Use rhetorical questions

A rhetorical question is one that is being asked more for effect than to get a genuine answer. In essence, it's a way to force the reader to think about something.

Example: How long will we continue to sacrifice our land and waters for a simple convenience? Is this the kind of behavior that we want to teach our children -- buy now, worry later?

Using your own sample argument, use rhetorical questions to make the reader think by commenting below.

43 comments:

  1. How long do we have to pay for high health insurance? How long do we have to get good, but not the best, heath care? Is this never going to end -- maybe it will keep going?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Would you rather be health or sick? So, you should take immediate action to solve this problem.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ramitha, Period 5May 5, 2009 at 11:55 AM

    What did you expect from the swine flu? Is it supposed to spread this fast and how do we prevent it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Laura Liu, period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:03 PM

    So what do you think? Would you rather be safely happy or badly sorry? How do you want to live your life: healthily or dangerously?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Would you rather worry about dangers on the road or agree with the law? How would you like to be in your life: alive or dead?

    ReplyDelete
  6. How long will we sacrifice our health for the addicting pleasures of others? How long will we continue to cut years off of our life by waving away the issue of hydrogen cyanide and polonium-210 in the air?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rachel Lu Period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:15 PM

    Why not live life to the fullest by doing as much as possible to be efficient?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Surabhi, Period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:19 PM

    How long can we push the students to their outermost limits? Do we want to go so far that they can't take it any longer and break down?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Is this how we want to live life? Always blowing out of proportion the trivial moments in life and fearing the unnecessary?

    ReplyDelete
  10. sarah Park, Period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    How long will teachers keep forcing students to use computers for school work, until students will forget how to use a pencil?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ashley Wu, Period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:21 PM

    Would you want the rest of your life to be a blurry picture that you can't remember? What else can you expect from abusing drugs?

    ReplyDelete
  12. karishma Period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:23 PM

    Why can't we live our own lives and not judge and comment on how other people live theirs? Do we have to judge a whole school with harsh stereotypes?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Shanthi, period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:25 PM

    It's obviously good to take precautions and to take measures to protect yourself from the swine flu. But is it really necessary to take this so seriously? Is it really necessary to shut down schools?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Do you really want to murder all of those sea turtles?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Shaalini, Period 5 said...
    Why should we remain in a place where we are not wanted? Why should we sacrifice our lives to ensure safety for others? What are our priorities-to protect others now or prevent future occurrences?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Emily Vu period 5May 5, 2009 at 12:31 PM

    Do we really want to destroy the reputation of this clean school for all the future students?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Honestly, is it really fair for the students who bribe teachers with gifts to boast an academic advantage over those who are truly hardworking?

    ReplyDelete
  18. What will happen in the future? Will the library shorten and shorten its hours so much until it is rarely open?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Why not use technology to better improve education? Would you want to ignore the benefits that come with using Twitter, blogs, and interactive tools in your life?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Who wants to have their grade suffer because of the lack of dedication of someone else? And why is the method of who gets to be tested in groups and who gets to go alone so unbalanced and unfair?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Do we really want to deprive our bodies of sleep now? When we are growing and need sleep most? Is having school start so early in the morning really going to help us later in life?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Taneisha, Period 4May 6, 2009 at 11:41 AM

    Why is it that we have no control over how far our competitiveness goes? That are standards ares set higher in this generations than our grandparents. How long until we realize that we as the student body of Monta Vista is doing this to our selves?

    ReplyDelete
  23. How long do we have to wait before Wednesday traffic congestion is even considered an issue? How many students need to sacrifice part of their educational hours before this is dealt with?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Should money really matter so much that it makes the difference between life and death? Is this the kind of society the government wants: the rich live, the poor die?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Why is it that as our society pushes forward with its technological advancements we start losing sight of the morality of our representatives? Should we really be turning to the Big Bad Bully to rule our population just because we're scared of them?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Do you love? Have you ever felt that close to someone, that you fear letting them go? Does their smile, their thoughts, and their presence warm your heart? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then answer this. Would you fight your parents to stay with them? Would you fight to hold on?

    ReplyDelete
  27. How much longer are you going to tolerate being interrupted in the middle of dinner with your family? How much longer will you allow your good mood to be sucked into the receiver, minutes of your life wasted?

    ReplyDelete
  28. How much longer do we wait and watch all these students dealing with years of damaging stress? When are teachers going to realize that the expectations have risen way above the safe zone?

    ReplyDelete
  29. CAROLYNNNN period 4?May 6, 2009 at 12:03 PM

    For how long must this continue to spread? Do we want our children-- our grandchildren-- to suffer the same fate?

    ReplyDelete
  30. How much longer will the animals and plants have to suffer because of our mistakes? When will we start taking responsibility?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Edward Wang Period 4May 6, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    Do we really want to pollute the air with more carbon dioxide simply because we do not want to spend those extra dollars up front? Do we really want to leave our children with a ruined earth simply because we cannot leave our reckless habits? Do we really want to destroy our great planet simply because we cannot admit our own mistakes?

    ReplyDelete
  32. How long are we going to carelessly watch the statistics for diabetes shoot up? Is this what we want - our lives to be given up to a disease that we have the power to control?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Aafreen, period 4May 6, 2009 at 12:11 PM

    For how long will continue to believe that we are the top tier of society and everyone is beneath us, so we in the end must be successful? Is this what will be taught to our future generations? What would happen if the rest of the world adapted to this mind-set?

    ReplyDelete
  34. Do you really want to be unhealthy and sick just to look better? Are you going to sacrifice who you really are just to "fit in"?

    ReplyDelete
  35. Is this how we want to educate our children, that their opinions don't matter and that they're are forced to do things against their will no matter how uncomfortable they are?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Why not spend a few minutes of your time now so you don't end up sitting in class with a grumbling stomach later?

    ReplyDelete
  37. jacob Lui Period 4May 6, 2009 at 12:28 PM

    What are athletes who relied so much on sports for a college entrance going to do? How are students that need sports as afterschool credits and sports credits going to meet high school requirements?

    ReplyDelete
  38. How long are we going to let this prejudice and segregation continue? Until there are riots and uprising that make us realize that homosexuals are just like any other minority? Do we really think that we can bully them into just giving up?

    ReplyDelete
  39. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  40. How will you teach your children good health habits? Shall they continue the battle with child obesity?

    ReplyDelete
  41. Tiffany Lau, Period 4May 6, 2009 at 12:39 PM

    How many more crimes will we have to endure before the world adopts a form anarchy? Do we want to teach our children that our safety is not our first priority?

    ReplyDelete
  42. How will the United States continue to thrive if twenty years from now, barely anyone is voting? Do we have to until the citizens are completely detached from the government before realizing that there is a problem?

    ReplyDelete
  43. Brigitte, period 4June 8, 2009 at 11:06 PM

    How long will we let innocent children suffer at the hands of their own parents? Do we have to wait until all those children are dead or severely injured to realize that THIS, this is a problem?

    ReplyDelete