ap language arts and composition synthesis essay prompt

2010 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITIONFREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS (Form A)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITIONSECTION II

Total time – 2 hours

Question 1

(Suggested time-40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)

Directions: The following prompt is based on the accompanying seven sources.

This question requires you to synthesize a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay. When you synthesize sources you refer to them to develop your position and cite them accurately. Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument. Avoid merely summarizing sources.

Remember to attribute both direct and indirect references.

Introduction

Countries, including the United States, traditionally grant adulthood to citizens the ages 18 and over. But like the United States, countries do not allow full freedom and choice to citizens until the age of 21. The differences in the legal obligations the two ages allow differ in many countries, but the United States has strict laws that separate the legally obtainable adult statuses at both the ages of 18 and 21.

Assignment

Read the sources that follow (including the introductory information) carefully. Then choose an issue related to the legal adulthood age at either 18 or 21.You might choose an issue such as military enlistment, legal consumption of alcohol and tobacco ages, parental consent and health insurance coverage’s. You do not have to choose an issue that you have had experienced personally. Then, write an essay in which you use this issue to argue which age the United States should recognize a citizen as a legal adult. Synthesize at least three of the sources for support.

You may refer to the sources by their titles (Source A, Source B, ect.) or by the descriptions in the parentheses.Source A (U.S 18)Source B (U.S 21)Source C (Wheat)Source D (ICAP)Source E (Map)Source F (Table)Source G (Tobacco)

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Source A

U.S Department of State. When a Child

Becomes an Adult. U.S. Department of State: Washington, DC

http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21961.htm March 24, 2010; 7:45pm

The following is excerpted from an article in from the U.S Department of State about citizens turning 18.

Regulations that govern allowances for family members turn children into adults at various ages.

Turning 18:

When a child reaches the age of 18, they become a full legal adult in most US localities. That may not be the case in overseas environments where the age for acquiring adult status under another country’s jurisdiction may differ significantly.

In any event, those turning 18:

Need to be encouraged to register to vote in U.S. local, state and federal elections. Can join the military, receive medical care, get married, and receive a number of other adult privileges and

responsibilities without parental consent. Need to be reminded, if they are male, to register for the Selective Service.

Some "dependent" status remains, at least in the context of the Federal Government. Children retain the status if eligible family member (EMF) until they turn 21. They would still be eligible to work in a job designated for EMFs at an overseas mission. They will still be on parents' travel orders, covered by their health insurance, and the medical services of the embassy or consulate health unit, and be eligible for evacuation for either medical or security reasons.




http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21961.htm


Source B

U.S Department of State. When a Child

Becomes an Adult. U.S. Department of State: Washington, DC

http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21961.htm March 24, 2010; 7:45pm

The following is excerpted from an article in from the U.S Department of State about citizens turning 21.

Turning 21:

A family member who turns 21 is no longer eligible for any allowances, coverage under the health unit, or medical or emergency evacuations. They are no longer eligible family members (EMFs)…There are a few exceptions if the family member is still in undergraduate college in the U.S. (or in an affiliated year/semester abroad program), or has served in the military. In the first case, the family member will continue to receive the education travel allowance until he/she turns 23 or graduates from undergraduate studies. If the family member has served in the military, he/she would not have been considered a dependent during his/her military service and can extend his/her period of eligibility by the number of years of service, for educational travel allowances only, provided it is established that the family member would normally live with the employee/parent if not attending college. Until age 23, a child can remain eligible for summer hire programs if he/she is still in undergraduate school and receiving the educational travel allowance.

Source C




http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21961.htm


Wheat, Lori. Three Reasons the Age of Majority Should Be Raised from 18 to 21. Oklahoma: Associated Content, Oct. 30, 2007

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/427230/

three_reasons_the_age_of_majority_should.html?cat=17 March 24, 2010; 8:00pm

The following is excerpted from an article from an attorney about reasons to move the Adult age from 18 to 21.

1. Raising the age of majority from 18 to 21: less young people will die in battles and wars.

For most people, graduation from high school presents a major question of what to do next. Some people may choose to delay going to college in favor of joining the military. By serving in the military before going to college, the financial aspects of college will be easier to weather. Of course, that is assuming the young person makes it through their time in the military.

If the age of majority is changed from 18 to 21, young people at age 18 will no longer have the option to join the military. They will be more likely to go on to college immediately after high school graduation. Taking college courses will help broaden their horizons, and they will be much more mentally prepared to decide whether the military is the right choice for them at age 21.

2. Raising the age of majority from 18 to 21: there will be legal consistency regarding what a person of a certain age is considered legally competent to decide.

Many people think it is strange that the age of legally becoming an adult is age 18, but the age to legally consume alcohol is age 21. At age 18, the decision whether to join the U.S. military is considered to be completely within the realm of competent decision-making, but an 18 year old is not considered competent to choose whether to consume an alcoholic beverage. Both decisions can have serious consequences, but surely going to war will have at least as many grave mental and physical consequences as choosing to consume alcohol. Changing the age of majority from 18 to 21 (or conversely, changing the age of allowing alcohol consumption from age 21 to age 18) would result in legal consistency regarding what a person of a certain age is considered legally competent to

decide.




http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/427230/three_reasons_the_age_of_majority_should.html?cat=17

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/427230/three_reasons_the_age_of_majority_should.html?cat=17


Source D

International Center for Alcohol Policies. ICAPS Report 4: Drinking Age Limits. Washington D.C. March, 2002.

http://www.grsproadsafety.org/themes/default/pdfs/Drinking%20Age%20Limits.pdf March 25, 2010; 6:30pm

The following is excerpted from an article by the International Center for Alcohol Policies on legal drinking ages.

United StatesLegislation for the minimum drinking age in United States varied from state to state over a decade ago, ranging from 18 to 21. Driven largely by the desire to curb traffic fatalities associated with alcohol consumption, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their purchase and public possession of alcohol age to 21, or risk losing federal highway funds under the Federal Highway Aid Act. By 1987 all states had complied with the 21 minimum age law. …Based on statistics compiled by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHSTA) "alcoholrelated"1 traffic fatalities for people under 21 dropped by 43% (from 5,062 alcohol-related fatalities to2,883) during the years 1987 through 1996.2 this should be seen in context of a 28% drop in alcoholrelated traffic fatalities in the general population. From 1982 through 1986 when minimum purchasing and public possession age laws varied from 18 to 21, alcohol-related traffic fatalities for people under 21 dropped by 14% (from 6,329 alcohol-related fatalities to 5,455).3 Alcohol-related traffic fatalities for the general population during this period dropped by 4%. In NHSTA's view, the minimum 21 age laws "have had greater impact over the years as the drinking ages in the states have increased, affecting more drivers aged 18 to 20."4…The 21 age limit law in the United States has also raised concerns about the apparent inconsistency in not allowing those under 21 to drink while being treated as adults in most other areas of life. O'Malley and Wagenaar perhaps put it best when they state "it may seem unfair to many observers to allow 18-20 year olds to marry, to have children, to own cars, homes and firearms and to be financially and socially independent, and yet to be legally prohibited from drinking a glass of wine in a restaurant, or even a glass of champagne at their own wedding.”20 While Toomey et al., argue that different activities have different ages of initiation and that the risks to youth and society are sufficiently great as to justify this apparent inconsistency, 21 other countries do not feel the same. The United Kingdom, for example, recommended in its Report by the Central Policy Review Staff that "it would be impracticable to have a limit higher than the age of majority..."22




http://www.grsproadsafety.org/themes/default/pdfs/Drinking%20Age%20Limits.pdf


Source E

Legal Drinking Age Maphttp://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/1/23/25436/0539

March 27,2010; 9:26pm

The following is a map of the legal drinking ages in the United States before the national drinking age law.




http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/1/23/25436/0539


Source F

http://comptroller.defense.gov/fmr/07b/07b_appendix_h.pdf DoD Financial Management Regulation Volume 7B,

Appendix H. March 28,2010; 10:30pm

The following is a list of the Age of Majority in the United States.

AGE OF MAJORITY BY STATE AND UNITED STATES POSSESSION State Age State Age State Age State Age

Alabama 19 Nebraska 19 Kentucky 18 Texas 18

Alaska 18 Nevada 18 Louisiana 18 Utah 18

Arizona 18 New Hampshire 18 Maine 18 Vermont 18

Arkansas 18 New Jersey 18 Maryland 18 Virginia 18

California 18 New Mexico 18 Massachusetts 18 Virgin Islands 18

Colorado 18 New York 18 Michigan 18 Washington 18

Connecticut 18 North Carolina 18 Minnesota 18 West Virginia 18

Delaware 18 North Dakota 18 Mississippi 21 Wisconsin 18

District of Columbia

18 Ohio 18 Missouri 18 Wyoming 18

Florida 18 Oklahoma 18 Montana 18

Georgia 18 Oregon 18

Hawaii 18 Pennsylvania 21

Idaho 18 Puerto Rico

Illinois 18 Rhode Island 18

Indiana 18 South Carolina 18

Iowa 18 South Dakota 18

Kansas 18 Tennessee 18




http://comptroller.defense.gov/fmr/07b/07b_appendix_h.pdf


Source G

Haigh, Susan. Lawmakers Consider Raising Smoking Age from 18 to 21. The Boston Globe: Associated Press Writer,

March 5,2007. http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2007/03/05/lawmakers_consider_raising_smoking_age_from_18_to_21

/ March 28,2010; 10:30pm

The following is excerpted from an article in the Boston Globe on raising the legal tobacco age.

HARTFORD, Conn. --Some lawmakers want young people in Connecticut to wait a few more years before they can legally buy cigarettes.The legislature's Public Health Committee heard testimony Monday about a proposal to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21.If the bill passes, Connecticut would have the highest age requirement in the nation for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products. The legal age in most states is 18, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. It's 19 in Alabama, Alaska and Utah, as well as some counties.…Almost 90 percent of cigarette smokers started at or before age 18, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.…But it's unclear whether higher age requirements for buying tobacco lead to fewer young smokers.In Alabama, where the smoking age is 19, 24.4 percent of high school students smoke, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. That's compared with the national average of 23 percent.In Utah, 7.4 percent of high school students smoke, while that number is 19.2 percent in Alaska.In Connecticut, 18.1 percent of high school students -- about 35,800 -- smoke, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.… New York City officials last year discussed raising the city's smoking age from 18 to 21 as a way to further reduce smoking. Last month, a Texas state senator filed a bill that would raise the minimum age to use or buy cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 19.A similar bill increasing the age to 19 was proposed in Onondaga County, N.Y., but the county executive vetoed the legislation last month because it did not exempt young people in the military or provide funding for enforcement.




http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2007/03/05/lawmakers_consider_raising_smoking_age_from_18_to_21/



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