Exam 1: Basic Concepts

Finding an identity as a Latino is a tricky issue in the United States because the pressure to assimilate is being repressed by the pressure to retain your roots. If you are deemed too assimilated into American culture, you are branded a "gringo" by your peers or even a turncoat to your blood and country. If you shun all American culture, you are branded as a freeloading malcontent who would be better off going back to where he came from. It is a lose-lose situation. Mario Feirro, Letter to the editor

PART A If allergies are caused by viruses, then a vaccine can be developed. Thus, a vaccine cannot be developed, because allergies are not caused by viruses. The form of this argument is: PART B Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid? A) A = cats, C = animals, V = dogs, D = climb trees. B) A = Napoleon was killed in a plane crash. V = Napoleon is dead. C) A = Robert was assassinated, V = Robert is dead. D) A = cats, V = animals, D = mammals. E) A = Shakespeare suffered a heart attack, V = Shakespeare is dead.

In the expression "Hard water causes spots on glass because it contains calcium and magnesium salts that remain when the water dries," the statement "It contains calcium and magnesium salts that remain when the water dries" is called the:

Which of the following sentences is not a statement?

Numerous studies have indicated that women of color, black women in particular, are over-arrested, over-indicted, and over-sentenced. African-American women are seven times more likely to be arrested for prostitution than women of other ethnic groups. Black women have received significantly longer sentences for crimes against property and served longer periods in prison. For both murder and drug offenses, Euroamerican women ended up serving one-third less time for the same offenses than black women. Nancy Kurshan, "Women and Imprisonment in the U.S."

The inscription beneath the image on a one-dollar bill reads "Washington." Therefore, the image must be that of George Washington.

Claire Connors and Melanie Howard cannot be one and the same person, because Claire was in Berlin during the entire month of January, and at that time Melanie was in Chicago.

Large groups of prospective jurors are dispatched to courtrooms where they sit around for three to four days. Then attorneys and judges, in between other extensive court business, query each prospective juror over and over again with the same time-consuming questions to see if the juror should be excused, picked, or challenged. The process is maddening to watch and listen to. More often than not, after being required to report to the courtroom for three to four days the prospective jurors, in droves, are dismissed. Alan V. Weinberg, Letter to the Editor

George is an egotist. Therefore, he has an inflated impression of his own importance.

A deductive argument always proceeds from:

Laura is the sister of either Rachel or Sandy, and Sandy is the sister of Beth. Therefore, it follows necessarily that Laura is the sister of Beth.

A crystal is a form of mineral that has grown in an orderly and symmetrical manner. When broken, it naturally divides into a common shape based on its structure. Crystals are the result of the atomic arrangement of atoms as they grow in a shape that can be duplicated many times. Crystals are made up of molecules that fit neatly together in an orderly way. All crystals of the same material have the same shape. Edward F. Albin, Earth Science Made Easy

Microorganisms are an essential part of the web of life in every environment. Microorganisms in the oceans and in bodies of fresh water capture energy from sunlight and store it in molecules that other organisms use as food. They decompose dead organisms and waste materials from living organisms. And they even make nitrogen available to plants. Jacquelyn C. Black, Microbiology: Principles and Explorations

PART A Some movies are long comedies, for some movies are long, and some movies are comedies. Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument? PART B Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?

Marx saw all societies as composed of two basic parts: the foundation and the superstructure. The foundation of any society, according to this theory, is material. It consists of the economic system. The superstructure is composed of all nonmaterial institutions in the society, and each is arranged in a way that suits the ruling class. Included in the superstructure are values, ideology, government, education, law, religion, and art. Leon P. Baradat, Political Ideologies

Which of the following is a necessary condition for going ice skating?

In the expression "If politicians engage in cover-ups, then they risk being prosecuted as criminals," the statement "They risk being prosecuted as criminals" is called the:

Earthquakes occur because the surface of the earth is composed of giant rigid plates, and these plates are constantly moving. When one plate rubs against another, the motion of the plates in that area is halted, and strain builds up. Eventually the edge of the plate cannot withstand the increasing strain, and it breaks. The resulting shudder is felt as an earthquake.

In the expression "The moon sends forth light because it reflects light from the sun," the statement "The moon sends forth light" is called the:

No nations that ignore poverty are morally developed nations. No nations that ignore poverty are models for the Third World. Therefore, all morally developed nations are models for the Third World.