Read the Sample TDA Passage. Then write your response.
The Surprising Truth about Reading Stories
Many people choose not to dive into a good fiction book, but they are missing out. Some people
believe that reading fiction is a waste of time because the stories are not true. However, scientists have found that reading fiction can benefit the brain and reduce stress. Reading fiction can help readers solve problems and even help them to become more thoughtful human beings. Contrary to being a waste of time, fiction can actually help the reader have a more productive life.
With all the options for entertainment today, it might seem like fiction books would decline in
popularity. But each day, around 2 million books are sold in the United States. People will wait in line for hours when a new novel in a popular series becomes available because they cannot wait to find out what happens next. Most likely, these readers are completely unaware of the practical benefits they are also receiving when they devour exciting new stories.
Practice without Risk
Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle recognized how stories connect us. In his time, novels were not readily available, so people watched fictional plays. Aristotle said that when people watch a tragedy, they feel emotions, including pity for the character and concern for themselves.
Fictional stories cause readers to imagine what it is like to be a character in a story. People may
consider how they might react if they were in the same circumstances. Scientist Keith Oatley
believes that this reaction helps people practice understanding the feelings of others. He calls fiction “the mind’s flight simulator.” When people train to become pilots, they sit in a flight simulator. There, they perform all the actions they would in a real airplane cockpit but without any risk. According to Oatley’s research, fiction acts the same way. It allows people to practice solving problems or communicating with others but without taking any actual risks.
Studies show that as people read, they start to think about a character’s goals instead of their own. If the character is racing against time to accomplish something important, readers will feel emotions as if they were in the same position. In fact, the parts of their brain that would perform the actions in real life become activated. For example, when we read the word “jump,” the parts of our brain that are related to physically jumping become active.
By practicing different experiences without actually doing them, readers learn how to handle life’s experiences better. They gain wisdom from the experiences of the characters and become better at solving problems. In addition, they may become more caring about the feelings of others.
The Personal Connection
Recently, scientists have been exploring the connection between fiction and caring for other people in the real world. Scientist Diana Tamir of Princeton University performed brain scans of people as they read fiction. She saw increased activity in the parts of the brain that think about what others are thinking or feeling. Readers cared about the characters and their struggles, concerns, and hopes.
Other studies have shown that people who read fiction tend to perform more volunteer work and
help people in need more often. They may also care more about how animals are being treated.
Why is this so? When people read about characters, they come to care about them. Instead of
thinking and caring only about themselves, they are thinking and caring about others. This attitude carries over into real life. Once again, fiction becomes a chance to practice. Practicing caring helps build the habit of caring.
A Sharper Mind
When people read stories, their brains are constantly processing. They imagine what might happen next or how the story might end. As they gain new information, they may adjust their predictions. All of this helps the brain. Scientists have found that reading fiction increases creativity, and it has other brain benefits. Fiction readers gain improved memories and larger vocabularies. All of this helps to strengthen the mind.
A Happier Life
According to researchers at the University of Sussex in England, reading is the most effective way to reduce stress. When people read fictional stories, their brains get a chance to rest from trying to solve their own problems. Scientists found that after just six minutes of reading, people’s heart rates slowed down and their muscles became less tense. Perhaps this is also why studies show that reading fiction helps people to sleep better at night.
Finally, one of the best things about reading fiction is that it makes readers happy. In one study,
76 percent of fiction readers said that reading improved their life and helped them feel good. They became more satisfied with life and happier in general.
There is no doubt that good stories can be entertaining, exciting, and inspiring, but reading fiction provides so many additional benefits that it is clearly not a waste of time. It is a wise investment. So go ahead; curl up with a good book. Your life will be better for it.
Prompt:
Read the sentence from the passage, Some people believe that reading fiction is a waste of time because the stories are not true. Write an essay analyzing the effectiveness of the author’s response to this statement. Use evidence from the passage to support your response.
The author's response to the statement that reading fiction is a waste of time because the stories are not true is highly effective. Through the skillful use of scientific evidence and relatable analogies, the author establishes a strong case for the tangible benefits of engaging with fictional narratives. The essay that follows will analyze the various strategies employed by the author to invalidate the assertion that fictional reading lacks practical value, drawing on the key points and data presented in the passage.
Firstly, the author confronts the crux of the skepticism towards fiction—its non-factual nature—by pivoting the argument towards the positive cognitive and emotional effects of reading. By doing so, the author reframes the conversation from the truthfulness of the content to the measurable outcomes on the reader. For instance, the author cites scientists who have found that reading fiction can "benefit the brain and reduce stress." As readers, we are introduced to the concept that intellectual stimulation and emotional regulation can arise from activities that do not necessarily have to be grounded in reality.
Moreover, the author brings forth the concept of "practice without risk" by drawing an analogy between fiction reading and a flight simulator. This comparison illustrates that, much like training pilots in a simulated environment, fiction allows readers to explore different scenarios, decisions, and emotional responses in a safe space. The inclusion of Keith Oatley's research and terminology—"the mind’s flight simulator"—provides a credible source that adds weight to the argument. This concept is expanded with the biological evidence that the brain activates in specific areas correlating to character actions during reading, reminiscent of actual experience.
In discussing "The Personal Connection," the author utilizes studies to underscore the societal and empathetic advantages of reading fiction, particularly in fostering a sense of understanding and caring for others. This linkage is cemented with brain scan research by Diana Tamir, which observed heightened activity in regions associated with considering others' thoughts and emotions during fiction reading. The author effectively conveys that empathy, often nurtured through literature, translates to real-world benefits such as increased volunteerism and altruism.
Further strengthening their case, the author refers to mental acuity and stress reduction as additional benefits of fiction reading. The assertion that fiction "increases creativity" and offers "brain benefits," supported by scientific findings, counteracts the notion of wasted time by showcasing strong mental health and cognitive advantages. The statistic from the University of Sussex indicating reading's supremacy in stress reduction equips the author with a compelling, fact-based counterargument to the idea that fiction serves no practical purpose.
Lastly, the essay presents the emotional and personal enrichment gained from reading fiction. The presentation of data revealing that "76 percent of fiction readers said that reading improved their life and made them happier" effectively ties the pursuit of happiness and life satisfaction to the act of reading fiction, thus dismissing the claim of wasted time.
In conclusion, the author's response is a robust defense of the value of reading fiction that moves beyond mere entertainment. By integrating scientific evidence, logical reasoning, analogies, empirical studies, and statistical data, the essay systematically dismantles the criticism that fictional stories, by virtue of being imaginary, offer no real-life benefits. The author's persuasive case invites skeptics to reconsider their stance and embraces the myriad ways in which fiction contributes to cognitive, emotional, empathetic, and personal development.