

In discussions of X, one controversial issue has been ________________. On the one hand, ____________
argues _______________. On the other hand, ______________even contends __________________. My own
view is that ________________ because.

When it comes to the topics of _____________, most people will readily agree that ________________.
Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of _______________. Whereas some are
convinced that __________________, others maintain that _________________.

As I suggested earlier, defenders of ___________ can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that
____________ is contradicted by their claim that_____________.

Capturing Authorial Action

 X acknowledges that _________________.
X agreed that _________________.
X argues that_________________.
X complains that _________________.
 X demonstrates that _________________.
 X emphasizes that _________________.

Disagreeing, with Reasons

I think that X is mistaken because he/she overlooks _________________.
x’s claim that _________________ rests upon the questionable assumption that _________________.
I disagree with X’s view that _________________ because, as recent research (personal experience) has
shown, _________________.
By focusing on _________________, X overlooks the deeper problem of _________________.
X claims _________________, but we don’t need him/her to tell us that. Anyone familiar with
_________________ has long known that _________________.

Agreeing—with a Difference
X is surely right about _________________ because, as he/she may not be aware, recent studies have shown
that _________________.
X’s theory of _________________ is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of
_________________.
I agree that _________________, a point that needs emphasizing since so many people believe
_________________.

Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously

Although I agree with X to a point, I cannot accept his/her overall conclusion that _________________
because _________________.
Although I disagree with much of what X says, I fully endorse his/her final conclusion that
_________________.
Though I concede that _________________, I still insist that _________________.
X is right that _________________, but she seems to be on more dubious ground when she/he states _____.
Source:
Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. “Index of Templates.” They Say/ I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic
Writing. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2006. 163-76.
101 Persuasive Essay Topics
By: Mr. Morton
Whether you are a student in need of a persuasive essay topic, or a teacher looking to
assign a persuasive essay, this list of 101 persuasive essay topics should be a great
resource. I taxed my brain to create this huge list of persuasive essay topics relevant to
today's society, but I believe I am happy with the results. I appreciate any and all
comments or feedback.

1. Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary and high schools?
2. Should students have to wear uniforms?
3. Should college athletes be paid for playing?
4. Should the elderly receive free bus rides?
5. Should state colleges be free to attend?
6. Should all American citizens have to complete a year of community service?
7. Should students be required to take Spanish classes?
8. Should marijuana be legal for medicinal purposes?
9. Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
10. Should the driving age be raised to twenty-one?
11. Should students be paid for having good grades?
12. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to get drivers licenses?
13. Should not wearing a seatbelt be illegal?
14. Should students’ textbooks be replaced by notebook computers?
15. Should students have to pass a basic skills test to graduate high school?
16. Should schools raise money by selling candy and sugary soft drinks to students?
17. Should schools serve french-fries and fried potato products to students at lunch?
18. Should students’ grades in gym affect their grade point averages?
19. Should girls be allowed to play on boys sports teams?
20. Should teens be able to buy violent video games?
21. Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
22. Should teenage girls be allowed to get birth control without the permission of their parents?
23. Should our country have a universal health care program?
24. Should immigration laws be reformed?
25. Should the federal government recognize civil unions?
26. Should people who download music and movies illegally be punished?
27. Should school athletes have to be on the honor roll to play in games?
28. Should music with curse words be allowed at school dances?
29. Should public schools begin the day with a silent prayer time?
30. Should students be able to listen to MP3 players on headphones during study hall?
31. Should schools offer fast food options like McDonalds or Taco Bell?
32. Should smoking be allowed at parks and other outdoor public venues?
33. Should cities offer free public Wi-Fi?
34. Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
35. Should the 2nd amendment give citizens the right to own assault weaponry?
36. Should people travelling in airplanes have to undergo intensive security screenings?
37. Should restaurants be allowed to sell genetically modified chickens under the name
“chicken”?
38. Should teachers have to pass a basic skills test every ten years to renew their certification?
39. Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals like chimpanzees or tigers?
40. Should people be allowed to keep pit-bull dogs?
41. Should the city offer a bike sharing program?
42. Should there be an ordinance citing people who fail to recycle $50?
43. Should there be an ordinance citing people who play music too loudly $50?
44. Should prostitution be legalized and regulated by the government?
45. Should celebrities who break the law face stricter penalties?
46. Should the government increase spending on the space program?
47. Should larger passengers have to pay for two plane or movie theater tickets?
48. Should children have to use booster seats in cars?
49. Should people have to get a license to become parents?
50. Should there be tougher federal restrictions for content on the internet?
51. Should people be allowed to curse on daytime television?
52. Should owners be legally accountable for clearing snow from sidewalks on their property?
53. Should sexual education be taught in public schools?
54. Should students be able to get free condoms at school?
55. Should students who commit cyberbullying be suspended from school?
56. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools?
57. Should students be allowed to eat during class?
58. Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?
59. Is it appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook?
60. Should students have open campus lunch periods?
61. Should abortions be legal?
62. Should abortions be legal in cases of rape and incest?
63. Should the death penalty be used to punish violent criminals?
64. Should students learn about world religions in public schools?
65. Should schools start later in the morning?
66. Should the USA end overseas military operations?
67. Should politicians be allowed to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
68. Should people with terminal illnesses have the right to doctor assisted suicides?
69. Should Puerto Rico become a state?
70. Should stem cell researchers be able to use the stem cells from aborted babies to cure
diseases?
71. Should school athletes have to take drug tests?
72. Should professional athletes have to take drug tests?
73. Should America convert to the metric system?
74. Should high school students have to complete community service hours to graduate?
75. Should teens over 13 years be allowed into R rated movies?
76. Should state tests be given in other languages for ESL students?
77. Should scientists be allowed to test products intended for human use on animals?
78. Should unhealthy fast food products be sold with a warning label?
79. Should there be a tariff or tax on products manufactured outside of the country?
80. Should students or teachers receive money for scoring well on standardized tests?
81. Should everyone under the age of 17 have a 9:00 PM curfew?
82. Should schools with low scores on standardized tests be closed?
83. Should minors be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in their homes with their parents’
consent?
84. Should students be allowed to drop out before they turn 18 years old?
85. Should alcohol manufacturers be allowed to advertise on television?
86. Should students as young as fourteen be allowed to hold jobs?
87. Should American families have a two child max rule to limit population growth?
88. Should children younger than thirteen be allowed to watch MTV or music videos?
89. Should people who are caught driving drunk lose their licenses for a year?
90. Should students who fail their classes be retained and have to repeat the grade?
91. Should large businesses and corporations be required to employee a number of minorities
proportionate to the population?
92. Should female construction workers earn the same wages as males?
93. Should children in temporary living situations with 3.0 GPAs earn free college tuition?
94. Should gambling and sports betting be illegal or should the government regulate it?
95. Should children who commit violent crimes be tried as adults?
96. Should the government be allowed to detain suspected terrorists without trial?
97. Should the government censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
98. Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
99. Should teachers be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom?
100. Should the state execute dogs that have bitten someone?
101. Should talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving be illegal?

Nonfiction Reading Test
Koko
Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text
to check your answers when appropriate.
Did you know that humans aren't the only
species that use language? Bees communicate by
dancing. Whales talk to each other by singing.
And some apes talk to humans by using
American Sign Language.
Meet Koko: a female gorilla born at the San
Francisco Zoo on July 4th, 1971. Koko learned
sign language from her trainer, Dr. Penny
Patterson. Patterson began teaching sign
language to Koko in 1972, when Koko was one
year old. Koko must have been a good student,
because two years later she moved onto the
Stanford University campus with Dr. Patterson.
Koko continued to learn on the campus until
1976. That's when she began living full-time
with Patterson's group, the Gorilla Foundation.
Patterson and Koko's relationship has blossomed
ever since.
Dr. Patterson says that Koko has mastered sign
language. She says that Koko knows over 1,000
words, and that Koko makes up new words. For
example, Koko didn't know the sign for ring, so
she signed the words finger and bracelet. Dr.
Patterson thinks that this shows meaningful and
constructive use of language.
Not everyone agrees with Dr. Patterson. Some
argue that apes like Koko do not understand the
meaning of what they are doing. Skeptics say
that these apes are just performing complex
tricks. For example, if Koko points to an apple
and signs red or apple, Dr. Patterson will give
her an apple. They argue that Koko does not
really know what the sign apple means. She only
knows that that if she makes the right motion,
one which Dr. Patterson has shown her, then she
gets an apple. The debate is unresolved, but one
thing is for certain: Koko is an extraordinary
ape.
Name: _____________________________
Sign language isn't the only unusual thing about
Koko. She's also been a pet-owner. In 1983, at
the age of 12, researchers said that Koko asked
for a cat for Christmas. They gave Koko a
stuffed cat. Koko was not happy. She did not
play with it, and she continued to sign sad. So
for her birthday in 1984, they let her pick a cat
out of an abandoned liter. Koko picked a gray
cat and named him "All Ball." Dr. Patterson said
that Koko loved and nurtured All Ball as though
he were a baby gorilla. Sadly, All Ball got out of
Koko's cage and was hit by a car. Patterson
reported that Koko signed "Bad, sad, bad" and
"Frown, cry, frown, sad" when she broke the
news to her.
It seems like Patterson and Koko have a good
relationship, but not everyone agrees with it.
Some critics believe that Patterson is humanizing
the ape. They believe that apes should be left in
the most natural state possible. Even Dr.
Patterson struggles with these feelings. When
asked if her findings could be duplicated by
another group of scientists, she said, "We don't
think that it would be ethical to do again." She
went on to argue that animals should not be kept
in such unnatural circumstances. Nonetheless,
Koko lives in her foundation today.
As for the future, Dr. Patterson and the Gorilla
Foundation would love to get Koko to an ape
preserve in Maui, but they are having trouble
securing the land. So unless you have a few
million dollars to spare, Koko's going to be
spending her time in Woodland, California with
Dr. Patterson. Koko probably doesn't mind that.
If she moved to Hawaii, she'd have to give up
her Facebook page and Twitter feed, and she's
got like 50 thousand "likes." Some may deny
that she knows sign language, but nobody says
that she doesn't know social networking.
1. Which best expresses the main idea of this article?
a. Bees, whales, and apes like Koko all use language to communicate.
b. Koko uses sign language but some think it's just a trick.
c. It is natural for gorillas and house cats to live together.
d. If you want a lot of "likes" on Facebook, get a talking gorilla.

2. Which best describes how the second paragraph is organized?

a. Chronological order b. Cause and effect
c. Compare and contrast d. Problem and solution

3. Which best expresses the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. The author is describing the environment in which Koko lives.
b. The author is informing readers how Dr. Patterson developed her skills.
c. The author is persuading readers that Koko should be freed.
d. The author is telling readers about Koko and Dr. Patterson's background.

4. Which happened last?

a. Koko got a stuffed cat for Christmas.
b. Koko lost All Ball.
c. Koko began living with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Dr. Patterson began teaching Koko to sign.

5. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. Koko has mastered sign language without a doubt.
b. Everybody likes how Dr. Patterson has raised Koko.
c. Koko doesn't really know sign language.
d. Some people are troubled by how Koko was raised.

6. Which best defines the word duplicated as it is used in the sixth paragraph?
a. To dispute a fact or disagree with someone b. To lie to someone or to fool them
c. To copy or recreate something d. To be disproven through debate

7. Which event happened first?

a. Koko moved onto the Stanford University campus.
b. Koko picked All Ball out for her birthday.
c. Koko began living with the Gorilla Foundation.
d. Koko got a stuffed cat for Christmas.

8. Which best describes the main idea of the sixth paragraph?

a. Dr. Patterson has treated Koko very cruelly.
b. Dr. Patterson and Koko have a beautiful, pure, and unconflicted relationship.
c. Some people think that Koko should not have been treated like a human.
d. Some people are working very hard to prove that Dr. Patterson is wrong.
9. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?
a. Dr. Patterson has worked hard to teach Koko sign language.
b. Some people think that Koko only signs to get food.
c. The Gorilla Foundation would like to move Koko to an ape preserve.
d. Dr. Patterson has no regrets about working with Koko.

10. If a book were being written about Koko and All Ball, which title would best summarize their story?
a. Long Wanted, Short Lived: A Tale of Strong Loves Lost
b. Happy Ending: The Gorilla Who Got What She Wanted
c. A Tale of Two Kitties: A Stuffed Cat Versus a Real One
d. Plushy Love: How A Gorilla Fell in Love with a Stuffed Cat

Long-Response Questions

1. Does Koko really understand sign language? Support your position with quotes from the text. Explain
your quotes clearly. Argue your point thoroughly.
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2. What lesson can readers learn from this text? Use evidence from the text to support your position.
Explain what your evidence shows.
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3. Make an inference. Describe how Dr. Patterson feels about her relationship with Koko. Use evidence
from the text to support your response. Explain your evidence clearly.

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