Question

Read the following excerpt from an argumentative essay. Answer the question that follows.

Critics might say that smart phones in the classroom cause too many distractions. A 2009 article in Education Magazine made just such a claim. Although cell phones can certainly cause distractions, current research suggests that teachers and students are putting phones to better use. A 2013 Educator Insider poll reveals that 67% of high school instructors now encourage students to use phones in the classroom setting. Students without phones are actually at a disadvantage in the classroom. The poll lists Internet access, spell checks, and collaboration as three key uses of smart phones in an educational setting.


How does the author handle the counterclaim?

Answer Options:

A The author chooses to concede the point and offers no rebuttal.
B The author offers an opinion discounting the counterclaim.
C The author ignores the counterclaim and avoids responding.
D The author supplies a rebuttal that quotes more current research.

Answer 1

The answer is D. The author supplies a rebuttal that quotes more current research. He quotes two sources, an article from 2009 that argues that cell phones cause too many distractions (the counterclaim that he wishes to disprove) and a poll from 2013 that reveals that 67% of high school instructors now encourage students to use phones in the classroom setting. The second source serves as a counterpoint to the first, since it shows that high school instructors now view phones as a teaching aid instead of a source of distraction.