Question

Body of a sample e-mail: The public library is essential to our community. Students need a safe and quiet place to complete their homework. However, the city council plans to cut the library’s hours. This will limit students’ time to study and conduct research after school. I am writing to urge you to vote against these cuts. If the budget is an issue, perhaps volunteers from the local community college can help staff the library. Use the body of the sample e-mail to a city official to answer the questions. What is the viewpoint? What is the problem? What is an effect of the problem? What is the proposed solution?

Answer 1

Answer:

• What is the viewpoint?

The person who wrote this email believes that the local library should be a priority: "the public library is essential to our community." This person cares about the town's students' ability to study in an appropriate environment: "students need a safe and quiet place to complete their homework." They would like the library to remain available as it currently is.

• What is the problem?

The problem is the city council's recent decision to reduce the opening hours for the library: "city council plans to cut the library’s hours." We are told that this measure comes as a response to the charges that are involved in keeping the library open (paying the employees, for the most part): "the budget is an issue."

• What is an effect of the problem?

This is an issue because as a consequence, the students would not get to study in as good conditions as they do now: "this will limit students’ time to study and conduct research after school." As a result, the community can try to influence the vote of the city council's members on the issue: "I am writing to urge you to vote against these cuts."

• What is the proposed solution?

The solution suggested to the city official is to ask college students to volunteer as library employees, in order to keep the library open without the city council's worrying about paying the staff: "perhaps volunteers from the local community college can help staff the library."

Answer 2

• What is the viewpoint?

The person who wrote this email believes that the local library should be a priority: "the public library is essential to our community." This person cares about the town's students' ability to study in an appropriate environment: "students need a safe and quiet place to complete their homework." They would like the library to remain available as it currently is.

• What is the problem?

The problem is the city council's recent decision to reduce the opening hours for the library: "city council plans to cut the library’s hours." We are told that this measure comes as a response to the charges that are involved in keeping the library open (paying the employees, for the most part): "the budget is an issue."

• What is an effect of the problem?

This is an issue because as a consequence, the students would not get to study in as good conditions as they do now: "this will limit students’ time to study and conduct research after school." As a result, the community can try to influence the vote of the city council's members on the issue: "I am writing to urge you to vote against these cuts."

• What is the proposed solution?

The solution suggested to the city official is to ask college students to volonteer as library employees, in order to keep the library open without the city council's worrying about paying the staff: "perhaps volunteers from the local community college can help staff the library."