Twelfth graders seem to be on the same path as their elders when it comes to reading. As stated in the passage, “Their reading scores fell an average of six points between 1992 and 2005…” (line 27) Twelfth graders proficient in reading also slipped from forty percent to thirty-five (line 28). Using these statistics, Crain predicts that these children will follow the trend of non-reading in which the adults have set into motion. This valid reasoning is backed by a great deal of evidence.
While Crian uses research and statistics to backup his claims, Carter uses impactful language to express the urgency of this matter. Carter believes that the more reading decreases, then the closer we become to the world in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 (line 31). In that world, books are censored and reading is basically illegal. The people suffer intellectually and, in turn, society suffers structurally. By using this analogy, Carter pushes an urgent agenda that we, as a country, need to work towards increasing reading