"Leaving Main Street' Progress Monitor - Catherine Colangelo | Library

Instructions

Read the passage "Leaving Main Street" and annotate it using Kami. Then, demonstrate your understanding by completing this progress monitor.

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Why is "Leaving Main Street" considered an argumentative text?

This passage explains the positive and negative effects of modern space exploration.

This passage relates a story with a theme showing the importance of space exploration.

This passage states and defends a particular position on pursuing space exploration.

This passage is a tribute to the space exploration program and the people involved.

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Money would be better spent on ending poverty and hunger instead of space exploration.

People explore space because we are born to wonder about and pursue the unknown.

The cost of space exploration is outweighed by the benefits it provides the United States.

Space exploration programs like the US's NASA inspire competition and innovation.

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Concluded with a definition of what it means to be human and a need to maintain those qualities, especially if other life forms exist in the universe.
Refuted the negative argument by listing positive financial reasons for space exploration.
Shifted to the particular pro-space exploration claim that the author wanted to support and provided four reasons to support the claim of it being "in our genes."
Described a successful modern space exploration mission and what we learned from it.
Identified a reason why the mission was nearly prevented and tied it into a common financial argument used against space exploration.

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"At a cost of six-tenths of a percent of the federal budget, it’s well worth the price."

"But these are not the real reasons for continuing the space program . . ."

"He goes on to say that Americans need the prospect of exploring space."

"If we stop exploring space, soon society will have forgotten what it’s like to be human."

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high financial cost --> threats to defund --> prominent naysayers --> end poverty & hunger

adds national prestige --> helps economy --> creates jobs --> improves national security

strive to be best --> feed natural curiosity --> note achievements --> inspire new tech/ideas

not ball of ice --> molten core --> tectonic plates & volcanoes --> may support life

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people who are optimistic about a particular topic

people who are critical about or against something

people who have never experienced a situation

people who really like horses and say "neigh" a lot

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to ignore

to develop

to neglect 

to celebrate

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" . . . the United States has more important things to spend its money on, such as ending
hunger and poverty."

"It’s human to wonder about things we can’t see, to look for what’s over the horizon."

" . . . humans have always created monuments to commemorate their great achievements, so that the next generation will remember who they are."

"Griffin makes the point that people go to space for reasons that are not necessarily logical."

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Draggable item		Corresponding Item
“When we contemplate committing large sums of money to a project, we tend to dismiss reasons that are emotional or value-driven,” Michael Griffin (of Air & Space Magazine) says.		"Hook"- an interesting start to a passage to gain the reader's attention
"At a cost of six-tenths of a percent (0.6%) of the federal budget, it’s well worth the price."		"Appeal to Authority/Quoted Words"-the use of experts and their statements to add weight or evidence to the author's claim or refute a counterclaim

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Draggable item		Corresponding Item
"Humans will not tolerate boundaries; their dream is to explore what’s beyond."		"Bandwagon Technique"- a bias towards a particular claim because "everyone is doing it"
"Everyone remembers being a kid and wanting to see what’s 'over there'."		"Rhetorical Question"- a question that creates a dramatic effect or makes a point, instead of needing an answer
"And how can we be so narrow-minded as to think we’re the only ones out there?"		"Absolute Language"-a statement that may be exaggerated or seem to forbid doubt or questions, and admit of no exceptions (all or none)