GEN 499 WEEK 4 CRITICAL THINKING QUIZ LATEST 2020
1. All sages provide both wisdom and inspiration. Since Dasha’s speech contained wisdom and greatly
inspired her audience, Dasha is a sage. Which one of the following points out the flaw in the argument
above?
Just because Dasha is a sage doesn’t mean that she is always wise and
inspirational.
Just because Dasha’s speech provided wisdom and inspiration doesn’t
mean that it provided more wisdom than inspiration.
Just because Dasha satisfied two requirements of being a sage doesn’t
necessarily mean that she satisfies all the requirements of being a sage.
Just because Dasha provided wisdom and inspiration in a speech doesn’t
mean that all sages use speeches to provide wisdom and inspiration.
2. <21{1[1(01)01]}> Since Jessica’s participation in local politics increased significantly after she joined
her school’s political science club, it is clear that her involvement in that club led her to take an interest
in politics.
The argument above is flawed because:
it doesn’t say which political issues Jessica is interested in.
it states that the only purpose of the political science club is to spark an
interest in politics.
it misuses the word “significantly.”
it’s possible that an interest in politics caused Jessica to join the political
science club.
3. <21{1[2(24)24]}> The average height of members of the high school basketball team is six feet, three
inches. Jerry is on the high school basketball team, so Jerry must be taller than six feet.
The argument above is flawed because it confuses
Jerry with other members of the team
the members of one team with the members of another team
people who are six feet three inches tall for people who are exactly six
feet tall
an average for the individuals that make up that average.
4. <11{1[4(17)17]}> Mrs. Orlof teaches two history classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Yesterday she gave the same test to both classes. Anyone who failed the test must take a retest. Since a
greater percentage of students who took the morning test failed the test than students who took the
afternoon test, more of Orlof’s morning history students than afternoon history students will have to take
the retest.
, The conclusion above is not necessarily valid because:
more students in the morning class may have passed the test than failed
the test.
some students may have been absent from both classes.
some of the students who passed the afternoon test may have received
information about the test from morning students.
more students may have taken the test in the afternoon than in the
morning.
5. <21{1[1(13)13]}> A recent study of 100 employees from six departments of a major corporation found
65% to be sleep deprived. The researchers concluded that the majority of corporate employees are sleep
deprived.
The researcher’s conclusion is suspect because it:
assumes that corporate employees are more sleep deprived than other
people.
is based on evidence that is statistically impossible.
fails to describe the effects the sleep deprivation has.
relies on a sample that is too small to represent the entire corporate
workforce.
6. <11{1[3(02)02]}> Catherine goes to her local movie theater only to see romantic comedies. Since
Catherine did not go to the movies yesterday, there is not a romantic comedy playing at her local theater.
The reasoning above is flawed because the evidence:
does not suggest that Catherine goes to see every romantic comedy that
plays at her local movie theater.
implies that Catherine is uninterested in most types of movies.
does not indicate whether Catherine watches only romantic comedies at
home.
suggests that Catherine’s local movie theater hardly ever shows romantic
comedies.
7. <11{2[3(11)35]}> Some politicians claim to support the environment in speeches they make around
the country. However, to get to those speeches they ride in gas guzzling, pollution creating private
planes. They therefore clearly don’t believe a word of what they say and are actually making the
environmental problem worse.
Which one of the following, if true, would best weaken the argument above?
Some of the politicians try to hide the fact that they travel by private plane
1. All sages provide both wisdom and inspiration. Since Dasha’s speech contained wisdom and greatly
inspired her audience, Dasha is a sage. Which one of the following points out the flaw in the argument
above?
Just because Dasha is a sage doesn’t mean that she is always wise and
inspirational.
Just because Dasha’s speech provided wisdom and inspiration doesn’t
mean that it provided more wisdom than inspiration.
Just because Dasha satisfied two requirements of being a sage doesn’t
necessarily mean that she satisfies all the requirements of being a sage.
Just because Dasha provided wisdom and inspiration in a speech doesn’t
mean that all sages use speeches to provide wisdom and inspiration.
2. <21{1[1(01)01]}> Since Jessica’s participation in local politics increased significantly after she joined
her school’s political science club, it is clear that her involvement in that club led her to take an interest
in politics.
The argument above is flawed because:
it doesn’t say which political issues Jessica is interested in.
it states that the only purpose of the political science club is to spark an
interest in politics.
it misuses the word “significantly.”
it’s possible that an interest in politics caused Jessica to join the political
science club.
3. <21{1[2(24)24]}> The average height of members of the high school basketball team is six feet, three
inches. Jerry is on the high school basketball team, so Jerry must be taller than six feet.
The argument above is flawed because it confuses
Jerry with other members of the team
the members of one team with the members of another team
people who are six feet three inches tall for people who are exactly six
feet tall
an average for the individuals that make up that average.
4. <11{1[4(17)17]}> Mrs. Orlof teaches two history classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Yesterday she gave the same test to both classes. Anyone who failed the test must take a retest. Since a
greater percentage of students who took the morning test failed the test than students who took the
afternoon test, more of Orlof’s morning history students than afternoon history students will have to take
the retest.
, The conclusion above is not necessarily valid because:
more students in the morning class may have passed the test than failed
the test.
some students may have been absent from both classes.
some of the students who passed the afternoon test may have received
information about the test from morning students.
more students may have taken the test in the afternoon than in the
morning.
5. <21{1[1(13)13]}> A recent study of 100 employees from six departments of a major corporation found
65% to be sleep deprived. The researchers concluded that the majority of corporate employees are sleep
deprived.
The researcher’s conclusion is suspect because it:
assumes that corporate employees are more sleep deprived than other
people.
is based on evidence that is statistically impossible.
fails to describe the effects the sleep deprivation has.
relies on a sample that is too small to represent the entire corporate
workforce.
6. <11{1[3(02)02]}> Catherine goes to her local movie theater only to see romantic comedies. Since
Catherine did not go to the movies yesterday, there is not a romantic comedy playing at her local theater.
The reasoning above is flawed because the evidence:
does not suggest that Catherine goes to see every romantic comedy that
plays at her local movie theater.
implies that Catherine is uninterested in most types of movies.
does not indicate whether Catherine watches only romantic comedies at
home.
suggests that Catherine’s local movie theater hardly ever shows romantic
comedies.
7. <11{2[3(11)35]}> Some politicians claim to support the environment in speeches they make around
the country. However, to get to those speeches they ride in gas guzzling, pollution creating private
planes. They therefore clearly don’t believe a word of what they say and are actually making the
environmental problem worse.
Which one of the following, if true, would best weaken the argument above?
Some of the politicians try to hide the fact that they travel by private plane
