Deck 4: Argument Analysis

Question 1

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

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

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Is it possible to construct an argument with no premises?

A)Yes, as long as there is more than one conclusion.
B)Yes, as long as the conclusion is very simple.
C)Yes, as long as the conclusion is a proposition.
D)No, since arguments require at least three premises.
E)No, since there would be nothing from which to infer a conclusion.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Can every proposition be used as a premise in one argument and as a conclusion in another?

A)No, since some propositions could never be used as a premise or a conclusion.
B)Yes.
C)All propositions can be used as premises, but only some can be used as conclusions.
D)All propositions can be used as conclusions, but only some can be used as premises.
E)Each proposition is either a premise or a conclusion, but no proposition can be both.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following could be known by direct observation?

A)the mass of the sun
B)how the sun produces heat and light
C)the sun's chemical make-up
D)the color of the sun
E)the age of the sun

Question 5

Which of the following could you yourself know by direct observation?

A)whether it is raining
B)what year you were born
C)the first president of the United States
D)the origin of our planet
E)the inner life of atoms

Question 6

A conclusion is:

A)an argument with only one premise
B)an argument with at least two premises
C)an argument to which there is no possible response
D)the proposition for which an argument provides evidence
E)whatever proposition a speaker says last

Question 7

In logic, an argument is a:

A)list of premises that does not yet lead to any conclusion
B)set of premises along with a conclusion supported by them
C)verbal or written exchange in which two people disagree
D)verbal or written exchange in which two people tell each other that they are wrong
E)verbal or written exchange in which two people become angry

Question 8

Which of the following is an explanation?

A)He straightened his tie carefully, as he did every morning.
B)Since cheerleading is physically demanding, it should be considered a sport.
C)Since the blizzard of 2002, it has never snowed in our town.
D)The boss always rewards hard work, but punishes laziness.
E)Amanda was able to buy a new car because she got a promotion at work.

Question 9

Which of the following could only be known by reasoning (not by direct observation)?

A)when the next full moon will occur
B)how a hamburger tastes
C)where your bed is located in your bedroom
D)who is ringing the doorbell
E)what is blocking the road ahead

Question 10

Does all knowledge come from direct observation?

A)Yes, because all knowable things can be directly observed.
B)Yes, because only direct observation is trustworthy.
C)Yes, because it can only come from our own direct observations or those of others.
D)No, because some knowledge comes from reasoning.
E)No, because no knowledge comes from direct observation.

Question 11

In an argument:

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 12

Do we know all things that we observe directly?

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 13

Which of the following could only be known by reasoning (not by direct observation)?

A)the size of your hand
B)the color of the sky
C)the speed of a running leopard
D)the rights of citizens
E)the shape of a question mark

Question 14

A premise is:

A)the physical location where an argument takes place
B)the evidence in support of a conclusion
C)a belief about the future
D)knowledge about the future
E)an argument that fails to convince anyone

Question 15

What is the maximum number of premises that an argument can have?

A)2
B)3
C)5
D)10
E)there is no maximum

Question 16

Can every paragraph be classified either as an argument or as an explanation?

A)Yes, because every paragraph either reasons forward from premises to a conclusion or backward from a fact to its cause.
B)Yes, because every paragraph is an explanation of some kind, and arguments are a particular sort of explanation.
C)No, because some paragraphs contain no reasoning at all.
D)No, because some paragraphs provide evidence for a conclusion without making an argument.
E)No, because some paragraphs present reasoning that is too complicated to be called an argument or an explanation.

Question 17

Which of the following is an argument?

A)He straightened his tie carefully, as he did every morning.
B)Since cheerleading is physically demanding, it should be considered a sport.
C)Since the blizzard of 2002, it has never snowed in our town.
D)The boss always rewards hard work, but punishes laziness.
E)Amanda was able to buy a new car because she got a promotion at work.

Question 18

Which of the following is an argument? (I) It will probably rain tomorrow because a cold front is moving in.
(II) It rained yesterday because a cold front moved in.

A)there is not enough information to know
B)neither
C)both I and II
D)only I
E)only II

Question 19

If a proposition is controversial, and people have different opinions about it, then the proposition:

A)is still either true or false, since it is a proposition
B)is neither true nor false
C)is necessarily false
D)is necessarily true
E)cannot truly be a proposition at all, but only a statement

Question 20

Which of the following could only be known by reasoning (not by direct observation)?

A)the number of legs on a grasshopper
B)which of two fish is heavier
C)which of two people is smarter
D)the time on your clock
E)whether there are any clean dishes in your house

Question 21

What is the premise of the following argument? Everyone enjoys a good run in the park, even though many people will complain that it is exhausting.

A)everyone enjoys a good run in the park
B)many people will complain
C)many people will complain that a run in the park is exhausting
D)a run in the park is exhausting
E)There is no premise, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 22

What is the premise of the following argument? Our current spending habits cannot continue, inasmuch as we are spending much more than we are earning.

A)we are spending a lot
B)our current spending habits cannot continue
C)our current spending has become a habit
D)we are spending much more than we are earning
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 23

Which of the following words typically introduces a conclusion?

A)neither
B)or
C)for
D)consequently
E)since

Question 24

Which of the following is an explanation?

A)Since the company is doing well, I will give my employees raises.
B)Since the spaceship crashed in Roswell, that is where the aliens will want to build their embassy.
C)Since the dance studio was established, it has never produced a professional dancer.
D)Since the future cannot be known, no one truly has the gift of fortune-telling.
E)Since these stray dogs have been neutered, they are someone's pets.

Question 25

What is the premise of the following argument? The crown will not fit the king's head, for it was made by the artisan to fit the head of the queen.

A)the crown will not fit the king's head
B)the crown was made by the artisan
C)the king wants to wear the crown
D)the crown was made by the artisan to fit the queen's head
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 26

Does every written paragraph include an argument?

A)Yes, because every paragraph is written by a human, and humans are rational.
B)Yes, because any string of sentences constitutes an argument.
C)No, because some paragraphs have other purposes, such as description.
D)No, because while all paragraphs have conclusions, they don't all have premises.
E)No, because arguments cannot be written into paragraph form.

Question 27

Which of the following is an argument? (I) I haven't seen my friend since she moved away.
(II) Since the first day of school, I have never been absent once.

A)there is not enough information to know
B)neither
C)both I and II
D)only I
E)only II

Question 28

What is the conclusion of the following argument? The wall that we need to build will have an area of 150 square feet, so at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side.

A)we need to build a wall
B)at least 10 sheets of drywall will be required on each side
C)the wall will have an area of 150 square feet
D)the wall will have two sides
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 29

Which of the following words typically introduces a premise?

A)therefore
B)because
C)but
D)hence
E)and

Question 30

What is the conclusion of the following argument? For an object with mass to travel at the speed of light, an infinite amount of energy would be required, and in view of that fact, travel at the speed of light is impossible.

A)travel at the speed of light is impossible
B)an object with mass travels at the speed of light
C)an infinite amount of energy would be required
D)for an object with mass to travel at the speed of light, an infinite amount of energy would be required
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 31

Which of the following is an argument?

A)Since the weather is nice, I will walk to work.
B)Since I am happy, I will do my little happy dance.
C)Since the beginning of my marriage, I have been happy.
D)Since the dagger has Arnold's fingerprints, he was the murderer.
E)Since Laverne's roommate left her, their show is canceled.

Question 32

Which of the following is an explanation?

A)Because I bought a gym membership, I will be much fitter by this time next year.
B)Since the founding of this country, there have been 44 presidents.
C)After the thief left, my jewelry was missing.
D)Many North American species went extinct as a result of the saber-toothed cat.
E)I have not spotted a red squirrel since I arrived at the park.

Question 33

What is the premise of the following argument? Since the proposed bill would be unfair to farmers, it should not be passed into law.

A)the proposed bill
B)passed into law
C)the bill should not be passed into law
D)the proposed bill would be unfair to farmers
E)There is no premise, since this is not an argument at all

Question 34

Which of the following is an argument? (I) Since there is no firewood left, we will not be able to start a fire.
(II) The storm will begin soon, since the dark clouds are rapidly approaching.

A)there is not enough information to know
B)neither
C)both I and II
D)only I
E)only II

Question 35

What is the difference between an argument and an explanation?

A)An argument requires two people, but an explanation only requires one.
B)An explanation is much longer than an argument.
C)An explanation provides much more detail about a situation than an argument.
D)An explanation is simply an argument that has been written out in paragraph form.
E)An argument reasons forward from premises to conclusion, but an explanation reasons backward from a fact to its cause.

Question 36

Which of the following is an argument? (I) I left the city because I wanted to find myself.
(II) Because I left the city, I will find myself.

A)there is not enough information to know
B)neither
C)both I and II
D)only I
E)only II

Question 37

Which of the following is an argument?

A)Because I bought a gym membership, I will be much fitter by this time next year.
B)Since the founding of this country, there have been 44 presidents.
C)After the thief left, my jewelry was missing.
D)Many North American species went extinct as a result of the saber-toothed cat.
E)I have not spotted a red squirrel since I arrived at the park.

Question 38

Arguments can be distinguished from other sorts of discourse by the fact that they:

A)attempt to give logical support for an idea
B)have an angry tone
C)look at reasons both for and against an idea
D)involve two people who disagree with each other
E)are concerned with truth

Question 39

What is the conclusion of the following argument? Even if Meg can find her brush in the next two minutes, there still will not be time for her to brush her hair before the bus arrives.

A)Meg can find her brush in the next two minutes
B)there will not be time for Meg to brush her hair
C)the bus arrives
D)there will not be time for Meg to brush her hair before the bus arrives
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 40

What is the conclusion of the following argument? A manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA because Mars contains many untapped resources.

A)Mars contains many resources
B)Mars contains many untapped resources
C)a manned mission to Mars should be a high priority for NASA
D)a manned mission to Mars
E)There is no conclusion since this is not an argument at all.

Question 41

For which argument below are the premises dependent?

A)Premises: Bill always says hello.Bill has many friends.Conclusion: Bill is very social.
B)Premises: The car stalled twice last week.The car has a malfunctioning headlight.Conclusion: The car will need to go to the repair shop soon.
C)Premises: Politics depends on morality.Morality depends on religion.Conclusion: Politics depends on religion.
D)Premises: Penguins have feathers.Penguins have beaks.Conclusion: Penguins are birds.
E)Premises: Sarah has very light skin.Sarah has blue eyes.Conclusion: Sarah is of Northern European descent.

Question 42

The diagramming method in the text allows us to:

A)see how many concepts are involved in each proposition
B)see the steps that lead from premises to conclusion
C)determine the truth of every proposition in the argument
D)determine the truth of the conclusion
E)determine the truth of the premises

Question 43

Can a premise lead to more than one conclusion?

A)It depends on whether there is more than one concept involved in the premise.
B)No, since this would necessitate more than one arrow in the diagram.
C)No, every premise leads to exactly one conclusion.
D)Yes, but to no more than two conclusions.
E)Yes, it can lead to many conclusions.

Question 44

For which argument below are the premises independent?

A)Premises: Spinach contains iron.This omelet contains spinach.Conclusion: This omelet contains iron.
B)Premises: The rule of law allows people to know the consequences of their actions.The rule of law is fair to all people.Conclusion: The rule of law is a worthy idea.
C)Premises: Lagos is in Nigeria.Nigeria is in Africa.Conclusion: Lagos is in Africa.
D)Premises: Japan has a thriving electronics industry.Any country with a thriving electronics industry is wealthy.Conclusion: Japan is wealthy.
E)Premises: Laser eye surgery is getting cheaper.Cheaper goods have greater appeal.Conclusion: Laser eye surgery is becoming more appealing.

Question 45

Can every argument be diagrammed?

A)No, because some arguments involve too many propositions.
B)No, because in some arguments the premises are neither dependent nor independent.
C)No, because some arguments do not consist of relationships between premises and conclusions.
D)Yes, because no argument requires more than two steps.
E)Yes, because every argument consists of relationships between premises and conclusions.

Question 46

In argument diagrams, a minus sign is placed between:

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

Question 47

In argument diagrams, numerals represent:

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

Question 48

Are there any indicator words that 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 49

Which of the following is the most complete list of the symbols used in diagramming arguments?

A)arrows and numerals
B)arrows, circles, and numerals
C)plus signs, minus signs, and arrows
D)circles, plus signs, and numerals
E)arrows, plus signs, and numerals

Question 50

In argument diagrams, arrows are drawn:

A)between two premises
B)between two conclusions
C)beneath all individual propositions
D)from a conclusion to its premises
E)from premises to their conclusion

Question 51

Can an argument include more than one step?

A)No, because every argument has exactly one step.
B)Yes, as long as every step is deductive.
C)Yes, as long as every step is inductive.
D)Yes, as long as it is a mixture of deductive and inductive steps.
E)Yes.

Question 52

In a diagram, can the same proposition be both a premise and a conclusion?

A)Yes, but only if the proposition has two different parts.
B)Yes, if there is a chain of reasoning.
C)No, a proposition can be a premise or a conclusion, but not both.
D)No, a proposition can only be a premise.
E)No, a proposition can only be a conclusion.

Question 53

Principally, analyzing an argument means:

A)determining its strengths and weaknesses
B)identifying its logical structure
C)determining whether its premises are true
D)determining whether its conclusion is true
E)exactly the same thing as evaluating an argument

Question 54

For which argument below are the premises dependent?

A)Premises: This pudding recipe requires milk.We are out of milk.Conclusion: We will not be able to make pudding.
B)Premises: Sushi is made from seaweed.Sushi is made from rice.Conclusion: Sushi contains plant matter.
C)Premises: Cedar Point has many roller coasters.Cedar Point is only two hours away.Conclusion: We should spend our vacation at Cedar Point.
D)Premises: Celine has committed burglary.Celine has committed arson.Conclusion: Celine is a criminal.
E)Premises: Green is the color of grass.Green is the color of money.Conclusion: Green is my favorite color.

Question 55

In argument diagrams, a plus sign is placed between:

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

Question 56

What is the premise of the following argument? As a result of the fact that dogs are colorblind, your dog will not be able to distinguish the red bowl from the blue one.

A)dogs are colorblind
B)your dog will not be able to distinguish the red bowl from the blue one
C)the two bowls are red and blue
D)your dog will need to distinguish between two bowls
E)There is no conclusion, since this is not an argument at all.

Question 57

Does every argument use indicator words to introduce its premises and conclusion?

A)No, for both premises and conclusion.
B)Yes for all premises, no for the conclusion.
C)Yes for at least one premise, no for the conclusion.
D)Yes for the conclusion, no for the premises.
E)Yes, for both premises and conclusion.

Question 58

In an argument diagram, an arrow represents a:

A)single step in reasoning
B)premise
C)conclusion
D)proposition
E)measure of the argument's quality

Question 59

Dependent premises:

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 60

Independent premises:

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 61

Which of the following premises provides the strongest support for the conclusion that Harry is a lousy driver?

A)Harry got a parking ticket.
B)Harry once dinged his door in a parking lot.
C)Harry failed driver's ed three times.
D)Harry was involved in a major accident.
E)Harry has poor vision and can't tell the brake pedal from the accelerator.

Question 62

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument, given that the second and third propositions are conclusions? (1) Most soda contains high-fructose corn syrup.
(2) Most soda tastes sweet.
(3) Most soda can cause cavities.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 63

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Atlantis will probably be discovered soon because
(2) Edgar Cayce predicted it and
(3) Edgar Cayce is never wrong.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 64

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Tonia West drives a very expensive car and
(2) she lives in a mansion.Based on those things, I think that
(3) she is a millionaire.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 65

For which argument below are the premises independent?

A)Premises: The river's water level is falling.Fish require a high water level.Conclusion: The river's fish are endangered.
B)Premises: It is not safe to smoke around an oxygen tank.Your friend is smoking near that oxygen tank.Conclusion: You should tell your friend to move away from the tank.
C)Premises: The newspaper should cover all important stories.The election is an important story.Conclusion: The newspaper should cover the election.
D)Premises: My mother says I have a nice smile.My father says I have a nice smile.Conclusion: I have a nice smile.
E)Premises: Yoga is very relaxing.Relaxation would improve my heart health.Conclusion: Yoga would improve my heart health.

Question 66

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) No good deed goes unrewarded and
(2) volunteering at the children's hospital is a good deed.Thus
(3) volunteering at the children's hospital will be rewarded.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 67

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument, given that the first proposition is the conclusion? (1) Superman is an excellent superhero.
(2) Superman has X-ray vision.
(3) Superman can fly.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 68

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Inasmuch as
(1) bees are dying off around the world,
(2) crops that rely on pollination will be threatened and
(3) honey will become more expensive.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 69

For which argument below are the premises independent?

A)Premises: I need income.Income requires a job.Conclusion: I need a job.
B)Premises: Learning a skill requires practice.Logic is a skill.Conclusion: Learning logic requires practice.
C)Premises: A standard billiards set has 15 balls.This set has only 13 balls.Conclusion: This billiards set is missing 2 balls.
D)Premises: The flu is spread by a virus.Washing your hands kills viruses.Conclusion: Washing your hands helps to prevent the spread of the flu.
E)Premises: A humidifier would help my congestion.A humidifier would be good for my wooden floors.Conclusion: I should buy a humidifier.

Question 70

The value of an argument is measured according to:

A)whether the person making the argument is credible
B)the extent to which it provides evidence for the truth of its conclusion
C)how many premises it has
D)how many conclusions it has
E)whether or not the evaluator believes the conclusion

Question 71

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? (1) Some Arthurian legends must be fictional, considering that
(2) Arthurian legends involve sorcery and
(3) sorcery is fictional.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 72

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.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 73

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument, given that the first proposition is the conclusion? (1) Extremely sarcastic people feel inadequate.
(2) Extreme sarcasm is a form of unprovoked hostility.
(3) Unprovoked hostility results from feelings of inadequacy.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 74

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Because
(1) the human heart has more than three valves and
(2) it has fewer than five valves,
(3) it must have four valves.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 75

In the diagram of an argument with dependent premises, the minimum number of arrows is:

A)zero
B)one
C)two
D)three
E)There is no minimum.

Question 76

For which argument below are the premises dependent?

A)Premises: It is hot outside.Lemons are on sale.Conclusion: We should make lemonade.
B)Premises: Blanche can find a new boyfriend quickly.Rose didn't realize that she was dating Blanche's boyfriend.Conclusion: Blanche should forgive Rose.
C)Premises: My car needs expensive repairs.My car is too small.Conclusion: I should replace my car.
D)Premises: Birds depend on worms for nutrition.Worms depend on soil for nutrition.Conclusion: Birds depend on soil for nutrition.
E)Premises: Shooting stars are lucky.Shooting stars are beautiful.Conclusion: It would be good to see a shooting star.

Question 77

Which of the following diagrams is the best fit for this argument? Considering that
(1) the union has threatened a strike, I think that
(2) we will soon receive higher salaries and
(3) our number of vacation days will be increased.

A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Question 78

In the diagram of an argument with independent premises, the minimum number of arrows is:

A)zero
B)one
C)two
D)three
E)There is no minimum.

Question 79

Is it always permissible to add another independent premise to an argument?

A)Yes, because no argument is ever truly complete.
B)Yes, because each independent premise begins a brand new line of argument.
C)Yes, because logic requires that every possible independent premise be included.
D)No, because if the argument is already complete, a new independent premise will add nothing.
E)No, because only new dependent premises may be added.

Question 80

Evaluating an argument means:

A)the same thing as diagramming it
B)the same thing as analyzing it
C)assigning numbers to the propositions in it
D)determining how good it is
E)counting how many propositions it contains