Secondary 1 English Argument Evaluation Quiz

Secondary 1 English Quiz - Argument Evaluation

Name: ______________________
Class: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Score: _______ / 40

Duration: 50 minutes
Total Marks: 40
Topic: Argument Evaluation

Instructions:

• This quiz tests your ability to identify, analyse, and evaluate arguments in short texts.
• Answer all 20 questions.
• Section A: Identify parts of an argument (1–7). Section B: Evaluate argument strength (8–14). Section C: Apply evaluation skills (15–20).
• Write your answers in the spaces provided. Use your own words where instructed.

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Section A: Identifying Parts of an Argument (Questions 1–7)

1. [2 marks] Read the statement below.
"We should ban homework because students need more time to rest after school."
What is the claim in this argument?

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2. [2 marks] Using the same statement in Q1, what is the reason given to support the claim?

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3. [2 marks] Read the sentence: "Exercise improves mood, so schools should have daily PE."
Underline the conclusion: ___________________________________________________________

4. [2 marks] A poster says: "Buy this water bottle – it is used by Olympic athletes!"
Is the fact that Olympic athletes use it a reason or a conclusion?

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5. [2 marks] Identify the opposing view in this pair:
View A: "Uniforms help students focus."
View B: "Uniforms take away personal expression."
Which view disagrees with the idea that uniforms are good? ______

6. [2 marks] A friend says: "I got wet, therefore it rained."
What is the stated evidence in this argument?

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7. [2 marks] Read: "All pets are friendly. Cats are pets. Therefore, cats are friendly."
What type of statement is "All pets are friendly" in this argument? (Circle one)
Claim / Reason / Conclusion / Assumption

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Section B: Evaluating Argument Strength (Questions 8–14)

8. [2 marks] Which argument is stronger? Explain in one sentence.
A: "Ice cream is the best because I like it."
B: "Ice cream is popular because surveys show 8 out of 10 students choose it."

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9. [2 marks] A student argues: "We must close the library because one book was torn."
Is this a strong argument? Why or why not? (1 mark for yes/no, 1 mark for reason)
______ because ___________________________________________________________

10. [2 marks] Read: "You should eat vegetables. My cousin lost weight on a vegetable diet."
What is the weakness in this evidence?

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11. [2 marks] Two letters to the school paper:
Letter 1: "Canteen food is unhealthy based on a survey of 200 students."
Letter 2: "Canteen food is bad because I don't like it."
Which letter uses better evidence? ______ Why? ___________________________________________________________

12. [2 marks] "Every swan I saw was white, so all swans are white."
What mistake in reasoning is shown here? (Circle)
Generalisation from few examples / Clear proof / No conclusion

13. [2 marks] A poster shows a famous singer saying: "Drink this juice to be healthy!"
What should you check before accepting this argument?

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14. [2 marks] Read: "If we don't finish homework, we will fail life."
Is this an exaggeration? Tick (✓) Yes or No and give a reason.
Yes ☐ No ☐ Reason: ___________________________________________________________

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Section C: Applying Evaluation Skills (Questions 15–20)

15. [3 marks] Read the paragraph:
“Our class should get a pet turtle. Turtles are quiet and easy to care for. A survey shows 15 of 20 students want one. However, turtles need a special light.”
(a) What is the main claim? [1]
(b) Give one piece of supporting evidence. [1]
(c) Give one counter-point mentioned. [1]
(a) _________________________
(b) _________________________
(c) _________________________

16. [3 marks] A blog says: "Schools should ban phones because a study found focus dropped 30% with phones present."
(a) Is the evidence relevant? [1]
(b) Is one study enough to decide? [1]
(c) Suggest one other thing to check. [1]
(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) _________________________

17. [3 marks] Compare:
Argument X: "Reading books makes you smart, said my teacher."
Argument Y: "A test showed readers scored 20% higher in vocabulary."
(a) Which is based on opinion? [1]
(b) Which is based on evidence? [1]
(c) Which is more convincing for a school report? [1]
(a) ______ (b) ______ (c) ______

18. [3 marks] Read: "We should have no exams. Students in Country A are happy without exams."
(a) What is the claim? [1]
(b) What is the evidence? [1]
(c) Name one reason the evidence may not apply here. [1]
(a) _________________________
(b) _________________________
(c) _________________________

19. [3 marks] A poster:

Generated diagram for Q19.

Using the chart, is the argument "School A gives too much homework" supported? Give one reason using the chart. [3]

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20. [3 marks] Write a short evaluation of this argument in 2–3 sentences:
"Homework should be banned because my friend hates it."
Your answer should state if it is strong and why.

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