Reading: Two Sources on a School Recycling Program
A student is comparing two short texts about a school recycling program. Text A, a newsletter article, states that the program collected 1,200 kilograms of paper in its first year and that participation "rose steadily" after a kickoff assembly. Text B, a letter from a custodian, states that the 1,200 kilograms included old files cleared from storage rooms, not just daily classroom waste, and that classroom bins were often contaminated with food waste. The student must write a response explaining how the two texts differ in emphasis and what conclusion is best supported by both. The teacher requires the response to cite evidence from each text and to avoid treating either source as fully authoritative.
1. Explain how Text A and Text B differ in emphasis, and identify one claim each text supports that the other does not.
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Text A emphasizes growth and participation: it reports 1,200 kilograms collected and says participation "rose steadily" after an assembly. Text B emphasizes data quality and practical problems: it argues the same 1,200 kilograms included storage-room files and that classroom bins were often contaminated.
Text A supports the claim that the program produced measurable collection totals and that an assembly may have encouraged involvement. Text B supports the claim that the total does not measure daily classroom recycling alone and that contamination limited the program's usefulness. Neither claim contradicts the other; they answer different questions about the same number.
2. A classmate concludes, "The program was a failure because the bins were contaminated." Using both texts, explain why this conclusion is not fully supported.
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The conclusion overreaches. Text B documents contamination, but it does not show that no recyclable material was collected or that the program stopped. Text A shows a substantial collection total and a reported rise in participation. A defensible conclusion is narrower: the program collected material and drew participation, but the 1,200-kilogram figure overstates routine classroom recycling and contamination reduced the quality of what was collected. The student should also note that Text A is promotional and Text B comes from one staff member, so both need corroboration before strong judgments about overall success.