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"Step inside the Texas school district that already arms its teachers" by Doug Criss and Ed Lavandera
This article talks about a school district in Texas that already allows certain qualified teachers to be armed. The authors use diction to acknowledge the different sides of the issue by using words such as "debate", "advocated", and "pushback". The authors are emotionally attached to the issue because although they don't specify their opinion on teachers being armed, they do describe school shootings occuring as "the unthinkable happening". This indicates a frightened tone and also appeals to pathos. The authors indicate that school shooting are now a reality in the US. Inside Japans 'suicide forest' by Michael Nedelman
The diction of the article is negative towards YouTuber Logan Paul and his video. Words such as "controversial" and "tone deaf" are used to describe the video. There is a somber tone when refering to the Aokigahara forest referenced in the article. Many people commit suicide here and Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Nedelman appeals to pathos by talking about how big of a problem suicide is in Japan and he specifically mentions a sign at the entrance to the forest that urges visitors to not do any harm to themselves or take their lives. The author's purpose is to inform the reader on what happens in the Aokigahara forest and how Logan Paul's ignorance contributes to the lack of mental health awareness in the world and how his video ridicules the very real problem of suicide in Japan. "Donald Trump's secret? There is no secret" by Chris Cilliza
http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/28/politics/trump-shutdown-zero-dimensional/index.html This article is about the possible shutdown of the national government and Trump. The diction in this article is negative towards Trump. The author calls the president out for not coming to an agreement with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader with Nancy Pelosi about having a meeting with Republican leaders. This creates a critical tone because Cilliza is criticising Trump for that and also for his thoughtless comments. For example, Trump called Senator Elizabeth Warren "Pocahontas" due to her Native American heritage during an event honoring Navajo code talkers. Cilliza appeals to pathos by using negative phrases such as "didn't sit well", which is negative and "Trump just says stuff", which is humorous. He also appeals to ethos by citing things that Trump, Schumer, and Pelosi have said. The author's purpose is to educate and explain why the national government is set to shut down and what Trump has to do with it. "ISIS defeated in Raqqa as 'major military operations' declared over' by Hilary Clarke, Nick Paton Walsh, Eliza Mackintosh, and Ghazi Balkiz
The diction in this article is more complex with big words such as "coalition" and "caliphate". This emphasizes the seriousness of the article. The tone in the article is hopeful by stating that now that ISIS is out of Raqqa, their former capital, there is a better chance of eradicating them once and for all. The hopeful tone is created with emotional words such as, "liberation" and "victory". They feel that they have won and regained control of their city. This, in turn, appeals to pathos by making the reader feel hopeful. The rhetoric is used to rally support for the victory in Syria that can hopefully lead to the downfall of ISIS. The author's purpose is to acknowledge and celebrate to evacuation of ISIS in Raqqa and bring attention to the fight against the terrorist group going on in the Middle East. It is a good purpose because it is important that people know what's going on with ISIS in the Middle East. Many people believe that everyone in the Middle East supports ISIS, and that is simply not true. ISIS terrorizes this part of the world, too. The difference is that you're more likely to hear about terrorist attacks in Europe than terrorist attacks in the Middle East. Terrorist attacks should be talked about no matter where they take place. "Puerto Ricans fire back at Trump for critical tweets" by Ralph Ellis
The diction of the article is emotional. The author uses terms like, "stirred up" and "fired back" to describe Trump's behavior. Ellis criticizes Trump's response to the current crisis in Puerto Rico. This shows the negative emotions the author has for Trump, at least in this situation. This also helps to create the tone of the article, which is critical. The author also uses other rhetorical devices, such as rhetorical appeals. The author appeals to ethos by using knowledgeable sources on the situation in Puerto Rico, such as the San Juan mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. Citing quotes from actual Puerto Ricans experiencing the effects of Hurricane Maria first hand makes the article more credible and reliable. The author's purpose is to analyze Trump's response to the situation in Puerto Rico. He does this by taking a look at his tweets. For example, he says, "Trump tweeted on Saturday morning, "The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump. Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort." He then describes the negative reactions many Puerto Ricans had to Trump's comments. This gives the reader insight on different opinions: that of Trump, and that of many Puerto Ricans. This also influences the reader to be critical of Trump. This is a good purpose because it is important to be able to analyze and form individual opinions on the comments of the president instead of blindly believing everything he says. |