Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/opinion/foreign-language-study.html?_r=1
Article Claim by Bruce Wilson: It's worthwhile to learn a foreign language. "I speak from experience. It's worth it. Learn it (or learn them)."
Word Count: 19
Counter-Claim (personal opinion & the opinion of former Harvard University President Lawrence Summers): It is not worth worthwhile to learn a foreign language(s).
Word Count: 10
Analysis of Counter-Claim: This is my personal opinion as I have traveled overseas to Italy before including last summer. In my family's opinion, Americans take for granted that foreigners speak English. Still, while we tried to speak Italian in Italy, I considered our efforts futile. At probably every dinner with my family last summer, my dad, who is practically fluent, wanted to practice his Italian and hoped that we would try to speak Italian with our waiters. However, our waiters could hear us speaking English, wanted to practice their English, and thus spoke English to us.I ended up speaking English in almost every public place since Italians spoke to me in English.
Word Count: 109
Strengths: This claim is proven by my own experience (knowledge by acquaintance). My claim is also strengthened by the opinion of another knower: Lawrence Summers.
Weaknesses: While I say that this claim is proven by my own experience, Bruce Wilson claims that his is also proven by personal experience. This highlights that personal experience does not necessarily make something a reliable claim.
Word Count (Strengths & Weaknesses): 60
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