Gen 488 critical thinkin quiz

1.
<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: (Points : 1)

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.

Question
2. 2.<11{1[1(19)19]}> 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?
(Points : 1)

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.

Question 3. 3.<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: (Points : 1)

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.

Question
4. 4.<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 (Points : 1)

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.

Question
5. 5.<11{1[2(06)06]}> Reporter: A new campaign
finance reform bill being considered by Congress would limit the amount
of campaign contributions that political candidates can receive. However,
a survey of candidates running for mayor, governor, and senate seats
shows that not one of them favors the bill. Clearly, there is no desire
among politicians to limit campaign contributions.
Which one of the following points out the flaw in the reporter’s argument
above? (Points : 1)

The reporter doesn’t indicate the amount that the new bill would limit
campaign contributions.

The evidence provided by the reporter suggests that most politicians are in
favor of the new bill.

The reporter wrongly assumes that no politician has ever supported a bill
intended to limit campaign contributions.

The views of candidates currently running for office do not necessarily
represent the views of all politicians.

Question
6. 6.<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: (Points : 1)

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.

Question
7. 7.<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?
(Points : 1)

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.

Question
8. 8.<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?
(Points : 1)

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.

Question
9. 9.<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? (Points : 1)

Some of the politicians try to hide the fact that they travel by private
plane to their speeches around the country.

Most people who hear the politicians’ speeches on the environment are
unconvinced by their arguments.

A majority of voters surveyed agree that politicians sometimes make
society’s problems worse.

Improvements to the environment brought about through the politicians’
public support of environmental regulations more than offset the damage
done to the environment by the politicians’ private planes.

Question
10. 10.<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: (Points : 1)

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.

a difference in the merchandise sales associated with operas X and Y.

Question
11. 11.<21{3[2(08)44]}> Surveys show that people who use
calorie information to decide which foods to eat consume on average 100
calories less than they would if they didn’t check calorie information
before eating. Strangely though, people who use calorie information in
this way weigh more on average than people who don’t check calorie
information before eating.
Which one of the following, if true, best explains the surprising
statistic stated above? (Points : 1)

There are fewer people who check calorie information before eating than
people who don’t check calorie information before eating.

People who usually check calorie information before eating consume more
calories if they stop checking.

Some people who check calorie information before eating don’t consume any
fewer calories than they would if they didn’t check.

People with a weight problem are most likely to check calorie information
before eating.

Question
12. 12.<11{4[2(06)50]}> Choose the pair of words/phrases
among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the
words/phrases in the following pair.
gavel : judge (Points : 1)

baton : conductor

symphony : composer

stop sign : driver

ruler : math

Question
13. 13.<21{4[3(02)46]}> Choose the pair of words/phrases
among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the
words/phrases in the following pair.
conductor : orchestra (Points : 1)

skater : rink

teacher : principal

producer : movie

director : cast

Question
14. 14.<21{4[1(10)54]}> Choose the pair of words/phrases
among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the
words/phrases in the following pair.
heavy : weight (Points : 1)

dry : wet

feather : scale

hot : temperature

color : size

Question
15. 15.<11{5[1(05)61]}> Memmie: The greater the
population near a restaurant, the more potential customers it has and the
greater chance its popularity will spread through word-of-mouth.
O’Sullivans Restaurant just opened in the very densely populated town of
Redville, so its chances for success are great.
Sam: But the more people living in an area, the more restaurants
there are in that area, so the more competition each one faces. There are
twelve other restaurants serving the people of Redville.
Memmie and Sam seem to disagree about whether: (Points : 1)

O’Sullivans will fail in its first few months.

O’Sullivans will serve a different kind of food than the other restaurants
in Redville.

the high population of Redville ensures that O’Sullivan’s has a great
chance for success.

word-of-mouth about a restaurant can spread in a densely populated town
like Redville.

Question 16. 16.<11{5[1(01)57]}>
Arthur: The solutions to most mystery novels I read are not
believable. However, my enjoyment of a mystery novel depends only on its
suspenseful mood and colorful characters.
Norton: Roughly 80% of the mystery novels I read have believable
solutions, which is good since I do not enjoy mystery novels that don’t
have believable solutions.
The speakers above: (Points : 1)

agree that most mystery novels do not have believable solutions.

agree that a suspenseful mood and colorful characters add to the enjoyment
of a mystery novel.

disagree on whether a believable solution is required for the enjoyment of
a mystery novel.

disagree on whether an author’s enjoyment in creating a mystery novel
influences whether that novel will have a believable solution.

Question
17. 17.<21{6[3(08)72]}> Some drugs combat obesity or
alcohol addiction by turning off pleasure centers in the brain. However,
if the dosage is too high, there’s a risk that people taking them will be
plunged into depression.
The statements above, if true, support which one of the following
assertions? (Points : 1)

It is useless to try to treat obesity or alcohol addiction through drugs.

All drugs, if taken at too high a dosage, pose the risk that the people
taking them will be plunged into depression.

The benefits of a medication may be at least somewhat offset by its side
effects.

Drugs that affect pleasure centers in the brain are often taken at dosages
considered to be too high.

Question
18. 18.<11{6[1(07)71]}> The higher the price of an antique,
the greater people’s expectation that the object is rare. That, in turn,
makes the antique appear more valuable.
If the statements above are correct, then offering an antique for sale at
a bargain price: (Points : 1)

will likely increase people’s expectations that the antique is valuable.

will guarantee that the antique will not sell at a profit.

should be encouraged because it increases the likelihood that antique will
be sold.

should be discouraged because it lessens a quality that makes that antique
desirable.

Question
19. 19.<11{6[2(03)67]}> Only circus animals with a clean
bill of health will perform in today’s exhibition. A monkey, a poodle,
and a horse will perform in today’s exhibition. No circus animals with a
clean bill of health were prescribed medications this week.
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be
true on the basis of them? (Points : 1)

The monkey, poodle, and horse are the only animals performing in today’s
circus exhibition.

No circus animals were prescribed medications this week.

No more than two circus animals have a clean bill of health.

Neither the monkey nor the horse performing in today’s circus exhibition
were prescribed medications this week.

Question
20. 20.<11{7[3(08)84]}> The president spoke to 19
congressmen from Texas to encourage them to vote for a bill. Since four
of the 19 congressmen went on to vote for the bill, it is clear that the
president persuaded those four to vote the way they did.
The argument above assumes that: (Points : 1)

the bill will not pass because a majority of Texas congressmen did not vote
for it.

the Texas congressmen who voted against the bill were persuaded by someone
other than the president to vote the way they did.

the president did not try to influence the votes of any congressmen outside
of Texas.

the four Texas congressmen who voted for the bill were against it before
they spoke to the president.

Question 21. 21.<11{7[2(03)79]}>
Looking to increase the profits of his lemonade stand, Johann doubled the
price of a cup of lemonade from 25 cents to 50 cents. This clearly shows
Johann’s lack of business sense, for now he’ll almost certainly sell
fewer cups at the new price and therefore make less money than before.
The argument above assumes that: (Points : 1)

Johann is looking to double the profits of his lemonade stand.

the price increase will likely put Johann out of business.

profits from the price increase will not offset the money lost when fewer
cups are sold.

even if Johann sells more cups at the new price than he did at the old
price, he’ll still lose money on the lemonade stand.

Question
22. 22.<11{7[1(01)77]}> Detective: The robbery at
the mall was carried out by a mall employee acting alone roughly one hour
after the mall closed last Saturday night. The only employees present at
the mall at the time of the robbery were security guards Evans and Clark.
Since the mall’s surveillance system was disabled by the thief just
before the robbery, the thief must be Evans.
The argument above would be valid if: (Points : 1)

Clark is incapable of disabling the mall’s surveillance system.

both Evans and Clark are capable of disabling the mall’s surveillance
system.

Evans and Clark are the mall’s only security guards.

the mall’s surveillance system is usually used 24 hours a day, seven days a
week.

Question
23. 23.<11{8[3(02)90]}> Whereas many industries suffer
during economic recessions, the art industry does well. Some think the
reason is that artists feed off the anxiety and uncertainty during
recessions to produce inspired works. Others think that recessions, while
harmful to most people, produce a handful of very rich people willing to
pay very high prices for artworks, driving up the value of the art market
as a whole.
The author of the passage above is primarily interested in: (Points : 1)

providing evidence that the art industry does well during recessions.

presenting reasons for why the art industry does well during recessions.

discussing the types of artworks that sell best during recessions.

describing the effect that art has on the economy.

Question 24. 24.<11{8[1(10)98]}>
Sometimes people get caught in a “downward spiral,” a case in which
something leads to a result which in turn leads to more of the original
thing, bringing on more of the result. As the process continues, the
result continually gets worse and worse. An example is when people turn
to binge eating when depressed, which causes them to put on weight and
feel unhealthy, which then makes them more depressed, leading to more
overeating, and so on.
The author is mainly concerned with: (Points : 1)

convincing people not to overeat.

explaining the process of the “downward spiral.”

showing how overeating can lead to depression.

showing how some processes lead to surprising results.

Question
25. 25.<11{8[1(04)92]}> The very large increase in
allergies over the last thirty years is due to the great success of
immunizations administered over this time period. Since immunizations
have nearly eliminated life-threatening diseases such as polio, the human
immune system increasingly targets other environmental substances in
order to keep working properly. Allergy symptoms such as runny nose and
itchy eyes result when the immune system attacks pollen that is breathed
in from the air.
Which one of the following best expresses the main point of the passage
above? (Points : 1)

Immunizations often have surprising side effects.

Immunizations have been very successful in eliminating life-threatening
diseases.

Viruses that once caused polio now cause allergies.

The use of immunizations has led to an increase in allergies.