D265 Critical Thinking: Reason and Evidence WGU
|PA and OA| Explore New 123 Actual Questions
and Answers|2026 Update| 100% Correct
Q1. Which of the following is an argument?
A) "It is raining outside."
B) "Please close the window."
C) "Since it is raining, you should take an umbrella."
D) "If it rains, the ground gets wet."
Answer: C
Rationale: "Since" indicates a premise ("it is raining")
supporting a conclusion ("you should take an umbrella"). A
is a mere statement. B is a command (not truth-apt). D is a
conditional statement, not an argument because no
premises are asserted as true.
Q2. In the argument "All humans are mortal. Socrates is
human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal," what is the
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,conclusion?
A) All humans are mortal.
B) Socrates is human.
C) Socrates is mortal.
D) Humans die.
Answer: C
Rationale: The word "Therefore" explicitly marks the
conclusion. The other options are either premises (A, B) or
a restatement of a premise (D).
Q3. Identify the premise indicator: "We should raise
wages because productivity has increased and profits
are up."
A) should
B) because
C) increased
D) up
Answer: B
2
,Rationale: "Because" signals that the following claims
("productivity has increased" and "profits are up") are
offered as reasons to support the main claim ("We should
raise wages").
Q4. "Either we expand the business or we lose market
share. We will not expand. So, we will lose market
share." This is an example of:
A) Modus ponens
B) Modus tollens
C) Disjunctive syllogism
D) Hypothetical syllogism
Answer: C
Rationale: The structure is: P or Q; not P; therefore Q. This
is the classic disjunctive syllogism. Modus ponens is If P
then Q; P; therefore Q. Modus tollens is If P then Q; not
Q; therefore not P. Hypothetical syllogism chains
conditionals.
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, Q5. Which of the following is NOT a necessary
component of an argument?
A) At least one premise
B) A conclusion
C) An inference claim
D) An exclamation
Answer: D
Rationale: An exclamation expresses emotion (e.g.,
"Wow!") but does not function as a premise or conclusion.
An argument requires premises, a conclusion, and the
claim that the premises support the conclusion (inference
claim).
Q6. "The forecast says snow. Therefore, schools might
close." The implicit premise is:
A) Snow always closes schools.
B) If the forecast says snow, schools might close.
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|PA and OA| Explore New 123 Actual Questions
and Answers|2026 Update| 100% Correct
Q1. Which of the following is an argument?
A) "It is raining outside."
B) "Please close the window."
C) "Since it is raining, you should take an umbrella."
D) "If it rains, the ground gets wet."
Answer: C
Rationale: "Since" indicates a premise ("it is raining")
supporting a conclusion ("you should take an umbrella"). A
is a mere statement. B is a command (not truth-apt). D is a
conditional statement, not an argument because no
premises are asserted as true.
Q2. In the argument "All humans are mortal. Socrates is
human. Therefore, Socrates is mortal," what is the
1
,conclusion?
A) All humans are mortal.
B) Socrates is human.
C) Socrates is mortal.
D) Humans die.
Answer: C
Rationale: The word "Therefore" explicitly marks the
conclusion. The other options are either premises (A, B) or
a restatement of a premise (D).
Q3. Identify the premise indicator: "We should raise
wages because productivity has increased and profits
are up."
A) should
B) because
C) increased
D) up
Answer: B
2
,Rationale: "Because" signals that the following claims
("productivity has increased" and "profits are up") are
offered as reasons to support the main claim ("We should
raise wages").
Q4. "Either we expand the business or we lose market
share. We will not expand. So, we will lose market
share." This is an example of:
A) Modus ponens
B) Modus tollens
C) Disjunctive syllogism
D) Hypothetical syllogism
Answer: C
Rationale: The structure is: P or Q; not P; therefore Q. This
is the classic disjunctive syllogism. Modus ponens is If P
then Q; P; therefore Q. Modus tollens is If P then Q; not
Q; therefore not P. Hypothetical syllogism chains
conditionals.
3
, Q5. Which of the following is NOT a necessary
component of an argument?
A) At least one premise
B) A conclusion
C) An inference claim
D) An exclamation
Answer: D
Rationale: An exclamation expresses emotion (e.g.,
"Wow!") but does not function as a premise or conclusion.
An argument requires premises, a conclusion, and the
claim that the premises support the conclusion (inference
claim).
Q6. "The forecast says snow. Therefore, schools might
close." The implicit premise is:
A) Snow always closes schools.
B) If the forecast says snow, schools might close.
4
