1) The document discusses analyzing authors' arguments in texts. It provides examples of identifying an author's topic, viewpoint, and supporting details. 2) Key aspects of effective arguments are a thesis statement and 3-4 supporting details. Supporting details should be accurate, applicable, and adequate. 3) An example text is analyzed where Chief Dan George argues Native American values and connection to nature offer important contributions. He supports this with details about communal living and respect for the environment.

1. Author’s Argument
7th Language Arts

2. Author’s Argument Guided Notes
Document

3. Which of the following is not a
clue to find the author’s
argument?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the issue or
topic the author is
talking about?
What is the author’s
viewpoint on the
issue/topic?
How many supporting
details does the author
use?
Where does the author
state his/her viewpoint?
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4. Thesis statement + 3 to 4 pieces
of support = an effective
argument
1. True
2. False
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2

5. To support the author’s argument,
w hat are the three “A” requirements
for supporting details? Supporting
details must be...
1. adequate, adjustable, abstract
2. accurate, active, absurd
3. adequate, accurate, applicable
4. applicable, adverse, average
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6. Facts, statistics, anecdotal
support, and expert testimony are
ways to support an argument.
1. True
2. False
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2

7. I Am a Native of North America
by Chief Dan George

8. Author’s Argument
Worksheet
Document

9. “I Am a Native of North
America”
Author’s Argument
Worksheet
Document

10. What is Chief Dan George’s
argument In “I Am a Native of
North America?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Native Americans do not
prize the hoarding of
private possessions.
Native Americans prize
friendship and
companionship.
Native Americans have
important values to offer
their “American brothers”.
Native Americans have
little to offer their
“American brothers”.
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11. What Details Does George Use To
Support His Argument?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Native Americans lived in small communal houses
and learned to serve, respect and accept others.
Americans live in much larger homes and do not
know or care about their neighbors.
Americans blot nature from their cities, throw poison
in the waters, and choke the air with fumes. Native
Americans have a deep respect for nature and see
the Earth and all it contains as a gift from the Great
Spirit.
Native Americans prize friendship and
companionship, not privacy. Privacy builds walls and
promotes distrust.
All of the above
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12. What Types Of Supporting
Details Does Chief Dan
George Use To Support His
Argument?
1.
2.
3.
4.
facts
anecdotal support
expert testimony
all of the above
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13. What detail does the author
not use to describe the
communal houses that he
grew up in?
1. contained sleeping
apartments separated by
blankets
2. contained an open fire in
the middle for all to cook
at
3. several families lived in
these dwellings
4. the houses were small
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14. Letter to Supermart
Document

15. According to the letter,
which of the following will
the author most likely do?
1. wait for a response
2. find another place
to shop
3. shop for bakery
items only
4. recommend the
store to friends
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16. In the passage, which of the
following is an example of a
fact?
1. I have never been able to
purchase nacho cheese
soup at your store.
2. Your grocery store is
outstanding in many
ways.
3. Regent Brand Chili
Seasoning is superior in
flavor to its peers.
4. My time is valuable.
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17. In this passage, which of the following
is not an example of the letter
writer’s purpose for writing the
letter?
1. to ask for a special
seasoning
2. to request a price
reduction
3. to identify concerns
4. to compliment the
store
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18. In this passage, which of the
following details supports
the author’s argument?
1. There are many items your
store does not carry.
2. I sincerely hope to continue
a relationship with your
store.
3. I enjoy the selection of
produce and fresh bakery
items.
4. Your low prices and
excellent customer service
keep me coming back.
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19. What does the author
want the reader to do?
1. stock the items he
finds at other stores
2. match the
competitors’ prices
3. increase the selection
in the bakery
4. sell fresher produce
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20. “MIrror, MIrror, on
the Wall, Do I See
Myself As Others
Do?”
by Joan Burditt

21. “Mirror, Mirror...”
Worksheet
Document

22. You can tell from this
article that the writer
believes that...
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students feel tremendous
pressure to look a certain way.
Teen magazines do not
influence the way teenagers feel
about their appearance.
Parents should keep their
children from reading
magazines that have models in
them.
Students should wear uniforms
to school so they won’t worry so
much about their appearance.
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23. Which of the following
statements uses statistics to
support a position?
1.
2.
3.
4.
I’ll bet most students who are
thin feel fat.
Students feel they have to
wear a certain brand of
clothing.
Models in advertisements are
9 percent taller and 23 percent
thinner than the average
woman.
Computers can change the
way people look in
photgraphs.
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24. Which type of evidence does the
writer use to support her point
that brand names on clothing are
important to many students?
1.
2.
3.
4.
An anecdote
An interview
An expert’s opinion
A magazine article
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25. What is the most likely
reason the author wrote this
essay?
1.
2.
3.
4.
To change readers’ views
about their appearance.
To tell a story about the
woman who works in the
drugstore.
To interview students about
the clothes they wear.
To explain why sports
improve girls’ self-esteem.
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26. Which statement is a fact - a
statement that can be proven
true?
1. Everyone wants to be
thin.
2. Out of 220 pages, 70
were advertisements.
3. No one can make you
feel inferior without
your consent.
4. The females look as
though they haven’t
eaten in months.
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27. “Mirror, Mirror, on the
Wall...” Questions
1. How does the opening anecdote
relate to the writer’s main point?
2. What is topic, or subject, of this
article?
3. What is the writer’s perspective,
or point of view, on this subject?

28. References
George, Dan. “I Am a Native of North
America.” 4 August 2008
<http://www.umilta.net/chief.html>.
IDEAL. “AIMS Practice Quick Links: 7th
Online Practice Tests: Passage 4 Test.”
Arizona Department of Education and
Arizona State University. 1 September 2008
<https://www.ideal.azed.gov/aims/practice>.

29. References
Mongello, Laura , ed. “Mirror, Mirror,
on the Wall, Do I See Myself As Others Do?”
Elements of Literature: First Course. Austin:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2005.
Wikipedia. “Dan George.” 4 August 2008.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_George>