t t t
MULTIPLE CHOICE t
INSTRUCTIONS: The following selections relate to distinguishing arguments from t t t t t t t t
nonarguments and identifying conclusions. Select the best answer for each.
t nn t t t t t t t t
1. There appears to be a growing happiness gap between men and women. Women today are
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tworking more and relaxing less, while men are working less and relaxing more. Forty years
nn t t t t t t t t t t t t t
ago a typical woman spent 40 minutes more per week than the typical man performing an activity
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tconsidered unpleasant. Today, with men working less, the gap is 90 minutes and growing.
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: Today ... the gap is 90 minutes and growing. t t t t t t t t t t
b. Nonargument.
c. Argument; conclusion: Forty years ago ... an activity considered unpleasant. t t t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: There appears to be ... between men and women. t t t t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: Women today are working more and relaxing t t t t t t t t
t less.ANS: D PTS: 2 t
2. Lead is toxic, but do you know why? Lead is toxic mainly because it preferentially replaces other
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
metals in biochemical reactions. In so doing it interferes with the proteins that regulate blood
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tpressure(which can cause development delays in children and high blood pressure in adults), t t t t t t t t t t t t
heme production (which can lead to anemia), and sperm production. Lead also displaces
t t nn t t t t t t t t t t
calcium in the reactions that transmit electrical impulses in the brain, which diminishes the ability to
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
think and recall information.
t t t t
Anne Marie Helmstine, "Your Guide to Chemistry" t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: It interferes with the proteins ... and sperm production. t t t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: Lead is toxic. t t t t
c. Nonargument.
d. Argument; conclusion: It preferentially replaces other metals in biochemical reactions.
t t t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: Lead also displaces calcium ... recall t t t t t t t
t information.ANS: C PTS: 2 t
3. Aristotle focused on clarifying the concept of virtue itself. He argued that it was virtuous to choose
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
ttheproper amount of emotion and/or action called for in a particular situation and that extremes of
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
temotion and action were vices. In all communities there are some men of practical wisdom who
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
have the capacity to judge wisely. Aristotle argued that they have the capacity to follow the "right
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
rule" whatever the situation.
t t t t
David Cooper, Value Pluralism and Ethical Choice t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: In all communities ... capacity to judge wisely. t t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: Aristotle focused on clarifying the concept of virtue itself. t t t t t t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: They have the capacity to follow ... the situation. t t t t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: He argued that it was virtuous ... were vices t t t t t t t t t t
e. Nonargument.
ANS: E PTS: 2
4. Illegal immigrants pay local sales taxes, and many of them also pay state, local, and federal income
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
taxand Social Security tax. They also purchase items from local merchants, increasing the amount
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tthese merchants pay in taxes. In addition, they work for low salaries, which increases the
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tearnings of their employers and the amount of taxes these employers pay. Thus, it is not correct
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tto say that illegal immigrants contribute nothing to the communities in which they live.
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: It is not correct to say ... communities in which they live. t t t t t t t t t t t t t
1
, b. Argument; conclusion: They work for low salaries ... these employers pay.
t t t t t t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: Illegal immigrants pay ... Social Security tax.
t t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: They also purchase items ... pay in taxes.
t t t t t t t t t
e. Nonargument.
ANS: A PTS: 2
5. Numerous studies have indicated that women of color, black women in particular, are over- arrested,
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
over-indicted, and over-sentenced. African-American women are seven times more likely to be
t t t t t t t t t t t t
arrested for prostitution than women of other ethnic groups. Black women have received
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tsignificantlylonger sentences for crimes against property and served longer periods in prison. For t t t t t t t t t t t t
both murder and drug offenses, Euroamerican women ended up serving one-third less time for the
t t t nn t t t t t t t t t t t
same offenses than black women.
t t t t t
Nancy Kurshan, "Women and Imprisonment in the U.S." t t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: African-American women ... other ethnic groups. t t t t t t t
b. Nonargument.
c. Argument; conclusion: For both murder and drug offenses ... black women. t t t t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: Numerous studies have indicated ... over-sentenced. t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: Black women have received ... longer periods in t t t t t t t t t
t prison. ANS: nn B PTS: 2 t
6. It's even more important these days that your computer be protected by a firewall. There are
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
criminal elements lurking in the shadows of cyberspace who send out probes to detect unprotected
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
PCs. Once a vulnerable computer is found, these criminals install software that assists them in
t t t nn t t t t t t t t t t t
committing identity theft and fencing stolen IDs. They also defraud online advertisers by
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
using these zombie computers tovisit pay-per-click ads.
t t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: There are criminal elements ... to detect unprotected PCs.
t t t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: Once a vulnerable computer ... fencing stolen IDs. t t t t t t t t t
c. Nonargument.
d. Argument; conclusion: They also defraud ... to visit pay-per-click ads. t t t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: It's even more important ... protected by a t t t t t t t t t
t firewall.ANS: E PTS: 2 t
7. The earth is of interest to astronomy for many reasons. Nearly all observations must be made
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
through the atmosphere, and the phenomena of the upper atmosphere and the magnetosphere
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
reflect the state ofinterplanetary space. The earth is also the most important object of comparison for
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
planetologists.
t
Hannu Karttunen, et al., Fundamental Astronomy t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: The phenomena ... state of interplanetary space. t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: The earth is also ... for planetologists. t t t t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: The earth is of interest to astronomy. t t t t t t t t
d. Nonargument.
e. Argument; conclusion: Nearly all observations ... through the t t t t t t t
t atmosphere. ANS: nn C PTS: 2 t
8. If the trade in tiger products is banned, tiger reserves are guarded by well equipped staff,
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
communities abutting tiger habitat are given a stake in protecting tigers, and the makers of
t nn t t t t t t t t t t t t t
traditional medicines canbe persuaded that tiger parts are not needed, then tiger poaching will be
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
halted, habitat and life sustaining prey will be restored, and the immanent extinction of tigers in
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
the wild will be averted.
t t t t t
a. Nonargument.
b. Argument; conclusion: The trade in tiger products is banned. t t t t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: Tiger poaching will be halted. t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: The makers of traditional medicines ... not needed. t t t t t t t t t
2
, e. Argument; conclusion: Tiger poaching will be halted ... will be
t t t t t t t t t
t averted.ANS: A PTS: 2 t
9. Humans are biological organisms. To understand our behavior and mental processes, we need to
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
understand their biological underpinnings, starting with the cellular level, the neuron. How we feel,
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
learn, remember, and think all stem from neuronal activity. So, how a neuron works and how
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
neuronscommunicate are crucial pieces of information in solving the puzzle of human behavior
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
and mental processing.
t t t
Richard Griggs, Psychology: A Concise Introduction t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: To understand our behavior ... the neuron.
t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: Humans are biological organisms. t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: How we feel ... neuronal activity. t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: How a neuron works ... mental processing.t t t t t t t t
e. Nonargument.
ANS: D PTS: 2
10. Viruses are acellular entities too small to be seen with a light microscope. They are composed of a
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
nucleic acid and a few proteins. Viruses replicate themselves and display other properties of living
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
organisms only when they have invaded living cells. Indeed, some viruses can be crystallized and
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tstored in a container on a shelf for years, but they retain the capacity to invade cells and cause
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
disease.
t
Jacquelyn C. Black, Microbiology: Principles and Explorations t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: They are composed of a nucleic acid and a few proteins.
t t t t t t t t t t t t
b. Nonargument.
c. Argument; conclusion: Viruses are acellular entities ... microscope.
t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: Indeed, some viruses can be crystallized ... cause disease.
t t t t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: Viruses replicate themselves ... invaded living
t t t t t t t
t cells.ANS: B PTS: 2 t
11. Harnessing the clean, abundant energy of the sun and wind is critical to solving the global
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
warming problem. Technological advances have brought the cost of electricity generated by the
t t t t t t t t t t t t t
wind down by82 percent since 1981. Solar energy technology has made remarkable progress as
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
new photovoltaic cells have been developed to convert even greater amounts of sunlight directly
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
into electricity. Todaythe costs of wind and solar power are becoming competitive with dirty
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
coal-fired plants.
t t
Sierra Club, "Global Warming Solutions" t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: Today the costs of wind ... dirty coal-fired plants.
t t t t t t t t t t
b. Argument; conclusion: Technological advances ... by 82 percent since 1981.
t t t t t t t t t
c. Argument; conclusion: Harnessing the clean ... the global warming problem.
t t t t t t t t t
d. Nonargument.
e. Argument; conclusion: Solar energy technology ... directly intot t t t t t t
t electricity.ANS: DPTS: 2 t
12. It is likely that innocent prisoners in this country have been executed for crimes they did not
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
commit. From 1973 until 2007, 124 death row inmates have been exonerated. In many of
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
tthese cases DNA evidence played a crucial role. Yet, in that same time frame, more than 1000
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
prisoners were executed. For many of these prisoners no DNA evidence was available. If such
t t t t t t t t t t t t t t t
evidence had been available, howmay more would have been exonerated?
t t t t t t t t t t
a. Argument; conclusion: In many of these cases ... played a crucial role.
t t t t t t t t t t t
b. Nonargument.
c. Argument; conclusion: From 1973 ... have been exonerated. t t t t t t t
d. Argument; conclusion: For many of these prisoners ... was available.
t t t t t t t t t
e. Argument; conclusion: It is likely that innocent prisoners ... they did not commit.
t t t t t t t t t t t t
3