Awareness of Audience Values Practice Test

Read the following excerpt from a college dean’s memo to faculty after a survey found 62% of first-year students reported “not knowing where to get help” when struggling academically:

“Faculty are already stretched thin, and I’m not asking you to become counselors. I’m asking for one small, consistent practice: include a two-sentence ‘where to get help’ note on every syllabus and in the first week’s course site. Students who are the first in their families to attend college often interpret confusion as proof they don’t belong. A simple, standardized message signals that seeking support is normal, not shameful. We can debate the causes of attrition, but we don’t have to debate whether clarity and belonging matter in our classrooms.”

The author demonstrates awareness of the audience’s values by…

Read the following excerpt from a letter a small-business owner writes to a chamber of commerce, urging members to support paid family leave. The author notes that in the past year, three trained employees quit after having children:

“I know what you’re thinking: ‘If I offer leave, my shop can’t run.’ I’ve lived that fear. But turnover is its own tax—recruiting, training, and lost customer trust cost me more than a short, planned absence. A modest paid-leave pool across member businesses would let us share the burden instead of each owner improvising alone. This isn’t charity; it’s risk management. If we believe in entrepreneurship, we should build policies that keep skilled people in the workforce.”

Which assumption about the audience underlies the author’s argument?