Exam 3: Cost Volume Profit Analysis and Pricing Decisions

Make up a claim and a couple of contexts for it so that the claim is too vague in one context but sufficiently precise in the other.

Classify the following: "You can use 'recreant' nearly anywhere you can use 'cowardly,' but nobody does anymore."

Any definition by synonym of the word "dog" would also be a definition by synonym of the word "animal."

Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied: Property owner, showing his property to guests: "The lot extends back to about where that large oak tree stands."

Write two letters of general recommendation, one positive and one not so positive, for the same individual. Both letters are to describe the same facts-for example, that the individual graduated with a B average, played varsity tennis, seems well liked by others, has a sense of humor.

Criticize the following claim based on the material from Chapter 3 of the text. The sink did not drain because the trap was clogged.

Any analytical definition of the word "dog" would also be an analytical definition of the word "animal."

Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from ambiguity: Eighteen people have slept in the new hotel's most expensive suite.

Classify the following definition according to its use: to reduce vagueness, to introduce or explain a new or unusual word, to evoke an attitude about something, or to accomplish some other purpose. "In the category of economically privileged, we shall include families with total annual incomes of $75,000 or more."-Sarah Hartford and Samuel Cohen, Trends in College Admissions

For "teenager," provide an analytical definition that is unflattering.

Classify the following definition according to its use: to reduce vagueness, to introduce or explain a new or unusual word, to evoke an attitude about something, or to accomplish some other purpose. "'Best-seller' just means 'not written for anyone with an I.Q. of over a hundred and one.'"-George L. Farris, author of several non-best-sellers

Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied: Your chances of winning the grand prize in the lottery by purchasing a single ticket are approximately 1 in 16,000 ,000.

Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: A professional bureaucrat is anyone like our present governor.

Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied: "How many miles to a gallon does it get? Oh, you'll be quite satisfied if you buy this little beauty. It gets really impressive mileage."

Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from ambiguity: Susan got in trouble for messing up the house with her younger sister.

Vague claims are more difficult to prove than precise claims.

Arrange the lettered items below in order of increasingly favorable emotive meaning. Instructor and/or students may want to fuss about some of our rankings in these problems. We've said (a) = (b) when (a) and (b) seem equally favorable to us. a. Danielle sings beautifully. b. Danielle has an excellent ear for pitch, a wide range, perfect timbre, and fine phrasing. c. Danielle sings like an angel. d. Danielle is a competent singer

Exercise: Are you familiar with the word, "meretricious?" Provide a definition. If the term is unfamiliar, make a guess about its meaning based on its appearance or sound, and create your own definition. Then look the word up, and find out how close you got. (We provide a thumbnail meaning as answer.)

Identify any unnecessary and potentially offensive references to gender, race, or other features in the following passage and, as necessary, rewrite the passage in neutral language. Mike O'Neill and his wife, Karen, arrived at the party at eight o'clock.

Using what you learned in Chapter 3, write an essay explaining any difficulty in the following piece of reasoning: "Look, if one television set has one more line of resolution than another, you can't say the first is 'highdefinition TV' and the second one is not. So whether a set has 900 lines or 901 can't make the difference. Neither can the difference between 1800 lines and 1801 lines. In fact, there's no place where you can identify exactly where definition becomes 'high.' So there's no point in talking about high definition, when you get down to it."