PHI/103 PHI103 PHI 103 Week 1 - Critical Thinking Quiz

PHI 103 Week 1 - Critical Thinking Quiz

Week 1 - Critical Thinking Quiz

Question 1

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A recent study of 100 employees from six departments of a major corporation found 65% to be sleep deprived. The researchers concluded that the majority of corporate employees are sleep deprived. 
 
The researcher’s conclusion is suspect because it

assumes that corporate employees are more sleep deprived than other people

is based on evidence that is statistically impossible

fails to describe the effects the sleep deprivation has

 relies on a sample that is too small to represent the entire corporate workforce

 

Question 2

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Mrs. Orlof teaches two history classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Yesterday she gave the same test to both classes. Anyone who failed the test must take a retest. Since a greater percentage of students who took the morning test failed the test than students who took the afternoon test, more of Orlof’s morning history students than afternoon history students will have to take the retest.   
 
The conclusion above is not necessarily valid because

more students in the morning class may have passed the test than failed the test

some students may have been absent from both classes

 

some of the students who passed the afternoon test may have received information about the test from morning students

more students may have taken the test in the afternoon than in the morning

 

Question 3

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People have claimed that Jamie’s paintings have given them the blues. Clearly this cannot be entirely correct, since many of Jamie’s paintings contain no blue at all. 
 
The argument above is flawed because the author

You Answered

provides no evidence

misinterprets a key term

relies on contradictory facts

is not a noted painting expert

 

 

Question 4

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Since Jessica’s participation in local politics increased significantly after she joined her school’s political science club, it is clear that her involvement in that club led her to take an interest in politics. 
 
The argument above is flawed because

it doesn’t say which political issues Jessica is interested in

 

it states that the only purpose of the political science club is to spark an interest in politics

it misuses the word “significantly”

it’s possible that an interest in politics caused Jessica to join the political science club

 

Question 5

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All sages provide both wisdom and inspiration. Since Dasha’s speech contained wisdom and greatly inspired her audience, Dasha is a sage. 
 
Which one of the following points out the flaw in the argument above?

Just because Dasha is a sage doesn’t mean that she is always wise and inspirational.

Just because Dasha’s speech provided wisdom and inspiration doesn’t mean that it provided more wisdom than inspiration.

Just because Dasha satisfied two requirements of being a sage doesn’t necessarily mean that she satisfies all the requirements of being a sage.

Just because Dasha provided wisdom and inspiration in a speech doesn’t mean that all sages use speeches to provide wisdom and inspiration.

 

Question 6

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The average height of members of the high school basketball team is six feet, three inches. Jerry is on the high school basketball team, so Jerry must be taller than six feet.
 
The argument above is flawed because it confuses

Jerry with other members of the team

 

the members of one team with the members of another team

 

people who are six feet three inches tall for people who are exactly six feet tall

an average for the individuals that make up that average.

 

 

Question 7

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Some politicians claim to support the environment in speeches they make around the country. However, to get to those speeches they ride in gas guzzling, pollution creating private planes. They therefore clearly don’t believe a word of what they say and are actually making the environmental problem worse. 
 
Which one of the following, if true, would best weaken the argument above?

Some of the politicians try to hide the fact that they travel by private plane to their speeches around the country.

Most people who hear the politicians’ speeches on the environment are unconvinced by their arguments.

A majority of voters surveyed agree that politicians sometimes make society’s problems worse.

Improvements to the environment brought about through the politicians’ public support of environmental regulations more than offset the damage done to the environment by the politicians’ private planes. 

 

Question 8

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Career counselor:  It is best for artists to build a practical and safe career that will guarantee them a secure income, and then pursue their art in their spare time. That way, they will be motivated to work hard at their day jobs to support their art making, and both their career and their art will thrive. 
 
Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument?

You Answered

Some forms of art making are expensive and require a good deal of money to pursue.

Many people who aren’t artists prefer to pursue practical and safe careers.

Having the time and money to make art doesn’t guarantee an artist commercial success.

Splitting time between two pursuits in life often causes both to suffer. 

 

Question 9

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Last season at City Opera House, far more people attended opera X than opera Y. However, opera Y generated far greater net profits for City Opera House than did opera X. 
 
Each of the following could directly explain the result indicated above EXCEPT:

a difference in the ticket prices of operas X and Y

 

a difference in the operating expenses of operas X and Y

 

a difference in the subject matters of operas X and Y

 

a difference in the merchandise sales associated with operas X and Y

 

 

Question 10

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Surveys show that people who use calorie information to decide which foods to eat consume on average 100 calories less than they would if they didn’t check calorie information before eating. Strangely though, people who use calorie information in this way weigh more on average than people who don’t check calorie information before eating. 
 
Which one of the following, if true, best explains the surprising statistic stated above?  

There are fewer people who check calorie information before eating than people who don’t check calorie information before eating.

People who usually check calorie information before eating consume more calories if they stop checking.

Some people who check calorie information before eating don’t consume any fewer calories than they would if they didn’t check.

People with a weight problem are most likely to check calorie information before eating.

 

Question 11

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As part of its reorganization, company X created five new positions within the company. However, after the reorganization was complete, company X had fewer employees than before the reorganization. 
 
Which one of the following, if true, would best explain the result described above?

Some employees of the company were switched into new departments to fill the new positions.

Some employees who quit over dissatisfaction with the reorganization were immediately replaced by new hires.

The new positions were created to respond to a greater demand for company X’s products.

Some employees were laid off as a number of old positions were eliminated in the reorganization.

 

Question 12

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Choose the pair of words/phrases among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the words/phrases in the following pair. 
 
gavel : judge

baton : conductor

 

symphony : composer

 

stop sign : driver

 

ruler : math

 

 

Question 13

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Choose the pair of words/phrases among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the words/phrases in the following pair. 
 
heavy : weight

dry : wet

 

feather : scale

 

hot : temperature

 

color : size 

 

 

Question 14

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Choose the pair of words/phrases among the choices that exhibits the same logical relationship as the words/phrases in the following pair. 
 
conductor : orchestra

 

skater : rink

 

teacher : principal

 

producer : movie

 

director : cast

 

 

Question 15

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Only circus animals with a clean bill of health will perform in today’s exhibition. A monkey, a poodle, and a horse will perform in today’s exhibition. No circus animals with a clean bill of health were prescribed medications this week. 
 
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of them?

The monkey, poodle, and horse are the only animals performing in today’s circus exhibition.

You Answered

No circus animals were prescribed medications this week.

 

No more than two circus animals have a clean bill of health.

 

Neither the monkey nor the horse performing in today’s circus exhibitions were prescribed medications this week.

 

Question 16

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Barney: Last winter, I slipped on the outside stairs of PineTree Café and broke my leg. My fall was caused by ice on the stairs that the restaurant failed to remove. Since the restaurant clearly did not provide a safe atmosphere for its customers, I am justified in taking it to court. 
 
Lydia: Unwarranted lawsuits are sweeping the country—lawsuits that have no legal merit and are brought simply to make lawyers and their clients rich. If this trend continues, soon our legal system will be swamped to the point where it won’t be able to administer justice to people who truly deserve it. You therefore should drop your case against PineTree Café. 
 
The speakers above appear to disagree on which one of the following points?

Barney is likely to win his case against Pinetree Café.

Barney’s lawsuit against Pinetree Café is unwarranted.

 

Many unwarranted lawsuits are sweeping the country.

The legal system will soon be unable to administer justice to people who deserve it.

 

Question 17

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In a survey of 10 film historians, half voted for Nosferatu as the greatest vampire film ever made, and the other half voted for Dracula. However, when asked which lead vampire character they considered more charismatic, all of the film critics chose Dracula over Nosferatu.    
 
Based on the information above, it must be true that for some film critics, their feelings about the charisma of the lead character

is the most important factor they consider when comparing two films

is not the most important factor they consider when comparing two films

is the only factor they consider when comparing two films

 

is the least important factor they consider when comparing two films

 

 

Question 18

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The higher the price of an antique, the greater people’s expectation that the object is rare. That, in turn, makes the antique appear more valuable. 
 
If the statements above are correct, then offering an antique for sale at a bargain price

will likely increase people’s expectations that the antique is valuable

will guarantee that the antique will not sell at a profit

 

should be encouraged because it increases the likelihood that antique will be sold

should be discouraged because it lessens a quality that makes that antique desirable

 

Question 19

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Detective: The robbery at the mall was carried out by a mall employee acting alone roughly one hour after the mall closed last Saturday night. The only employees present at the mall at the time of the robbery were security guards Evans and Clark. Since the mall’s surveillance system was disabled by the thief just before the robbery, the thief must be Evans.
 
The argument above would be valid if

Clark is incapable of disabling the mall’s surveillance system

 

both Evans and Clark are capable of disabling the mall’s surveillance system

Evans and Clark are the mall’s only security guards

 

the mall’s surveillance system is usually used 24 hours a day, seven days a week

 

Question 20

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Looking to increase the profits of his lemonade stand, Johann doubled the price of a cup of lemonade from 25 cents to 50 cents. This clearly shows Johann’s lack of business sense, for now he’ll almost certainly sell fewer cups at the new price and therefore make less money than before. 
 
The argument above assumes that

Johann is looking to double the profits of his lemonade stand

 

the price increase will likely put Johann out of business

 

profits from the price increase will not offset the money lost when fewer cups are sold

even if Johann sells more cups at the new price than he did at the old price, he’ll still lose money on the lemonade stand

 

Question 21

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The very large increase in allergies over the last thirty years is due to the great success of immunizations administered over this time period. Since immunizations have nearly eliminated life-threatening diseases such as polio, the human immune system increasingly targets other environmental substances in order to keep working properly. Allergy symptoms such as runny nose and itchy eyes result when the immune system attacks pollen that is breathed in from the air.
 
Which one of the following best expresses the main point of the passage above?

Immunizations often have surprising side effects.

 

Immunizations have been very successful in eliminating life-threatening diseases.

Viruses that once caused polio now cause allergies.

The use of immunizations has led to an increase in allergies.

 

 

Question 22

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The president spoke to 19 congressmen from Texas to encourage them to vote for a bill. Since four of the 19 congressmen went on to vote for the bill, it is clear that the president persuaded those four to vote the way they did.
 
The argument above assumes that

the bill will not pass because a majority of Texas congressmen did not vote for it

Yo

the Texas congressmen who voted against the bill were persuaded by someone other than the president to vote the way they did

 

the president did not try to influence the votes of any congressmen outside of Texas

the four Texas congressmen who voted for the bill were against it before they spoke to the president

 

Question 23

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Political science professor: Many people insist that the Internet is revolutionizing the political process. They argue that Internet debates and online political polls and chat rooms give people greater access to political information. And they’re right that online political chatter increases daily. But offering or reading anonymous online opinions does not by itself make for active political participation. In the past one would attend a rally, protest, or town meeting to engage in real politics. Today, people sit passively in front of computer screens under the illusion that they are connecting with their fellow citizens. 
 
Which one of the following best expresses the main idea of the professor’s argument?

Internet debates and online political polls and chat rooms give people greater access to political information.

Political organizations of the past bear no resemblance to the political organizations of today.

While the Internet has made more political content available, meaningful political involvement has decreased.

The Internet has revolutionized the political process because it has allowed many more political viewpoints to be expressed.

 

Question 24

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Whereas many industries suffer during economic recessions, the art industry does well. Some think the reason is that artists feed off the anxiety and uncertainty during recessions to produce inspired works. Others think that recessions, while harmful to most people, produce a handful of very rich people willing to pay very high prices for artworks, driving up the value of the art market as a whole. 
 
The author of the passage above is primarily interested in

providing evidence that the art industry does well during recessions

presenting reasons for why the art industry does well during recessions

discussing the types of artworks that sell best during recessions

 

describing the effect that art has on the economy

 

 

Question 25

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Sometimes people get caught in a “downward spiral,” a case in which something leads to a result which in turn leads to more of the original thing, bringing on more of the result. As the process continues, the result continually gets worse and worse. An example is when people turn to binge eating when depressed, which causes them to put on weight and feel unhealthy, which then makes them more depressed, leading to more overeating, and so on.   
 
The author is mainly concerned with

convincing people not to overeat

 

explaining the process of the “downward spiral”

 

showing how overeating can lead to depression

showing how some processes lead to surprising results