Writing Academic English 4th Edition

Chapter 9 I ArgumentativeEssalls 151

Step 8 Makechangesifnecessaryandwritea finalcopytohandintoyour

instructor.Yourinstructormayaskyoutohandinyouroutline,drafts,

andeditingworksheetsalongwithyourfinalcopy.

Step 9 Ifyourinstructorasksyoutouseformaldocumentationofyoursources,

preparea WorksCitedlist.LearnhowinAppendixE,pages308-311.

Appl!jing WhatYouHaveLearned

A.rgumentative Topic 1

E§§all§ Itis/isnotworththeexpenseandrisktomakea mannedflighttoMars.

Reading 1

Thisreadingpresentsseveralargumentsin favorofsendinga mannedflightto Mars.

WhyWeShouldSendaMannedMissiontoMars! .~

1 Marshasfascinated Earth-boundhumanssinceprehistorictimes,duetoits

captivatingredhueandproximityandsimilaritytoEarth.;Theromanceofspace

travelandtheexplorationofnewworldsisa majorargumentinfavorofa

mannedmissiontoMars.Supportersclaimthatexploringandcolonizingthe

moonandMarswillgiveusa betterunderstandingofourownhomeplanet,

Earth.Othersupportersaremotivatedbyfeelingsofnationalpride,sayingthe

prestigeoftheUnitedStatesis atstake.Stillothersbelievethattheresearch

requiredbysucha complexmissionwillhelptheUnitedStatesretainitsposition

asa leaderinscienceandtechnology.

2 ThesuccessoftheApolloprograminthe1960sand1970screateda

generationofastronautheroesthatinspiredthenation."In1969,Americasent

mentothemoon,notmachines,"BenWattenbergsaidonPBS'sThinkTank.

"[H]umanbeingsareexploratorycreatures...mankindneedsbigideasandbig

projectstoennobleandinspiresociety.Don'tourlittleboysandgirlsneed

heroesandheroinestosay,'Lookathim,lookather;she'sthere'?"President

GeorgeW.Bushoncesaidinanaddresstothenation,"Mankindisdrawntothe

heavensforthesamereasonwewereoncedrawntounknownlandsandacross

theopensea.Wechoosetoexplorespacebecausedoingsoimprovesourlives

andliftsournationalspirit."

3 ManysupportersofmannedtraveltoMarsarguethatbecauseofits

similaritytoEarth,Marsoffersopportunitiestodiscovertheoriginsoflifeand

waystoprotecttheenvironmentonEarth.

4 "Weclingtothehopeofa neighboringplanetthatharbors...atleast

someprimitiveformsoflife.If Marscontainsevennanobacteria-orindisputable

evidenceofpastlifeofthesimplestforms-thiswillprofoundlychangeour

conceptionofourplaceintheuniverse,"wroteThomasGangale."IfMarsisdead

now,butwasoncealive,understandinghowMarsdiedmaygiveusa crucial

understandingofhowclosewearecomingtokillingtheEarth."

IAdaptedfromJoulwan,Melissa."YouDecide:MannedMissiontoMars." 13 May 2004 KQED 13 May2004.

10 June 2004 <http://www.kqed.orgltopics/news/perspectives/youdecide/pop/mars/index.jsp?f1ash=true>.