In this article, W. Bradford Wilcox discusses the role of fathers in today's society. Most of the article revolves around him stating data that overwhelmingly prove that having a father is crucial for kids to develop into health adults. He cites several studies that prove this, such as a Princeton study that said that man who were raised without fathers are 3 times more likely to go to jail by the time they reach 30.
The author's purpose was to prove that fathers still have a crucial role. He says that in today's society where single moms are becoming more common, the father's rule is being thought of as not so important. In this article, he proves that that notion is wrong, that fathers are extremely important for boys and girls alike.
Friday, June 7, 2013
37.Ownership of Genes Stops Research
In this article, Shobita Parthasarathy explains how patents on genes harms research. She uses the company called Myriad as her main example. Myriad is a company that carries out gene research that has patents on the BRCA gene, an important gene that causes different diseases when mutated. Since Myriad holds patents on this gene, it becomes extremely difficult for other companies to conduct research. This severely stalls progress because only virtually only one company has access to the gene.
The author's main purpose was to denounce the company Myriad for its practices and to question companies abilities to hold patents on genes. The author claims that if this practice becomes common place, it could pose severe problems on medical and biological research later on.
The author's main purpose was to denounce the company Myriad for its practices and to question companies abilities to hold patents on genes. The author claims that if this practice becomes common place, it could pose severe problems on medical and biological research later on.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
39. Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/family/2013/06/rescuing_drowning_children_how_to_know_when_someone_is_in_trouble_in_the.html
In this article, Mario Vittone informs that it is difficult to notice when people are drowing, and presents the indications that a person might be drowning. As his introduction, he narrates a short recall of a story in which a lifeguard captain had saved a child from drowning while her parents had not noticed though they were less than 10 feet away from her. Vittone explains that when people actually drown, it rarely looks like the splashing and calling for help as they do in movies. Vittone refers to the theory of Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D, called "Instinctive Drowning Response" which involves no spashes, no calling for help nor any waving of the arms or legs. This reference provides a supporting evidence to his thesis through mentioning a professional in the topic. Statistics are also used to emphasize the magnitude of the problem of not being able to notice someone drowning. Vittone then listst the descriptions of the Instinctive Drowning Response as previously presented in Dr. Pia's article in the Coast Guard's On Scene magazine. In his conclusion, Vittone states, in summary, that "sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don't look like they're drowning."
Mario Vittone's intended audience for this article is anyone with minimum to medium education, especially adults. The purpose Vittone put into the article is to inform many people for greater safety and less accidents of drowning children right infront of the parents. Vittone successfully accomplishes his purpose using references to professionals and the technique of listing.
In this article, Mario Vittone informs that it is difficult to notice when people are drowing, and presents the indications that a person might be drowning. As his introduction, he narrates a short recall of a story in which a lifeguard captain had saved a child from drowning while her parents had not noticed though they were less than 10 feet away from her. Vittone explains that when people actually drown, it rarely looks like the splashing and calling for help as they do in movies. Vittone refers to the theory of Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D, called "Instinctive Drowning Response" which involves no spashes, no calling for help nor any waving of the arms or legs. This reference provides a supporting evidence to his thesis through mentioning a professional in the topic. Statistics are also used to emphasize the magnitude of the problem of not being able to notice someone drowning. Vittone then listst the descriptions of the Instinctive Drowning Response as previously presented in Dr. Pia's article in the Coast Guard's On Scene magazine. In his conclusion, Vittone states, in summary, that "sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don't look like they're drowning."
Mario Vittone's intended audience for this article is anyone with minimum to medium education, especially adults. The purpose Vittone put into the article is to inform many people for greater safety and less accidents of drowning children right infront of the parents. Vittone successfully accomplishes his purpose using references to professionals and the technique of listing.
38. Meet North Korea's New Girl-Pop Band
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/meet-north-koreas-new-girl-pop-band/276360/
Olga Khazan's article, "Meet North Korea's New Girl-Pop Band," informs about the new kind of entertainment culture in North Korea that Kim Jong Eun is allowing for the people and ponders that his purposes could be to distract the people from the faime and from the smuggled pieces of entertainment from the outside world such as the South Korean dramas. To show the audience what she is talking about, Khazan provides a video of the MoranBong Band. She quotes the North Korean news agency for ethos and briefly describes the video in a satiristic tone. In getting to her point, Khazan states that pop music plays a big role in the regime's indoctrination of its citizens, especially when there is famine in the land. Khazan then concludes with the claim that perhaps the MoranBong band was created by Kim Jong Il to let the North Korean people to have entertainment from within so that they would not secretly get peeks of the outer world.
The intended audience of this article is the general public with medium education and a general background knowledge about North Korea's communist impact on the people. Olga Khazan's purpose in this article is to inform the Western world of what is going around in North Korea, especially in terms of popular culture. She also focuses on implying the injustice and oppression of the regime on the people by hinting that the regime constantly tries to block information of the outside world and to placate its citizens. Khazan successfully reaches her purpose using a satiristic and informative tone while referring to other sources for support.
Olga Khazan's article, "Meet North Korea's New Girl-Pop Band," informs about the new kind of entertainment culture in North Korea that Kim Jong Eun is allowing for the people and ponders that his purposes could be to distract the people from the faime and from the smuggled pieces of entertainment from the outside world such as the South Korean dramas. To show the audience what she is talking about, Khazan provides a video of the MoranBong Band. She quotes the North Korean news agency for ethos and briefly describes the video in a satiristic tone. In getting to her point, Khazan states that pop music plays a big role in the regime's indoctrination of its citizens, especially when there is famine in the land. Khazan then concludes with the claim that perhaps the MoranBong band was created by Kim Jong Il to let the North Korean people to have entertainment from within so that they would not secretly get peeks of the outer world.
The intended audience of this article is the general public with medium education and a general background knowledge about North Korea's communist impact on the people. Olga Khazan's purpose in this article is to inform the Western world of what is going around in North Korea, especially in terms of popular culture. She also focuses on implying the injustice and oppression of the regime on the people by hinting that the regime constantly tries to block information of the outside world and to placate its citizens. Khazan successfully reaches her purpose using a satiristic and informative tone while referring to other sources for support.
39. Samsung May Have Passed Apple in U.S. — for Now
In this article, Brian X. Chen writes about the possibility that Samsung Electronics market has surpassed Apple market. In the beginning of the article he explains that it is mostly because of the new phone, Galaxy s4, combination of Galaxy Note II and S3. Then he continues writing the article by quoting Michael Walkley, the Canaccord Genuity analyst. Walkley claims that for the first time since Iphone 5 was launched, the Samsung market is on the top. However, the writer states that the research that was made does not include information about Apple market, and for this reason, explains that it is just a possibility and not a proven fact.He also states that this research represents strong performance in May, and it does not mean that the Samsung market has surpassed Apple market. Then Chen ends the article by explaining the strategies Samsung used to sell more of their products. They made good use of the months between Iphone upgrades, and they have taken more advantage of the predictability of the Iphone release cycle.
The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about the Samsung Eletrocnis that may have surpassed Apple Market in the month of May. In order to do that effectively, the writer includes several rhetorical devices in the article. First of all, the most noticeable device is allusion, when he quotes Michael Walkley, the Canaccord Genuity analyst. It gives more credibility to the article, and it shows the reader that his argument is supported by an expert. Besides that, he uses metonymy as well. The writer uses the name of the companies to write about the people and the representatives in them. For example, he says that there is a battle between Apple company and Samsung company, while in fact, there is a battle between the representatives and their workers ( When the writer says that they are in battle, it's a figurative language).
The purpose of this article is to inform the readers about the Samsung Eletrocnis that may have surpassed Apple Market in the month of May. In order to do that effectively, the writer includes several rhetorical devices in the article. First of all, the most noticeable device is allusion, when he quotes Michael Walkley, the Canaccord Genuity analyst. It gives more credibility to the article, and it shows the reader that his argument is supported by an expert. Besides that, he uses metonymy as well. The writer uses the name of the companies to write about the people and the representatives in them. For example, he says that there is a battle between Apple company and Samsung company, while in fact, there is a battle between the representatives and their workers ( When the writer says that they are in battle, it's a figurative language).
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
39. No, Trayvon Martin Didn't Film His Friends Beating Up a Homeless Man
In this article Josh Voorhees writes on June 3rd, about how George
Zimmerman claims he did not video record two buddies of his beating up a
homeless man. Voorhees starts out his article by talking about the pre-trial
that happened in the past week, where the defense lawyer told the court that
Zimmerman took footage of his friends “beating up a homeless guy.” To
contradict the defense lawyer, Zimmerman’s team claims that he taped two
homeless men fighting over a bicycle. Voorhees then says that the revelation
did not come to much effect because the judge; Debra s. Nelson, had already put
restrictions on what the defense could and could not tell the jury about
Martin. This would restrict Zimmerman’s team of talking about how Martin used
drugs, being suspended from school and also past fighting events. Voorhees
continues to explain that this debate would still be decided and soon he would
be pronounced guilty or innocent. Voorhees ends by saying that the texts and
other footage that Zimmerman would have to be considered in as a second degree
murder. The defense team said that his finance would have to start at $75
million to give Zimmerman a chance at fighting.
In this article Voorhees rapidly talks about how Zimmerman and his
lawyers claim that the footage in his cellphone was two homeless men fighting
for a bicycle. Voorhees restates the full statement to emphasize the importance
of the trial and show how the Zimmerman’s lawyer had the right things to say,
to contradict what the defense attorney said against him. He also says that
since both sides want to prove Zimmerman’s innocence or guilt, they have been
trying to get the message out to the public. Voorhees to end his article, he
shows the price tag that the defense attorney ironically states, and then says “at
least $75,000, to give George a fighting chance." This is a very
short yet clean cut essay, where Voorhees states his thesis and provides
evidence for it. Although it is a very short article, he has a formal way of writing;
this also helps because he does not take any sides in his article. He shows
both sides of the trial and explains that both want to show the public what is
going on, and get their opinion.
Monday, June 3, 2013
39. Another Day, Another “Accidental” Child Shooting Death
On Friday, Slate Magazine's crime correspondent Justin Peters wrote about another "'accidental' child shooting death." The article talked about the author's viewpoint on the issue of adults, especially parents, owning guns. The beginning of the article referenced a recent child shooting death on Wednesday, in Tyler, Texas. Soon after, the author expressed, "Trenton Mathis didn't have to die." He further added that the death of the innocent child was the country's fault, its "indifference toward the basic principles of gun safety." He made it clear that he was criticizing both parents and the government of not taking precautious measures to prevent such disasters, thus causing him to consider them "accidental deaths" and revealing that "the frustrating thing is that they are preventable." Peters' solution ideas to prevent future deaths were soon followed by a list of "accidental deaths" that would continue to grow unless adults started to be more careful.
Peter's purpose for writing this article was to reveal his stand and opine about the issue of possessing handguns. His article seemed to be primarily directed to parents who own handguns at home as well as the government. The passage clearly calls for the adults' attention to keep the guns out of the children's reach and the government's concern to consider the issue more seriously. The choice of words contribute in building the author's tone, which would best be described as one of boldness and even criticizing. This is especially evident when Peters said, "His senseless death is a direct result of this country's baffling indifference toward the basic principles of gun safety," and "If you can't be bothered to take two minutes to unload your handgun and put it in a gun safe, then you shouldn't own a gun." Throughout the article, Peters' position regarding the issue was evident all thoughout ("It's a point I've made before, and it's one that I'll continue to make as long as children continue to die"). He did not only present the evidence that would contribute to his stand, but rather, also considered the opposition (such as the third paragraph). In addition, Peters used a point that would be used against him and turned it in such a way where he could further reinforce his argument.
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