Writing: Analytical Essay Flashcards
7 cards from real CBEST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Writing: Analytical Essay flashcards as text
A writer states: 'We should ban fast food because my cousin became obese from eating it daily.' What logical fallacy does this commit?
Answer: Anecdotal evidence used to support a sweeping policy claim
Using a single personal anecdote to justify a broad policy is anecdotal reasoning and insufficient for analytical argument.
When revising an analytical essay under timed conditions, which area should be prioritized FIRST?
Answer: Checking that the argument is clear, complete, and logically supported
CBEST scorers prioritize argumentative clarity and logical development over surface-level mechanics.
Which of the following introductory strategies is MOST effective for a CBEST analytical essay?
Answer: Open with context that leads to a specific, arguable thesis
Context followed by a specific thesis engages the reader and establishes the essay's analytical purpose immediately.
What is the function of 'hedging language' such as 'tends to,' 'in many cases,' or 'suggests' in analytical writing?
Answer: To make overly broad claims sound more precise and defensible
Hedging language acknowledges the limits of a claim without abandoning it, making arguments more intellectually honest and precise.
A CBEST prompt presents a controversial policy and asks you to 'assess its potential consequences.' Which approach earns the highest score?
Answer: Identify and analyze multiple likely consequences with supporting reasoning
Identifying and analyzing multiple consequences with reasoning demonstrates the depth required for a high-scoring analytical essay.
Which sentence shows CORRECT parallel structure?
Answer: The candidate promised to lower taxes, to create jobs, and to reform education.
Parallel structure requires the same grammatical form for each item in a series; 'to lower, to create, to reform' are all infinitives.
Which revision BEST eliminates the passive voice to strengthen an analytical claim?
Answer: The administration made critical mistakes during the crisis that worsened public health outcomes.
Active voice places the agent first ('the administration made'), creating a clearer, more direct, and more forceful analytical statement.