Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; Bobby and Harry Jones and Dickie Delacroix – the villagers pronounced this name "Dellacroy" – eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys. The girls stood aside, talking among themselves, looking over their shoulders at the boys, and the very small children rolled in the dust or clung to the hands of their older brothers or sisters.

Whose behavior is ironic in this excerpt?

1. the villagers, for their pronunciation of Delacroix
2. the girls, for talking among themselves
3. the boys, for making and guarding the pile of stones
4. the very small children, for rolling in the dust
5. Mark this and return Save and Exit Next

Read the sample student claim and counterclaim. claim: although many people argue that medical testing on animals is a violation of animal rights, the benefits it yields for society far outweigh any argument that can be made. counterclaim: there are safer and more accurate ways to test medications without using animals. what evidence would most weaken the counterclaim presented here? the physiologies of humans and some animals are very similar, so the reactions of these creatures to certain medications are the most reliable guide to the possible reactions of human patients. scientists are more easily able to control an animal’s environment, such as diet and temperature, than they are that of humans, which makes the tests far more reliable than alternative methods. animals have emotions and can feel pain much as humans do, which is why i feel that it is cruel to subject these vulnerable creatures to unfair tests that we are unwilling to conduct on humans. if we ban testing on animals for medical research that could save lives, then it also must be made illegal to hunt and kill animals simply because we would like to include meat in our daily diets.