GEN 499 Week 4 Critical Thinking Quiz

GEN 499 Week 4 Critical Thinking Quiz Attempt Score 100% 1. Question : <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: Student Answer: 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. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 2. Question : <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: Student Answer: 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. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 3. Question : <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 Student Answer: 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. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 4. Question : <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: Student Answer: 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. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 5. Question : <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: Student Answer: 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. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 6. Question : <11{1[4(23)23]}> People have claimed that Jamie’s paintings have given them the blues. Clearly this cannot be entirely correct, since many of Jamie’s paintings contain no blue at all. The argument above is flawed because the author: Student Answer: provides no evidence. misinterprets a key term. relies on contradictory facts. is not a noted painting expert. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 7. Question : <21{2[2(12)36]}> Career counselor: It is best for artists to build a practical and safe career that will guarantee them a secure income, and then pursue their art in their spare time. That way, they will be motivated to work hard at their day jobs to support their art making, and both their career and their art will thrive. Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument? Student Answer: Some forms of art making are expensive and require a good deal of money to pursue. Many people who aren’t artists prefer to pursue practical and safe careers. Having the time and money to make art doesn’t guarantee an artist commercial success. Splitting time between two pursuits in life often causes both to suffer. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 8. Question : <11{2[3(02)26]}> Aron: The two double A batteries in my CD player are dead, so the CD player doesn’t work. My television remote control, which also uses two double A batteries, works fine. So if I move the two batteries from my television remote control to my CD player, the CD player will definitely work. Aron’s argument is most strengthened if which one of the following is true? Student Answer: Aron inserted the current batteries in his television remote control two months before he inserted the current batteries in his CD player. The amount of energy required to power the CD player is not greater than the amount of energy needed to power the television remote control. Aron has used his television remote control more times than he has used his CD player since inserting the current batteries into each device. Double A batteries provide less energy than either C batteries or D batteries. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 9. Question : <21{2[1(01)25]}> The untimely death of Professor Hathaway halted his groundbreaking research into the uses of solar power. It therefore appears that Hathaway’s research will not result in practical applications. Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? Student Answer: Professor Hathaway’s research can be used by other scientists to create useful applications. Not all professors at Professor Hathaway’s university knew that he was conducting research into the uses of solar power. Officials at Professor Hathaway’s university have refused requests to make Professor Hathaway’s research public. Researchers at other universities are conducting research into the potential applications of solar power. Points Received: 1 of 1 Comments: 10. Question : <11{3[1(03)39]}> Last season at City Opera House, far more people attended opera X than opera Y. However, opera Y generated far greater net profits for City Opera House than did opera X. Each of the following could directly explain the result indicated above EXCEPT: Student Answer: a difference in the ticket prices of operas X and Y. a difference in the operating expenses of operas X and Y. a difference in the subject matters of operas X and Y.