WGU D265 Critical Thinking: Reasoning and Evidence | Objective
Assessment 2026/2027 Complete Objective Assessment |
Actual Questions & Verified Answers | Critical Thinking
Competency Exam | Pass Guarantee
Section 1 – Evaluating Arguments (Questions 1-15)
Goal: Identify premises, conclusions, unstated assumptions, and overall argument
structure in realistic passages.
1.
Passage:
Local social-media post: “Our town’s recycling rate dropped 8 % right after the city
eliminated curbside pickup fees. Clearly, when people aren’t charged, they treat
recycling as worthless and stop doing it.”
Question:
Which of the following best identifies the conclusion of the argument?
A. The city should re-impose curbside fees to restore recycling rates.
B. Recycling rates dropped 8 % after the fees were eliminated.
C. People treat recycling as worthless when they aren’t charged for it.
D. Eliminating fees was a policy error.
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The arguer moves from the observed drop (premise) to a general claim about residents’
attitudes (conclusion). Choices A and D are policy recommendations that go beyond the
stated conclusion. Choice B is a premise, not the conclusion.
2.
Passage:
Blog comment: “My grandfather smoked like a chimney and lived to 92. So smoking isn’t
bad for you.”
Question:
Which of the following best states an unstated assumption required by the argument?
A. All smokers live long lives.
B. A single case can refute statistical evidence.
C. The blogger’s grandfather was typical of most smokers.
D. Medical studies are inherently unreliable.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The argument generalizes from one anecdote, assuming that this lone counter-example
defeats the epidemiological consensus. Choice C is close but narrower than the
,required assumption; the arguer needs the broader principle that an anecdote can
outweigh statistics.
3.
Passage:
Podcast ad: “Eighty-four percent of users lost weight within six weeks on the KetoBurn
plan. KetoBurn—because science shows the keto diet works.”
Question:
Which of the following identifies the implicit premise linking the statistic to the slogan?
A. KetoBurn is a faithful implementation of the keto diet.
B. Most users strictly followed the plan.
C. Weight loss is desirable for 84 % of users.
D. Scientific studies invariably prove commercial diets effective.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The ad moves from user results to the claim that “science shows the keto diet works,”
presuming KetoBurn genuinely embodies that diet. Without that premise, the user data
would be irrelevant to the slogan.
4.
Passage:
, Editorial: “Last year the state raised highway speed limits and traffic fatalities rose 11 %.
The legislature must lower limits again to save lives.”
Question:
Which of the following best describes how the argument supports its conclusion?
A. It cites a correlation and treats it as a causal relationship.
B. It appeals to public opinion to justify policy change.
C. It uses a slippery-slope prediction about future fatalities.
D. It offers an analogy to other states that lowered limits.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The editorial presents two coinciding facts (raised limits, increased deaths) and
assumes one caused the other. No polls, analogies, or future predictions are offered.
5.
Passage:
Tweet thread: “If you support banning plastic straws, you must also support banning all
plastic packaging. Otherwise you’re a hypocrite who hates sea turtles.”
Question:
Which of the following best identifies the argumentative strategy used?
A. Attacking the motives of opponents.
Assessment 2026/2027 Complete Objective Assessment |
Actual Questions & Verified Answers | Critical Thinking
Competency Exam | Pass Guarantee
Section 1 – Evaluating Arguments (Questions 1-15)
Goal: Identify premises, conclusions, unstated assumptions, and overall argument
structure in realistic passages.
1.
Passage:
Local social-media post: “Our town’s recycling rate dropped 8 % right after the city
eliminated curbside pickup fees. Clearly, when people aren’t charged, they treat
recycling as worthless and stop doing it.”
Question:
Which of the following best identifies the conclusion of the argument?
A. The city should re-impose curbside fees to restore recycling rates.
B. Recycling rates dropped 8 % after the fees were eliminated.
C. People treat recycling as worthless when they aren’t charged for it.
D. Eliminating fees was a policy error.
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
The arguer moves from the observed drop (premise) to a general claim about residents’
attitudes (conclusion). Choices A and D are policy recommendations that go beyond the
stated conclusion. Choice B is a premise, not the conclusion.
2.
Passage:
Blog comment: “My grandfather smoked like a chimney and lived to 92. So smoking isn’t
bad for you.”
Question:
Which of the following best states an unstated assumption required by the argument?
A. All smokers live long lives.
B. A single case can refute statistical evidence.
C. The blogger’s grandfather was typical of most smokers.
D. Medical studies are inherently unreliable.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
The argument generalizes from one anecdote, assuming that this lone counter-example
defeats the epidemiological consensus. Choice C is close but narrower than the
,required assumption; the arguer needs the broader principle that an anecdote can
outweigh statistics.
3.
Passage:
Podcast ad: “Eighty-four percent of users lost weight within six weeks on the KetoBurn
plan. KetoBurn—because science shows the keto diet works.”
Question:
Which of the following identifies the implicit premise linking the statistic to the slogan?
A. KetoBurn is a faithful implementation of the keto diet.
B. Most users strictly followed the plan.
C. Weight loss is desirable for 84 % of users.
D. Scientific studies invariably prove commercial diets effective.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The ad moves from user results to the claim that “science shows the keto diet works,”
presuming KetoBurn genuinely embodies that diet. Without that premise, the user data
would be irrelevant to the slogan.
4.
Passage:
, Editorial: “Last year the state raised highway speed limits and traffic fatalities rose 11 %.
The legislature must lower limits again to save lives.”
Question:
Which of the following best describes how the argument supports its conclusion?
A. It cites a correlation and treats it as a causal relationship.
B. It appeals to public opinion to justify policy change.
C. It uses a slippery-slope prediction about future fatalities.
D. It offers an analogy to other states that lowered limits.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The editorial presents two coinciding facts (raised limits, increased deaths) and
assumes one caused the other. No polls, analogies, or future predictions are offered.
5.
Passage:
Tweet thread: “If you support banning plastic straws, you must also support banning all
plastic packaging. Otherwise you’re a hypocrite who hates sea turtles.”
Question:
Which of the following best identifies the argumentative strategy used?
A. Attacking the motives of opponents.
