Which of the following is probably the best choice for Joshua?

a. a medium-quality stereo with CD player but no tape deck, regular price

b. a high-quality stereo with a tape deck but no CD, regular price

c. a high-quality stereo with CD player but no tape deck on sale for half price

d. a low-quality stereo with CD player and tape deck, sale price

Choose the best answer for each of the following.

3. “These are the most beautiful paintings in the entire museum” is

a. a fact.

b. an opinion.

c. a tentative truth.

d. none of the above.

4. “The Liberty Bell has three cracks in it” is a. a fact.

b. an opinion.

c. a tentative truth.

d. none of the above.

The following items (5–20) present questions, state-ments, or short passages that illustrate the process of reasoning or critical thinking. In some items, the speaker’s reasoning is flawed. Read each item and select the answer choice that most accurately describes it.

Choose d if there is no flaw or if the speaker remains neutral.

5. “He’s been known to embellish the truth on occasion.”

a. “Embellish the truth” is a euphemism.

b. “Embellish the truth” is a dysphemism.

c. “On occasion” is vague.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

6. “Do you support raising the tuition for state schools, making it even harder for the under-privileged to receive an education?”

a. The question uses circular reasoning.

b. The question is presenting the post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy.

c. The question is biased.

d. The speaker is remaining neutral.

–P O S T T E S T–

7. “Give her a chance, Carl. She’s a good person, and she’s had a really hard time since her mother died. She’s never worked in an office before, but you’ll be giving her the first break she’s had in a long time.”

a. The speaker is using peer pressure.

b. The speaker is appealing to Carl’s sense of pity.

c. The speaker is using a red herring.

d. The speaker is remaining neutral.

8. “What does he know? He’s a Republican.”

a. The speaker is presenting a straw man.

b. The speaker is asking a loaded question.

c. The speaker is presenting an ad hominem argument.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

9. “Tough-Scrub is tougher on dirt!”

a. The ad is making an incomplete claim.

b. The ad is appealing to our vanity.

c. The claim the ad makes is untestable.

d. There’s nothing wrong with this ad.

10. “None of us is going to vote to make the

employee lounge a nonsmoking area, so neither are you, right?”

a. The speaker is presenting a no in-betweens argument.

b. The speaker is using circular reasoning.

c. The speaker is using peer pressure.

d. The speaker is remaining neutral.

11. “I was going so fast, Officer, because I was in a hurry.”

a. The speaker is appealing to vanity.

b. The speaker is using circular reasoning.

c. The speaker is reversing cause and effect.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s explanation.

12. “The average employee works only 45 hours a week and takes home $65,000 a year in salary.

Not bad, eh?”

a. The speaker has made a hasty generalization.

b. The speaker has committed a non sequitur.

c. The speaker’s use of averages could be misleading.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

13. “If you have sinus trouble, you should try acupuncture. I had sinus troubles for years, and since I’ve been going to the acupuncturist for the last six months, I can breathe better, sleep better, and I have more energy. And it’s painless.”

a. The speaker is using peer pressure.

b. The speaker is presenting a circular explanation.

c. The speaker is making a hasty generalization.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

14. “So the end result is that we either have to cut jobs or go out of business.”

a. The speaker has presented a no in-betweens fallacy.

b. The speaker has presented a straw man.

c. The speaker has presented a slippery slope scenario.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

15. “Music is based on numbers. I’m good with numbers, so I’d be a good musician.”

a. The speaker has committed a non sequitur.

b. The speaker has committed an ad hominem fallacy.

c. The speaker has made a biased generalization.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

–P O S T T E S T–

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16. “The reason healthcare is in such a problematic state is because the insurance companies are only out to make money.”

a. This speaker uses an argument that presents the straw man fallacy.

b. This speaker provides a statistic based on common sense.

c. This speaker presents the slippery slope scenario.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

17. “I have succeeded because I was destined to succeed.”

a. The speaker is presenting a circular explanation.

b. The speaker is presenting an untestable explanation.

c. The speaker is reversing cause and effect.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

18. “If you stop going to the gym, the next thing you know, you’ll start eating unhealthy food, and before you know it, you’ll have heart disease.”

a. The speaker is appealing to the listener’s sense of pity.

b. The speaker is using flattery.

c. The speaker is presenting a slippery slope argument.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

19. “I know you’re concerned about whether or not I inappropriately allocated funds. But what you really should be worrying about is what Senator Hinckley is doing with his illegal campaign contributions!”

a. The speaker is presenting a red herring.

b. The speaker is committing an ad hominem.

c. The speaker is using peer pressure.

d. The speaker is remaining neutral.

20. “Hey, Beth, have you tried the new restaurant on our street? I received their flyer in the mail and the place looks amazing!”

a. The speaker’s argument is untestable.

b. The speaker is making a hasty generalization.

c. The speaker is using a euphemism.

d. There’s nothing wrong with the speaker’s reasoning.

–P O S T T E S T–

In the following situations, which source is most credible?

21. You want to find out about the condition of a