Question 1

When identifying an implicit premise, the second rule is to look for one that:

Accepted Answer

A) does not commit the speaker to anything at all 
B) does not commit the speaker to more than one idea 
C) does not commit the speaker to his conclusion 
D) does not commit the speaker to more than is necessary 
E) commits the speaker to as many ideas as possible 
A) does not commit the speaker to anything at all 
B) does not commit the speaker to more than one idea 
C) does not commit the speaker to his conclusion 
D) does not commit the speaker to more than is necessary 
E) commits the speaker to as many ideas as possible

Question 2

In argument diagrams, numerals represent:

Accepted Answer

A) relationships between premises 
B) relationships between premises and conclusions 
C) propositions 
D) concepts 
E) the number of referents for each concept 
A) relationships between premises 
B) relationships between premises and conclusions 
C) propositions 
D) concepts 
E) the number of referents for each concept

Question 3

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

Accepted Answer

A) why grass is green 
B) what is on the kitchen table 
C) when humans first arrived in the Americas 
D) who built Stonehenge 
E) where birds first evolved 
A) why grass is green 
B) what is on the kitchen table 
C) when humans first arrived in the Americas 
D) who built Stonehenge 
E) where birds first evolved

Question 4

In an argument:

Accepted Answer

A) the premises are always inferred from the conclusion 
B) the premises are always inferred from other premises 
C) the premises are always inferred from the argument as a whole 
D) the conclusion is always inferred from the premises 
E) nothing is ever inferred 
A) the premises are always inferred from the conclusion 
B) the premises are always inferred from other premises 
C) the premises are always inferred from the argument as a whole 
D) the conclusion is always inferred from the premises 
E) nothing is ever inferred

Question 5

Do we know all things that we observe directly?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, because seeing is believing. 
B) Yes, because all knowledge is the result of observation. 
C) Yes if the observation is visual, but no if it is made with a different sense. 
D) No, because observation is never the basis of knowledge. 
E) No, because sometimes things are not as they appear. 
A) Yes, because seeing is believing. 
B) Yes, because all knowledge is the result of observation. 
C) Yes if the observation is visual, but no if it is made with a different sense. 
D) No, because observation is never the basis of knowledge. 
E) No, because sometimes things are not as they appear.

Question 6

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Rod will buy new sneakers, given that his old ones are falling apart.

Accepted Answer

A) Rod wants new sneakers. 
B) If Rod's sneakers are falling apart, then he will buy new ones. 
C) Rod cannot wear sneakers that are falling apart. 
D) Rod doesn't like his current sneakers. 
E) Rod buys new sneakers at this time each year. 
A) Rod wants new sneakers. 
B) If Rod's sneakers are falling apart, then he will buy new ones. 
C) Rod cannot wear sneakers that are falling apart. 
D) Rod doesn't like his current sneakers. 
E) Rod buys new sneakers at this time each year.

Question 7

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

Accepted Answer

A) The jar contains sugar or salt, and it isn't salt, so it must be sugar. 
B) If snow is like ice, and ice melts at room temperature, then snow melts at room temperature. 
C) James has lost 15 matches to Gwen so far.Therefore Gwen will always beat James. 
D) The rotation of the Earth is like the spinning of a top, and tops wobble as they spin, so the Earth must also wobble as it spins. 
E) Sam was late for both of our appointments last week, so Sam is always late. 
A) The jar contains sugar or salt, and it isn't salt, so it must be sugar. 
B) If snow is like ice, and ice melts at room temperature, then snow melts at room temperature. 
C) James has lost 15 matches to Gwen so far.Therefore Gwen will always beat James. 
D) The rotation of the Earth is like the spinning of a top, and tops wobble as they spin, so the Earth must also wobble as it spins. 
E) Sam was late for both of our appointments last week, so Sam is always late.

Question 8

In argument diagrams, a minus sign is placed between:

Accepted Answer

A) a premise and a conclusion 
B) independent premises 
C) dependent premises 
D) two arrows 
E) Minus signs aren't used in diagrams. 
A) a premise and a conclusion 
B) independent premises 
C) dependent premises 
D) two arrows 
E) Minus signs aren't used in diagrams.

Question 9

Which of the following is an inductive argument?

Accepted Answer

A) A turtle's shell is made of bone.And bone contains a lot of calcium.So a turtle's shell contains a lot of calcium. 
B) Unless I am mistaken, there is another exit at the far end of the hall.And I am never mistaken, so there is another exit at the far end of the hall. 
C) Without a vision the people will perish, and these people have no vision, so they will perish. 
D) Posing for a painting is like posing for a sculpture, and posing for a sculpture takes a long time, so posing for a painting takes a long time. 
E) Whenever the fog is dense, there are more accidents on the highway.And today the fog is very dense, so there will be more accidents on the highway today. 
A) A turtle's shell is made of bone.And bone contains a lot of calcium.So a turtle's shell contains a lot of calcium. 
B) Unless I am mistaken, there is another exit at the far end of the hall.And I am never mistaken, so there is another exit at the far end of the hall. 
C) Without a vision the people will perish, and these people have no vision, so they will perish. 
D) Posing for a painting is like posing for a sculpture, and posing for a sculpture takes a long time, so posing for a painting takes a long time. 
E) Whenever the fog is dense, there are more accidents on the highway.And today the fog is very dense, so there will be more accidents on the highway today.

Question 10

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Head lice inspections are tomorrow, so I can't go to school.

Accepted Answer

A) I have head lice. 
B) I am scared of head lice inspections. 
C) I can't go to school if there are head lice inspections. 
D) I don't want to go to school tomorrow. 
E) I don't like the woman who does head lice inspections. 
A) I have head lice. 
B) I am scared of head lice inspections. 
C) I can't go to school if there are head lice inspections. 
D) I don't want to go to school tomorrow. 
E) I don't like the woman who does head lice inspections.

Question 11

When identifying an implicit premise, the first rule is to look for one that:

Accepted Answer

A) closes the logical gap between the explicit premise and the conclusion 
B) is explicitly stated somewhere in the argument 
C) cannot possibly be proven false 
D) brings several new ideas into the argument 
E) says exactly the same thing as the conclusion 
A) closes the logical gap between the explicit premise and the conclusion 
B) is explicitly stated somewhere in the argument 
C) cannot possibly be proven false 
D) brings several new ideas into the argument 
E) says exactly the same thing as the conclusion

Question 12

Independent premises:

Accepted Answer

A) each offer a separate line of support for a conclusion 
B) are accepted by some listeners, but not others, depending on their beliefs 
C) work together to make a single argument for a conclusion 
D) are premises that may or may not be true 
E) are premises for which we don't yet know the conclusion 
A) each offer a separate line of support for a conclusion 
B) are accepted by some listeners, but not others, depending on their beliefs 
C) work together to make a single argument for a conclusion 
D) are premises that may or may not be true 
E) are premises for which we don't yet know the conclusion

Question 13

When distilling an argument, the first step is to:

Accepted Answer

A) eliminate at least half of the words in the original argument 
B) determine who is making the argument 
C) identify the conclusion 
D) determine the target audience for the argument 
E) number every sentence in the original text 
A) eliminate at least half of the words in the original argument 
B) determine who is making the argument 
C) identify the conclusion 
D) determine the target audience for the argument 
E) number every sentence in the original text

Question 14

If a paragraph is presenting an argument, will every idea in that paragraph be important to the argument?

Accepted Answer

A) Yes, and that is why it is important to consider each idea carefully. 
B) Yes, because if there are other ideas in the paragraph, then it isn't really making an argument. 
C) No, because usually only the first and last sentences are important. 
D) No, because no paragraph is completely focused on the argument it's making. 
E) No, and that is one reason why arguments must be distilled. 
A) Yes, and that is why it is important to consider each idea carefully. 
B) Yes, because if there are other ideas in the paragraph, then it isn't really making an argument. 
C) No, because usually only the first and last sentences are important. 
D) No, because no paragraph is completely focused on the argument it's making. 
E) No, and that is one reason why arguments must be distilled.

Question 15

Which of the following premises provides the strongest support for the conclusion that we will put astronauts on Mars by 2050?

Accepted Answer

A) We have the technology to support the mission. 
B) We have astronauts who want to go to Mars. 
C) There is a lot of public interest in the mission. 
D) NASA's budget was increased this year. 
E) We have landed unmanned rovers on Mars. 
A) We have the technology to support the mission. 
B) We have astronauts who want to go to Mars. 
C) There is a lot of public interest in the mission. 
D) NASA's budget was increased this year. 
E) We have landed unmanned rovers on Mars.

Question 16

The opposite of an implicit premise is an _____ premise.

Accepted Answer

A) omitted 
B) original 
C) absolute 
D) ambiguous 
E) explicit 
A) omitted 
B) original 
C) absolute 
D) ambiguous 
E) explicit

Question 17

Are there any indicator words that can indicate both premises and conclusions?

Accepted Answer

A) All indicator words can introduce premises, but only some can introduce conclusions. 
B) All indicator words can introduce conclusions, but only some can introduce premises. 
C) No, since that would make them useless as indicators. 
D) Yes, because all indicators can be used for both premises and conclusions. 
E) Yes, because "thence" can indicate both premises and conclusions. 
A) All indicator words can introduce premises, but only some can introduce conclusions. 
B) All indicator words can introduce conclusions, but only some can introduce premises. 
C) No, since that would make them useless as indicators. 
D) Yes, because all indicators can be used for both premises and conclusions. 
E) Yes, because "thence" can indicate both premises and conclusions.

Question 18

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Because it is hard to find four-leaf clovers, I will be lucky to find one.

Accepted Answer

A) I'm looking for a four-leaf clover. 
B) I need some good luck right now. 
C) Either it is not hard to find four-leaf clovers or I will be lucky to find one. 
D) Three-leaf clovers are more common than four-leaf clovers. 
E) It is not lucky to find three-leaf clovers. 
A) I'm looking for a four-leaf clover. 
B) I need some good luck right now. 
C) Either it is not hard to find four-leaf clovers or I will be lucky to find one. 
D) Three-leaf clovers are more common than four-leaf clovers. 
E) It is not lucky to find three-leaf clovers.

Question 19

If an argument is sound, this means that:

Accepted Answer

A) it is inductive 
B) it is valid and its premises are true 
C) it is strong and its premises are true 
D) it is spoken, rather than written 
E) its conclusion cannot be disproven 
A) it is inductive 
B) it is valid and its premises are true 
C) it is strong and its premises are true 
D) it is spoken, rather than written 
E) its conclusion cannot be disproven

Question 20

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) The spaceship will not return to collect the alien on account of the facts that
(2) he is unpopular with the other aliens and
(3) he insulted the ship's captain.

Accepted Answer

A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)    
A)    
B)    
C)    
D)    
E)

When identifying an implicit premise, the second rule is to look for one that:

In argument diagrams, numerals represent:

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

In an argument:

Do we know all things that we observe directly?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Rod will buy new sneakers, given that his old ones are falling apart.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

In argument diagrams, a minus sign is placed between:

Which of the following is an inductive argument?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Head lice inspections are tomorrow, so I can't go to school.

When identifying an implicit premise, the first rule is to look for one that:

Independent premises:

When distilling an argument, the first step is to:

If a paragraph is presenting an argument, will every idea in that paragraph be important to the argument?

Which of the following premises provides the strongest support for the conclusion that we will put astronauts on Mars by 2050?

The opposite of an implicit premise is an _____ premise.

Are there any indicator words that can indicate both premises and conclusions?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Because it is hard to find four-leaf clovers, I will be lucky to find one.

If an argument is sound, this means that:

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) The spaceship will not return to collect the alien on account of the facts that (2) he is unpopular with the other aliens and (3) he insulted the ship's captain.

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters

Exam 4: Argument Analysis

When identifying an implicit premise, the second rule is to look for one that:

In argument diagrams, numerals represent:

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

In an argument:

Do we know all things that we observe directly?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Rod will buy new sneakers, given that his old ones are falling apart.

Which of the following is a deductive argument?

In argument diagrams, a minus sign is placed between:

Which of the following is an inductive argument?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Head lice inspections are tomorrow, so I can't go to school.

When identifying an implicit premise, the first rule is to look for one that:

Independent premises:

When distilling an argument, the first step is to:

If a paragraph is presenting an argument, will every idea in that paragraph be important to the argument?

Which of the following premises provides the strongest support for the conclusion that we will put astronauts on Mars by 2050?

The opposite of an implicit premise is an _____ premise.

Are there any indicator words that can indicate both premises and conclusions?

What is the implicit premise in the following argument? Because it is hard to find four-leaf clovers, I will be lucky to find one.

If an argument is sound, this means that:

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) The spaceship will not return to collect the alien on account of the facts that (2) he is unpopular with the other aliens and (3) he insulted the ship's captain.

Classification

Definitions

Propositions

Fallacies

Categorical Propositions

Categorical Syllogisms

Reasoning With Syllogisms

Propositional Logic-Propositions

Propositional Logic-Arguments

Predicate Logic

Inductive Generalizations

Argument by Analogy

Statistical Reasoning

Explanation

Probability

Filters