Trisha: Today’s family is declining in its ability to carry out its functions of child-rearing and providing stability for adult life. There must be a return to the traditional values of commitment and responsibility.
Jerod: We ought to leave what is good enough alone. Contemporary families may be less stable than traditionally, but most people do not find that to be bad. Contemporary criticisms of the family are overblown and destructive.
Speaker 1 Summary
Trisha claims that families should return to the traditional values of commitment and responsibility. As support, Trisha says that modern families are not as able to raise children and provide stability for adult life. This implies that a change is needed, and traditional values can provide that change.
Speaker 2 Summary
Jerod doesn’t think we should interfere with modern families. Why not? Because even if Trisha is right about the lack of stability, that just isn’t a problem for most people. Jerod also finds criticisms of the modern family to be exaggerated. Families are more or less fine, so we should leave them alone.
Objective
We need to find a disagreement about the state of families. The point of disagreement between Trisha and Jerod is whether modern families should be changed: Trisha thinks they should be, but Jerod thinks we should leave them alone.
A
adequate as it is
Trisha disagrees with this statement but Jerod agrees, meaning that this is the point of disagreement. Trisha argues that families must return to traditional values (meaning, change). On the other hand, Jerod thinks families are “good enough” and should be left alone.
B
changing over time
Trisha agrees, claiming that families are changing by becoming less supportive and stable. Jerod doesn’t disagree, though. In fact, Jerod says that modern families may be less stable. This could be a point of agreement, or Jerod could be neutral; either way, not a disagreement.
C
valued by most people
Neither speaker gives an opinion on whether most people value families, so we can’t say that they disagree.
D
not going to survive
Neither speaker claims that families will or will not survive. Because no one says anything about this claim, it can’t be a point of disagreement.
E
no longer traditional
Both speakers agree with this claim. Trisha’s contrast between modern families and traditional values implies that modern families aren’t traditional. Jerod also distinguishes between contemporary and traditional families. This is a point of agreement.
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