Provide Concluding Statement for Argument
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7th Grade ELA › Provide Concluding Statement for Argument
A student writes an argument to the principal claiming that the school should create a quiet study hall during lunch for students who want to work. The student supports the claim by explaining that (1) many students have busy after-school schedules and need time to finish assignments, (2) a quiet space would reduce hallway noise and distractions, and (3) students who use study hall would likely turn in more complete work. Which conclusion best follows from and supports the argument?
Because students are busy after school, a quiet lunch study hall would give them time to work, lower distractions in the building, and help them submit better assignments—so the school should offer this option for students who need it.
A quiet study hall could be nice, but it might be too hard to supervise, so the school probably shouldn’t try it.
The school should also improve the cafeteria menu and add more clubs so lunch is more fun.
In conclusion, lunch is an important part of the school day for everyone.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement for argumentative writing that follows from the argument presented and supports it through synthesis of reasons and reinforcement of the claim. A strong argumentative conclusion should restate the claim, synthesize the key reasons given (busy schedules, reduced distractions, better work completion), and potentially include a call to action. Choice B effectively synthesizes all three reasons presented in the argument—addressing busy after-school schedules, reducing distractions, and improving assignment quality—while clearly restating the claim that the school should offer this option. Choice A is too vague and doesn't connect to the specific reasons about study hall. Choice C undermines the argument by introducing doubt and contradicting the claim. Choice D introduces new, unrelated topics (cafeteria menu and clubs) that weren't part of the original argument. When writing argument conclusions, students should tie together their reasons to show how they work together to support the claim, making the argument feel complete and persuasive.
A student writes an argument claiming the school should plant more trees around the playground. The student supports the claim by stating that trees provide shade that can prevent heat-related problems, improve air quality, and make the playground more enjoyable so students are more likely to be active outside. Which conclusion best follows from and supports the argument?
Trees might help, but they also might not grow, so there is no reason to try.
The school should plant more trees because the playground is too small and needs new swings.
Since trees would add shade for safety, clean the air, and make outdoor time more inviting, planting more trees near the playground is a practical way to improve students’ health and recess experience.
In conclusion, trees are part of nature.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement that follows from and supports an argument about planting trees around the playground. A strong argumentative conclusion should synthesize the three reasons (shade for safety, air quality, enjoyable/active playground) while reinforcing how they support the claim. Choice C effectively synthesizes all three reasons—shade for safety, cleaning the air, and making outdoor time more inviting—while explaining how these benefits work together to improve both health and recess experience, making it a practical solution. Choice A is far too vague and doesn't connect to any specific reasons given. Choice B introduces new, unrelated issues about playground size and swings that weren't part of the original argument. Choice D undermines the entire argument with defeatist language suggesting there's no point in trying. When writing conclusions, students should show how their multiple reasons work together to create a compelling case for their claim, demonstrating the cumulative strength of their evidence.
A student argues that the school should start a peer tutoring program after school. The student’s reasons are that peer tutoring gives students extra help without the cost of private tutoring, tutors strengthen their own understanding by teaching, and the program can build a more supportive school community. Which conclusion introduces new information and is therefore not a good match for the argument?
Because peer tutoring offers affordable help, improves tutors’ learning, and builds community, our school should create an after-school program and invite students to sign up.
Overall, peer tutoring is a smart idea because it helps learners and tutors at the same time.
These benefits work together to make peer tutoring a practical way to help students succeed, so the school should move forward with a plan.
Peer tutoring could help many students, but the school should also switch to year-round school to prevent summer learning loss.
Explanation
This question tests identifying a conclusion that introduces new information not present in the original argument about peer tutoring programs. An effective argument conclusion should synthesize only the reasons already presented without adding new topics or claims. Choice B introduces a completely new topic about year-round school and summer learning loss, which was never mentioned in the three reasons about peer tutoring (affordable help, improved tutor learning, and community building). Choices A and C both effectively synthesize the three original reasons without adding new information, with A specifically mentioning all three benefits and calling for action, while C emphasizes how the benefits work together. Choice D summarizes the dual benefit to learners and tutors, which was part of the original argument. Students must resist the temptation to add new ideas in their conclusions, instead focusing on powerfully synthesizing the evidence they've already presented to create a compelling final impression.
A seventh grader argues that the town should add more public water bottle refill stations in parks. The reasons given are that refill stations reduce plastic bottle trash, save families money because they can reuse bottles, and keep people hydrated during sports and hot weather. The student’s conclusion is: “Therefore, the town should build a new skate park downtown.” Does this conclusion follow from and support the argument?
No, because it changes to a different topic and does not restate or synthesize the reasons about refill stations.
Yes, because both ideas involve improving parks.
Yes, because a skate park would also encourage people to go outside.
No, because it repeats the claim too many times.
Explanation
This question tests whether a concluding statement follows from and supports an argumentative claim about water bottle refill stations in parks. An effective argument conclusion must stay focused on the topic and reasons presented, synthesizing the evidence about refill stations reducing trash, saving money, and keeping people hydrated. The student's conclusion about building a skate park is completely off-topic and fails to address any of the three reasons given about water bottle refill stations. Choice C correctly identifies that the conclusion changes to a different topic and doesn't restate or synthesize the refill station reasons. Choices A and B incorrectly suggest the conclusion is acceptable just because both involve parks or outdoor activities, missing the fundamental requirement that conclusions must directly connect to the specific argument made. Choice D mentions repetition, which isn't the actual problem with this conclusion. Students must ensure their conclusions directly address their claim and synthesize their specific reasons, not introduce entirely new topics.
Read this argument: "Our town should add more public water bottle refill stations in parks. Refill stations reduce plastic waste because people can reuse bottles instead of buying new ones. They also save families money since they don’t have to purchase bottled water as often. Finally, refill stations encourage people to drink more water while exercising, which supports better health." Which conclusion provides the best closure and synthesis of the reasons?
In conclusion, refill stations reduce plastic waste.
In conclusion, parks are important places for the community.
In conclusion, the town should also build a new skate park and repaint the library.
Therefore, adding refill stations is a smart choice because it cuts plastic trash, saves money, and supports healthier habits in our parks.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement for argumentative writing that follows from the argument presented (logically connected to refill station benefits) and supports it (reinforces the claim through synthesis of reasons). An effective argument conclusion should bring together all the reasons presented—environmental benefits, economic savings, and health promotion—while reinforcing why the town should act. Choice A demonstrates excellent synthesis by concisely restating all three benefits (cuts plastic trash, saves money, supports healthier habits) and characterizing the decision as "smart," which emphasizes the cumulative strength of the evidence. Choice B is too vague and doesn't connect to the specific reasons argued. Choice C introduces unrelated topics, while Choice D only mentions one reason without synthesis. Strong argument conclusions weave together multiple strands of evidence to show how they collectively support the claim, making the case feel complete and compelling.
A student writes an argument claiming the cafeteria should offer a vegetarian main dish every day. The student supports the claim by explaining that some students cannot eat meat for religious or health reasons, vegetarian options can be cheaper when planned well, and offering choices can reduce food waste because more students will find something they will actually eat. Which conclusion best follows from the argument without adding new topics?
In conclusion, students should be allowed to bring soda to lunch because it tastes better than milk.
For these reasons, providing a daily vegetarian main dish would include more students, could control costs, and may reduce waste, so the cafeteria should make this choice available each day.
The cafeteria should offer vegetarian options, and the school should also build a bigger gym and repaint the hallways.
Vegetarian food exists in many places.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement that follows from the argument without introducing new topics unrelated to the original claim about vegetarian cafeteria options. A strong argumentative conclusion should synthesize the three reasons given (religious/health needs, cost efficiency, and waste reduction) while reinforcing the claim about daily vegetarian options. Choice A effectively restates all three reasons—inclusion of more students, cost control, and waste reduction—while clearly calling for the cafeteria to make this choice available daily. Choice B introduces a completely different topic about soda that wasn't discussed in the argument. Choice C is too vague and doesn't connect to any specific reasons or restate the claim. Choice D adds unrelated topics about the gym and hallways that weren't part of the vegetarian food argument. Students should ensure their conclusions stay focused on their original topic and reasons, avoiding the temptation to add new ideas that dilute their argument's impact.
A student writes: "Students should be allowed to redo major assignments for partial credit. Redos help students learn from mistakes instead of just accepting a low grade. They also encourage students to keep trying, which builds perseverance. Finally, redos can lead to better understanding of the material, not just better grades, because students must correct what they got wrong." Which conclusion is weakest because it is too vague and doesn’t connect to the specific reasons?
These benefits show that assignment redos can help students improve and understand the material better, so teachers should allow them for partial credit.
Overall, giving students a chance to redo major work supports real learning—not just one-time performance—so it’s a policy worth putting in place.
In conclusion, school rules should always be fair.
Because redos promote learning from mistakes, perseverance, and deeper understanding, allowing partial-credit redos would improve how students learn, so the policy should be adopted.
Explanation
This question tests identifying weak concluding statements that fail to follow from and support argumentative writing by being too vague and disconnected from specific reasons. The argument presents three specific benefits of assignment redos: learning from mistakes, building perseverance, and achieving deeper understanding. Choice A fails as a conclusion because it makes a broad, generic statement about "fair" school rules that doesn't connect to any of the specific reasons presented about redos and learning. Choices B, C, and D all effectively synthesize the specific reasons (mistakes, perseverance, understanding) and connect them to the policy recommendation. A vague conclusion like Choice A could apply to almost any school policy argument, demonstrating its failure to engage with the particular evidence presented. Effective conclusions must directly reference and synthesize the specific reasons argued, not resort to generic statements.
A student writes an argument claiming that students should be allowed to redo one major test per quarter. The student explains that retakes encourage students to learn from mistakes, reduce extreme test anxiety, and reward improvement rather than one bad day. Which conclusion best synthesizes these reasons and ends the argument strongly?
Students should get unlimited retakes on every quiz and test so nobody ever fails.
Test scores matter, and students should do their best.
In conclusion, teachers work hard and deserve respect.
Allowing one retake would help students reflect on errors, lower unhealthy stress, and show what they truly learned over time, so our school should adopt this policy each quarter.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement that synthesizes multiple reasons and ends an argument strongly about allowing test retakes. A strong argumentative conclusion should weave together the three reasons (learning from mistakes, reducing anxiety, rewarding improvement) to show how they work together to support the claim. Choice B excellently synthesizes all three reasons—reflection on errors, lowering unhealthy stress, and showing true learning over time—while including a specific call to action about adopting the policy each quarter. Choice A is too vague and doesn't connect to the specific reasons about retakes. Choice C goes beyond the original claim by suggesting unlimited retakes instead of one per quarter, introducing a new idea not argued for. Choice D completely ignores the topic and reasons, making an unrelated statement about teachers. Effective conclusions should stay true to the original claim while showing how all the evidence works together to create a compelling case for action.
A student writes an argument: "Our school should start a ‘phone-free class time’ policy. When phones are on desks, students check messages and lose focus, which lowers learning. Phones also make it easier to cheat by looking up answers during quizzes. Finally, teachers spend extra time reminding students to put phones away, so less class time is spent teaching." Which conclusion best follows from and supports this argument?
In conclusion, the cafeteria should also ban phones so the lunchroom is quieter.
In conclusion, we might possibly consider a phone-free policy, but it probably won’t change anything.
Because phones distract students, increase cheating, and waste instructional time, a phone-free class time policy would improve learning and make class run more smoothly; our school should adopt it.
In conclusion, phones are popular, and many students enjoy using them during the day.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement for argumentative writing that follows from the argument presented (logically connected to the phone-free policy reasons) and supports it (reinforces the claim through synthesis). An effective argument conclusion must synthesize the key reasons presented—distraction, cheating, and wasted time—while reinforcing the main claim about adopting a phone-free policy. Choice B exemplifies a strong conclusion by restating all three reasons concisely, explaining their combined impact on learning and classroom efficiency, and ending with a clear call to action. Choice A merely states phones are popular without connecting to the argument's reasons. Choices C and D introduce new topics or express uncertainty that weakens the argument. When writing argument conclusions, synthesize your key evidence, emphasize the strongest points, and include a decisive statement that reinforces your claim.
In an editorial, a student claims the school should allow students to borrow e-books from the library. The student argues that e-books are available instantly (so students don’t wait for popular titles), they can be adjusted for readability (font size and brightness), and they can reduce the number of lost or damaged physical books. Which conclusion best supports the argument and provides strong closure?
The library should get e-books because technology is the future, and students like phones.
Since e-books can be checked out right away, customized for easier reading, and protect the library’s physical collection, adding an e-book borrowing option would help more students read successfully—so our school should make it happen.
In conclusion, the library should stay the same because change is confusing for some people.
E-books are interesting, and reading is a good habit to have.
Explanation
This question tests providing a concluding statement that follows from the argument and provides strong closure by synthesizing the three key reasons about e-books. A strong argumentative conclusion should connect the reasons (instant availability, customizable reading features, and protection of physical books) to show how they work together to support the claim. Choice C excellently synthesizes all three reasons—mentioning immediate checkout, customization for easier reading, and protecting the physical collection—while reinforcing how these benefits help more students read successfully and ending with a clear call to action. Choice A is too vague and doesn't connect to any specific reasons given. Choice B mentions technology and phones, which weren't part of the original argument. Choice D contradicts the entire argument by suggesting the library shouldn't change. Effective argument conclusions should weave together the specific evidence presented to create a compelling final statement that motivates action.