Reading Comprehension

Question 1

What are two major rhetorical types?

Answer 1

argumentation and exposition

Question 2

what is the author’s main purpose in argumentation?
what are types of argumentation?

Answer 2

1) present reasons and evidence in support of a position
2) prescriptive, evaluative, causal, interpretive

Question 3

prescriptive argumentation

Answer 3

advocate the adoption or rejections of policies, procedures or laws

argue for the acceptance of ethical viewpoints

Question 4

evaluative argumentation

Answer 4

argue that something is good or bad, desirable or undesirable, without advocating any particular policy or course of action

Question 5

causal argumentation

Answer 5

argue for or against an account of the causes, reason, or motivation underlying an event, condition, decision/outcome or an account of influences underlying or artistic style or movement

offer reasons for or against another author’s scientific, historical and social hypothesis

Question 6

interpretative argumentation

Answer 6

arguing for or against an account of the meaning, importance, or implications of a set of observation, a theory, an artistic or literary work, or a historical event

Question 7

what is the author’s main purpose in exposition?
what are types of exposition?

Answer 7

1) presenting established facts, conveying other information, or reporting someone else’s views, actions or research finding
2) narrative, reporting, descriptive, informative with no further function

Question 8

narrative
reporting

Answer 8

report or describe the sequences of events.
telling the views or findings of another author, researcher, theorist, or critic or reporting research findings, artistic accomplishments, innovations

Question 9

descriptive

Answer 9

describing the appearance, nature or characteristics of something - for example, a place, society, artistic work, device, invention

Question 10

informative with no further function

Answer 10

informing readers of established scientific, historical or other facts without arguing for any particular viewpoint regarding them

Question 11

What does qualify mean in this context?

It qualifies a claim made earlier in the passage about the impact of banks on the American economy in the early 19th century

Answer 11

make a claim less absolute or to add reservations to that claim (by introducing an exception scenario)

Question 12

What are some “Concession” signal words?
What is the function of “Concession” signal words?

Answer 12

Even though, Although, Though, Whereas, While, Despite, While it is true that
to concede/acknowledge an opposing point but the author doesn’t necessarily change his mind

Question 13

What are some “Contrast” signal words”?
What is the function of “Contrast” signal words”?

Answer 13

However, But, Yet, Nevertheless, Even so
to change the direction or disputing an earlier point.