Ten Ways We Get the Odds Wrong by Maia Szalavitz 1. Szalavitz states her thesis at the end of paragraph 4. What information does she present in her first four paragraphs? Would readers be able to understand her thesis without this information? Explain.

2. What preconceived ideas does Szalavitz assume her readers have about risk? How can you tell?

3. What is Szalavitz’s purpose in writing this essay? To inform readers? To persuade them? Or does she have some other purpose in mind?

4. Szalavitz’s essay appeared in Psychology Today, a publication aimed at readers who are interested in psychology. How would Szalavitz have to revise this essay to make it appeal to readers with more general interests?