WHICH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING, IF TRUE, MOST SERIOUSLY WEAKENS THE ARGUMENT?Question : Catherine goes to her local movie theater only to see romantic comedies. Since Catherine did not go to the movies yesterday, there is not a romantic comedy playing at her local theater. The reasoning above is flawed because the evidence: Student Answer: does not suggest that Catherine goes to see every romantic comedy that plays at her local movie theater. implies that Catherine is uninterested in most types of movies. does not indicate whether Catherine watches only romantic comedies at home. suggests that Catherine’s local movie theater hardly ever shows romantic comedies. Question 2. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 3. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 4. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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 5. Question : 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 Student Answer: 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 6. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 7. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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. Question : The untimely death of Professor Hathaway halted his groundbreaking research into the uses of solar power. It therefore appears that Hathaway’s research will not result in practical applications.Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? Student Answer: Professor Hathaway’s research can be used by other scientists to create useful applications. Not all professors at Professor Hathaway’s university knew that he was conducting research into the uses of solar power. Officials at Professor Hathaway’s university have refused requests to make Professor Hathaway’s research public. Researchers at other universities are conducting research into the potential applications of solar power. Question 9. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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 10. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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. Question : 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:

29 Jul WHICH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING, IF TRUE, MOST SERIOUSLY WEAKENS THE ARGUMENT?Question : Catherine goes to her local movie theater only to see romantic comedies. Since Catherine did not go to the movies yesterday, there is not a romantic comedy playing at her local theater. The reasoning above is flawed because the evidence: Student Answer: does not suggest that Catherine goes to see every romantic comedy that plays at her local movie theater. implies that Catherine is uninterested in most types of movies. does not indicate whether Catherine watches only romantic comedies at home. suggests that Catherine’s local movie theater hardly ever shows romantic comedies. Question 2. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 3. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 4. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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 5. Question : 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 Student Answer: 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 6. Question : 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: Student Answer: 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 7. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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. Question : The untimely death of Professor Hathaway halted his groundbreaking research into the uses of solar power. It therefore appears that Hathaway’s research will not result in practical applications.Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument? Student Answer: Professor Hathaway’s research can be used by other scientists to create useful applications. Not all professors at Professor Hathaway’s university knew that he was conducting research into the uses of solar power. Officials at Professor Hathaway’s university have refused requests to make Professor Hathaway’s research public. Researchers at other universities are conducting research into the potential applications of solar power. Question 9. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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 10. Question : 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? Student Answer: 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. Question : 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:

Question : Catherine goes to her local movie theater only to see romantic comedies. Since Catherine did not go to the movies yesterday, there is not a romantic comedy playing at her local theater. The reasoning above is flawed because the evidence:

Student Answer: does not suggest that Catherine goes to see every romantic comedy that plays at her local movie theater.

implies that Catherine is uninterested in most types of movies.

does not indicate whether Catherine watches only romantic comedies at home.

suggests that Catherine’s local movie theater hardly ever shows romantic comedies.

Question 2. Question : 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:

Student Answer: 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 3. Question : 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:

Student Answer: 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 4. Question : 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?

Student Answer: 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 5. Question : 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

Student Answer: 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 6. Question : 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:

Student Answer: 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 7. Question : 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?

Student Answer: 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. Question : The untimely death of Professor Hathaway halted his groundbreaking research into the uses of solar power. It therefore appears that Hathaway’s research will not result in practical applications.Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Student Answer: Professor Hathaway’s research can be used by other scientists to create useful applications.

Not all professors at Professor Hathaway’s university knew that he was conducting research into the uses of solar power.

Officials at Professor Hathaway’s university have refused requests to make Professor Hathaway’s research public.

Researchers at other universities are conducting research into the potential applications of solar power.

Question 9. Question : 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?

Student Answer: 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 10. Question : 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?

Student Answer: 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. Question : 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: