2012 Usps
2012 Usps
2012 Usps
Question 1
(Suggested time40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.)
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has delivered communications for more than two centuries. During the
nineteenth century, the USPS helped to expand the boundaries of the United States by providing efficient and
reliable communication across the country. Between 1790 and 1860 alone, the number of post offices in the
United States grew from 75 to over 28,000. With this growth came job opportunities for postal workers and a boom
in the cross-country rail system. The twentieth century brought substantial growth to the USPS, including large
package delivery and airmail. Over the past decade, however, total mail volume has decreased considerably as
competition from electronic mail and various package delivery companies has taken business away from the USPS.
The loss of revenue has prompted the USPS to consider cutting back on delivery days and other services.
Carefully read the following seven sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize
information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that argues a
clear position on whether the USPS should be restructured to meet the needs of a changing world, and if so, how.
Make sure your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely
summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation,
paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in
parentheses.
Source A
Source B
Source C
Source D
Source E
Source F
Source G
(Stone)
(graph)
(OKeefe)
(Hawkins)
(McDevitt)
(Cullen)
(photo)
Source A
Stone, Daniel. Flying Like an Eagle? Newsweek.
Newsweek, 5 Oct. 2009. Web. 24 Sept. 2010.
From Newsweek October 5, 2009 2009 Harman Newsweek LLC, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws
of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of the Material without express written permission is prohibited.
Source B
The Challenge to Deliver: Creating the 21st Century
Postal Service: United States Postal Service 2009
Annual Report. United States Postal Service.
United States Postal Service, 2009. Web.
24 Sept. 2010.
The following graph is excerpted from the 2009 annual report of the United States Postal Service.
The Delivery Challenge: Less Mail, More Addresses
Source C
OKeefe, Ed. Postal Service Expected to Announce
Significant Changes. Washington Post.
Washington Post Company, 2 Mar. 2010. Web.
27 Sept. 2010.
From The Washington Post, March 02, 2010 The Washington Post. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws
of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of the Material without express written permission is prohibited.
Source D
Hawkins, Dawn. Advantages of Using the United States
Postal Service. Associated Content. Associated
Content, 14 Aug. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.
Source E
McDevitt, Caitlin. To Postal Workers, No Mail Is
Junk: With Revenues Falling, the Post Office
Owes Its Future to Stuff We Throw Out.
Newsweek. Newsweek, 27 Sept. 2008. Web.
28 Sept. 2010.
From Newsweek October 27, 2008 2008 Harman Newsweek LLC, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws
of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of the Material without express written permission is prohibited.
Source F
Cullen, Kevin. Sending, Getting Real Mail Still
Magic. Commercial-News. Commercial-News,
20 Mar. 2010. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.
Source G
Ochopee Post Office, Florida, 1970s. N.d. Photograph.
Collection of the United States Postal Service.
USPS.com. Web. 9 May 2011.
The following photo, from the Web site of the United States Postal Service, shows the Ochopee Post Office, the
smallest free-standing post office in the United States.
Ochopee Post Office, Florida, 1970s 1970 United States Postal Service. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.