Name:__________________________

Period:__________
Date:____________
Fast Food: Whos to Blame?
Part One: Pre-reading Questions for Its Portion Distortion That Makes America
Fat by Shannon Brownlee and If you Pitch It, They Will Eat by David Barboza
1. What do the titles, Its Portion Distortion That Makes America Fat and If you
Pitch It, They Will Eat, tell you about the authors positions on who is responsible
for Americas growing weight problem?

2. What do you think is the purpose of these articles?

3. Portion Distortion was published in the Sacramento Bee and If You Pitch It was
published by The New York Times. What similarities do you think the articles
might have? What differences? Do you think they will be equally reliable?

4. What else can you tell about the articles just by looking at them?

5. Read the first and last paragraph of each article. What arguments do you think
Brownlee will make? What is the intended audience? How do you know?

6. What arguments to you think Barboza will make? What is the intended audience?
How do you know?

7. Are the authors more likely to draw upon ethos, pathos or logos in order to be
persuasive? Why?

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Part Two: Vocabulary from Brownlees Portion Distortion and Barbozas If You Pitch It
Word Definition Know Have Dont
it Heard Know
Well of it it
portion

distortion

manipulation

revenue

induce

promotional

marketing

class-action

proliferation

Part Three: Post-reading questions for Portion Distortion

1. Look back at your original predictions for the article. Which were right? Which did
you have to modify as you read?

2. What is the main idea of Portion Distortion? According to Brownlee, who is to

blame for Americas obesity problem? Underline or highlight the sentence that
clearly states who is to blame.

3. What does Brownlee think is the solution to the problem?

Part Four: Post-reading questions for If You Pitch It

1. Look back at your original predictions for the article. Which were right? Which did
you have to modify as you read?

2. What is the main idea of If You Pitch It? According to Barboza, who is to blame
for Americas obesity problem? Underline or highlight the sentence that clearly
states who is to blame.

3. What does Barboza think is the solution to the problem?

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Part Five: Pre-reading Questions for Weintraubs The Battle Against Fast Food,
Zinczenkos Dont Blame the Eater, and the letters to the editor.
1. Read the first two and the last paragraph of Weintraubs article. According to
Weintraub, who is responsible for Americas obesity problem? What arguments do
you think he will make?

2. How do you think he will respond to the arguments raised by Brownlee and
Barboza?

3. Read the first two and last paragraph of Zinczenkos article. Why does he bring up
Jay Lenos monologue? According to Zinczenko, who is responsible for Americas
obesity problem? What arguments do you think he will make?

4. How do you think he will respond to the arguments raised by Brownlee and
Barboza?

5. Read the last paragraph of each of the letters to the editor. Identify who the writer
thinks is to blame for each.

Part Six: Vocabulary from Weintraubs The Battle Against Fast Food,
Zinczenkos Dont Blame the Eater, and the letters to the editor
Word Definition Know Have Dont
it Heard Know
Well of It It
epidemic

step up to the
plate
face up to the
fact
crunched data

implement

prevalence

incentives

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sloth

opiate

purveyors

latchkey kid

prepared food

alternatives

launching

vulnerable

litigious

liability

entitled

defendant

plaintiff

clogging

credibility

Part Seven: Thinking Critically

Questions about Logic (Logos)
1. Which article is the most convincing?

2. What are the major claims presented in that article?

3. What claims in that article are weak or unsupported?

4. What other counterarguments could the author consider?

5. Has the author left out an argument on purpose?

Questions about the Writer (Ethos)

1. What is the authors background?

2. Is this author knowledgeable? Smart? Successful? How do you know?

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 3. Do you trust this author? Why or why not?

4. Do you think this author is deceptive? Why or why not?

Questions about Emotions (Pathos)

1. How does the article affect you? Which parts?

2. Do you think the author is trying to manipulate your emotions? How?

3. Do your emotions conflict with your logical interpretation of the arguments? If so,
how?

4. Does the author use humor? How does this affect your acceptance of his/her
ideas?

Part Eight: Redefining Vocabulary

Use the vocabulary words that you have already defined to fill in the blanks in the
sentences that follow. You may need to change the vocabulary words form to fit
the sentence.
1. Some critics of the fast food industry _______________________ that it intentionally tries to
make us eat too much.
2. Increasing _______________________ sizes while keeping costs down induces customers to
eat more.
3. Parents are _______________________ for making sure their children eat nutritious food
and get enough exercise.
4. The lack of physical education in the schools is contributing to the epidemic of childhood
_______________________.
5. Its the fault of parent who let their children eat _______________________ food.
6. We shouldnt _______________________ junk food until we encourage more personal
responsibility for ones own health.
7. _______________________ for fast food should carry warning labels such as those for
tobacco and alcohol.
8. Fast-food restaurants need to _______________________ nutrition information to
consumers.

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Part Nine: Writing Directions
Read the excerpt from Weintraubs The Battle Against Fast Food Begins in the Home:
As Americans add pounds, critics are increasingly blaming the fast-food industry. Teenagers
have filed lawsuits blaming McDonalds for their health problems, and a public health group in
California has asked the governor to declare childhood obesity a state of emergency. But
parentsnot the fast-food companies, not the governmentare in the best position to fight the
epidemic of overweight children. Parents are responsible for teaching kids healthy eating and
exercise habits. Parents are to blame if they let kids eat unhealthy foods and sit in front of the
television or computer for hours at a time. We have laws against parents leaving a loaded
weapon where children can find it and use it to hurt themselves or others. Its time to get
parents to take the same responsibility to protect their children from unhealthy foods and lack
of exercise.
Write an essay in which you explain Weintraubs argument and discuss the extent to
which you agree or disagree with his analysis. Support your position, providing reasons
an examples from your own experience, observations, and/or the readings. Your essay
should be as well-organized and carefully written as you can make it.
Part Ten: Quick Write/Brainstorming
Take the next 10 minutes to write informally in response to the prompt above. How do
you feel about Weintraubs assertions? Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? Keep
your pen flowing with any ideas on the issue.
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 Planning
Create an organizational plan for your essay. Below you will find three options for
finding the organization of ideas for your topic. Choose one to use as you plan for your
own essay, or organize your ideas in a way that works for you. Make sure your plan
includes: a thesis statement, focus topics for your paragraphs as well as which
examples those paragraphs will use, and counter-arguments.
Option 1: Outline
I. Thesis Statement: In the play, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare wishes to demonstrate the fatal error of letting ones
pride blur his judgment.
II. Body Paragraphs
A. Julius Caesar become so tempted by the prospect of becoming dictator that he rejects the warnings of those
close to him.
1. Soothsayer
2. Sacrifices made by priests
3. Ominous storms and signs in the streets
4. Calpurnias dream
B. Upon receipt of power, Brutus doesnt listen to the counsel of those closest to him.
1. Doesnt listen to Senators and Cassius when urged to kill Antony.
2. Doesnt listen to Cassius concerning letting Antony speak at Caesars funeral.
3. Doesnt listen to Cassius concerning battle plans
C. Caesar allows himself to be flattered, causing him to err in judgment.
1. Decius flatters Caesar into attending the Ides of March
2. The senators bow before him just before they murder him.
D. Brutus, upon being flattered that he is important, is easily swayed.
1. Cassius tells him that he is equal, if not better than Caesar.
2. Falsified letters from plebeians make him decide to assassinate Caesar.
III. Conclusion: It ends badly for them both. Both had ambition that ended up ending their lives.

Option 2: Webbing
letters
from
Cassius battle plebes
strategy Didnt Flattery
listen to Brutus used to
advice Cassius tells him
Cassius advice deceive hes as worthy as
to murder
Antony
him Caesar

Not to let Antony Pride and

speak at funeral ego cause
their
downfall Promise of
Soothsayer the crown
storm Decius
Flattery
Didnt Caesar used to
listen to
deceive
dream warnings Men bowing to
sacrific him him
e

Option 3: Table
Thesis Statement:

1st topic sentence: 2nd topic sentence: 3rd topic sentence: 4th topic sentence:

Evidence Analysis Evidence Analysis Evidence Analysis Evidence Analysis

Conclusion:
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Checklist for your essay: Before turning in your essay draft to your teacher, ask
yourself the following questions and if the answer is no, you may still have some
work to do.
Do you clearly explain Weintraubs argument?
Does the essay show you understand the issues in the reading?
Does the essay make clear whether you agree or disagree with Weintraub and
how much?
Do the paragraphs provide specific evidence to support my claim?
Is there enough explanation of the examples to help the reader understand why I
feel the way I do?
Do I use other sources (the other readings) to support my thesis?
Do I have an introduction, body and conclusion?
Do I have a clear thesis statement?
Does each body paragraph have a clear topic sentence and supporting examples?
Do I include counter-arguments?
Is the essay typed and double-spaced in a 12-point, Times New Roman font?
Do I use some of the sentence forms weve practiced in our sentence work
practice?
Do I use appropriate and precise academic vocabulary?
Are words spelled correctly and proper essay format used?

Reflecting on your draft

1. What was the most difficult about this writing assignment?

2. What was the easiest?

3. What did you learn about arguing by completing this assignment?

4. What do you think the strengths are of your argument?

5. What are the weaknesses, if any, of your paper?

6. What did you learn about writing from this assignment?

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