Question 1

Most fast food restaurants cook French fries and other foods in beef tallow. This is a flavorful shortening high in saturated fat, which has been linked to heart disease. Chicken, which is low in fat, in a fast food sandwich has been found to contain more fat than a pint of ice cream. The reason fast food restaurants use beef tallow is that it makes food more flavorful and it is cheaper than alternative ways of cooking food. Dominic Salvatore, Managerial Economics, 3rd ed.

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: Most fast food restaurants cook ... in beef tallow. 
B)  Argument; conclusion: Beef tallow makes food more flavorful ... cooking food. 
C)  Argument; conclusion: Chicken, which is low in fat ... ice cream. 
D)  Nonargument. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: Beef tallow is a flavorful shortening ... heart disease.

Question 2

Your sofa may be poisoning you. Its foam padding probably contains flame retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers. These chemicals have been linked to memory loss and brain damage. Also they may cause cancer and damage the liver.

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: Also they may cause cancer and damage the liver. 
B)  Nonargument. 
C)  Argument; conclusion: These chemicals ... brain damage. 
D)  Argument; conclusion: Its foam padding ... polybrominated diphenyl ethers. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: Your sofa may be poisoning you.

Question 3

Most Hollywood stars have a criminal dark side. Look at Robert Blake. He killed his wife. And Winona Ryder ripped off stuff worth thousands of dollars from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, cogent. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Inductive, strong. 
D)  Inductive, weak. 
E)  Deductive, valid.

Question 4

The world economy is controlled by multinational corporations. The majority of them are based in the United States. Their power in the underdeveloped nations perpetuates the dependency of many Third World nations on the United States. Multinationals add to the tensions in Third World countries through arms sales and intervention in the domestic affairs of host countries. D. Stanley Eitzen and Maxine Baca Zinn, Social Problems, 9th edition

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: The world economy ... multinational corporations. 
B)  Argument; conclusion: Their power ... on the United States. 
C)  Argument; conclusion: Multinationals add ... affairs of host countries. 
D)  Nonargument. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: The majority of them are based in the United States.

Question 5

Either Haley Anderson or Simone Manuel won an Olympic gold medal in 2016. Haley Anderson did not win one in 2016. Thus, Simone Manuel did.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, strong. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Deductive, valid. 
D)  Inductive, cogent. 
E)  Inductive, weak.

Question 6

The number of protons in an atom's nucleus determines its atomic number and the name of the element. For example, all atoms with six protons are carbon atoms, and all those with eight protons are oxygen atoms. Free atoms (those not combined with other atoms) have the same number of electrons as protons. Therefore, carbon has six electrons to match its six protons, and oxygen has eight electrons to match its eight protons. Frederick K. Lutgens, et al., Foundations of Earth Science, 6th ed.

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: The number of protons ... the name of the element. 
B)  Argument; conclusion: Free atoms ... same number of electrons as protons. 
C)  Nonargument. 
D)  Argument; conclusion: For example, all atoms with six protons ... oxygen atoms. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: Carbon has six electrons ... to match its eight protons.

Question 7

Some statements about the human condition are commercial failures, since some novels are commercial failures, and some novels are statements about the human condition.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, weak. 
B)  Inductive, strong. 
C)  Deductive, invalid. 
D)  Deductive, valid. 
E)  Inductive, unsound.

Question 8

The poster on your neighbor's lawn says "Vote Horton for Sheriff." Therefore, it's clear that Horton would make a great sheriff.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, sound. 
B)  Inductive, strong. 
C)  Deductive, valid. 
D)  Inductive, weak. 
E)  Deductive, invalid.

Question 9

Bismarck, chancellor of Prussia, harnessed the conservative agenda of keeping the aristocracy in power while promoting the liberal nationalist aim of German unification. He also proved successful at diplomacy with the other great powers. Through three quick and successful wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, he united Germany in 1871 under Prussian leadership. Steven L. Spiegel, World Politics in a New Era

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: He also proved successful ... the other great powers. 
B)  Argument; conclusion: Through three quick and successful ... Prussian leadership. 
C)  Nonargument. 
D)  Argument; conclusion: Bismarck, chancellor of Prussia ... aristocracy in power. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: Bismarck promoted the liberal nationalist aim of German unification.

Question 10

Given that 3x + 2 = 14. It follows that x = 5.

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive, sound. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Deductive, valid. 
D)  Inductive, weak. 
E)  Inductive, strong.

Question 11

As the universe expands, it gets colder and colder. Furthermore, this expansion will continue for ever and ever. Therefore, at some point in the future the universe will become too cold to support human life, and all humans will perish.

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive, invalid. 
B)  Deductive, valid. 
C)  Deductive, sound. 
D)  Inductive, strong. 
E)  Inductive, weak.

Question 12

Each of the codefendants testified that the other defendant killed the victim. Therefore, we can only conclude that both defendants killed the victim.

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive, unsound. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Deductive, valid. 
D)  Inductive, weak. 
E)  Inductive, strong.

Question 13

A week ago we invited Charlie to a party, and within two hours he became drunk and obnoxious. The same thing happened when Theresa invited him three weeks ago. Therefore, it would not be a good idea for Daisy to invite him to next week's party, because the same thing will probably happen again.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, strong. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Inductive, weak. 
D)  Deductive, valid. 
E)  Inductive, cogent.

Question 14

Which of the following are all premise indicators?

Accepted Answer

A)  Hence, thus, implies that. 
B)  Accordingly, seeing that, inasmuch as. 
C)  For, given that, because. 
D)  As, consequently, because. 
E)  For the reason that, in that, wherefore.

Question 15

The pop-up message on your computer screen says "Earn $10,000 per week. Call 306-981-4872." Therefore, if you call that number you can earn $10,000 per week.

Accepted Answer

A)  Deductive, invalid. 
B)  Deductive, valid. 
C)  Inductive, strong. 
D)  Inductive, cogent. 
E)  Inductive, weak.

Question 16

PART A No brass lanterns are fixtures that glitter because all crystal chandeliers are fixtures that glitter, and no brass lanterns are crystal chandeliers.
Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument?  PART B
Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?
A) C = cats, F = fish, B = animals.
B) C = dogs, F = fish, B = mammals.
C) C = cats, F = animals, B = dogs.
D) C = animals, F = mammals, B = fish.
E) C = dogs, F = mammals, B = animals.

Accepted Answer

The answer of PART A No brass lanterns are fixtures...

Question 17

An argument whose conclusion rests on a similarity between two things or situations is:

Accepted Answer

A)  A valid argument. 
B)  An inductive argument. 
C)  A sound argument. 
D)  A cogent argument. 
E)  A deductive argument.

Question 18

The arctic ice cap has been shrinking for several years as a result of global warming, and that trend is expected to continue. Therefore, since arctic polar bears depend on that ice for survival, the arctic polar bear population will shrink in the years ahead.

Accepted Answer

A)  Inductive, weak. 
B)  Deductive, invalid. 
C)  Inductive, strong. 
D)  Deductive, valid. 
E)  Inductive, uncogent.

Question 19

PART A If music pirating continues, then property rights are ignored. Thus, if property rights are ignored, then recording artists will be cheated, because if music pirating continues, then recording artists will be cheated.
Which of the following correctly expresses the form of this argument?  PART B
Which of the following substitutions proves the argument invalid?
A) M = Neil Armstrong has walked on the moon, P = Neil Armstrong is a human, R = Neil Armstrong is an astronaut.
B) M = Kim Kardashian has walked on the moon, P = Kim Kardashian is a human, R = Kim Kardashian is an astronaut.
C) M = Beyoncé records albums, P = Beyoncé is a singer, R = Beyoncé is a human.
D) M = Nicole Kidman programs computers, P = Ben Affleck sells fertilizer, R = Jennifer Lopez raises elephants.
E) M = Bradley Cooper stars in movies, P = Bradley Cooper is an actor, R = Bradley Cooper is a human.

Accepted Answer

The answer of PART A If music pirating continues, then...

Question 20

Until recently, it looked as though the loggerhead sea turtle might be making a comeback. But a new federal report suggests that loggerheads have begun to decline again. Their life-pattern makes them doubly vulnerable to humans. They lay their eggs on beaches, habitat vulnerable to development and disturbance, and they spend their long lives at sea, where they are often fouled in fishing nets. Newspaper editorial

Accepted Answer

A)  Argument; conclusion: But a new federal report ... begun to decline again. 
B)  Nonargument. 
C)  Argument; conclusion: Their life-pattern ... doubly vulnerable to humans. 
D)  Argument; conclusion: Until recently ... making a comeback. 
E)  Argument; conclusion: They lay their eggs ... fouled in fishing nets.

Exam 1: Basic Concepts