Analyzing Arguments problems
- 1. Yoga has become a very popular type of exercise, but it may not be for everyone. Before you sign yourself up for a yoga class, you need to examine what it is you want from your fitness routine. If you're looking for a high-energy, fast-paced aerobic workout, a yoga class might not be your best choice.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. yoga is more popular than high-impact aerobics.
- B. before embarking on a new exercise regimen, you should think about your needs and desires.
- C. yoga is changing the world of fitness in major ways
- D. yoga benefits your body and mind
- E. most people think that yoga isn't a rigorous form of exercise. Discuss
Correct Answer: before embarking on a new exercise regimen, you should think about your needs and desires.
Explanation:
The second sentence points out that people should examine what they want from a fitness routine before signing up for a new exercise class. There is no evidence to support choice a. Choice c might sound reasonable due to the fact that the paragraph tells us that yoga has become very popular, but this statement is not supported by the information provided in the paragraph. Choices d and e are also not supported since the paragraph doesn't tell us whether yoga is good for both body and mind or what people think about it.
- 2. Human technology developed from the first stone tools about two and a half million years ago. At the beginning, the rate of development was slow. Hundreds of thousands of years passed without much change. Today, new technologies are reported daily on television and in newspapers.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. stone tools were not really technology.
- B. stone tools were in use for two and a half million years
- C. there is no way to know when stone tools first came into use.
- D. In today's world, new technologies are constantly being developed
- E. none of the latest technologies is as significant as the development of stone tools. Discuss
Correct Answer: In today's world, new technologies are constantly being developed
Explanation:
The last sentence states that new technologies are reported daily, and this implies that new technologies are being constantly developed. There is no support for choice a.With regard to choice b, stone tools were first used two and a half million years ago, but they were not neessarily in use all that time. Choice c is clearly wrong since the paragraph states when stone tools first came into use. Although some may agree that choice e is true, the author of the paragraph does not give support for this opinion.
- 3. Mathematics allows us to expand our consciousness. Mathematics tells us about economic trends, patterns of disease, and the growth of populations. Math is good at exposing the truth, but it can also perpetuate misunderstandings and untruths. Figures have the power to mislead people.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. the study of mathematics is dangerous.
- B. words are more truthful than figures.
- C. the study of mathematics is more important than other disciplines.
- D. the power of numbers is that they cannot lie.
- E. figures are sometimes used to deceive people. Discuss
Correct Answer: figures are sometimes used to deceive people.
Explanation:
This answer is clearly stated in the last sentence of the paragraph. Choice a can be ruled out because there is no support to show that studying math is dangerous. Words are not mentioned in the passage, which rules out choice b. Choice d is a contradiction to the information in the passage. There is no support for choice c.
- 4. In the 1966 Supreme Court decision Miranda v. Arizona, the court held that before the police can obtain statements from a person subjected to an interrogation, the person must be given a Miranda warning. This warning means that a person must be told that he or she has the right to remain silent during the police interrogation. Violation of this right means that any statement that the person makes is not admissible in a court hearing.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. police who do not warn persons of their Miranda rights are guilty of a crime.
- B. a Miranda warning must be given before a police interrogation can begin.
- C. the police may no longer interrogate persons suspected of a crime unless a lawyer is present.
- D. the 1966 Supreme Court decision in Miranda should be reversed
- E. persons who are interrogated by police should always remain silent until their lawyer comes Discuss
Correct Answer: a Miranda warning must be given before a police interrogation can begin.
Explanation:
This answer is clearly supported in the second sentence. Nothing in the paragraph suggests that it is a crime not to give a Miranda warning, so choice a is incorrect. Choice c is also wrong because police may interrogate as long as a warning is given. There is no support given for either choice d or e.
- 5. During colonial times in America, juries were encouraged to ask questions of the parties in the courtroom. The jurors were, in fact, expected to investigate the facts of the case themselves. If jurors conducted an investigation today, we would throw out the case.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. juries are less important today than they were in colonial times.
- B. jurors today are less interested in court cases than they were in colonial times.
- C. courtrooms today are more efficient than they were in colonial times.
- D. jurors in colonial times were more informed than jurors today.
- E. the jury system in America has changed since colonial times. Discuss
Correct Answer: the jury system in America has changed since colonial times.
Explanation:
The paragraph focuses on the idea that the jury system is different from what it was in colonial times. There is no support given for choices a, b, and c. Choice d is incorrect because, even though jurors in colonial times were expected to investigate and ask questions, this does not necessarily mean that they were more informed than today's jurors.
- 6. There are no effective boundaries when it comes to pollutants. Studies have shown that toxic insecticides that have been banned in many countries are riding the wind from countries where they remain legal. Compounds such as DDT and toxaphene have been found in remote places like the Yukon and other Arctic regions.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.
- B. more pollutants find their way into polar climates than they do into warmer areas
- C. studies have proven that many countries have ignored their own antipollution laws.
- D. DDT and toxaphene are the two most toxic insecticides in the world.
- E. even a worldwide ban on toxic insecticides would not stop the spread of DDT pollution. Discuss
Correct Answer: toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.
Explanation:
The support for this choice is in the second sentence, which states that in some countries, toxic insecticides are still legal. Choice b is incorrect because even though polar regions are mentioned in the paragraph, there is no support for the idea that warmer regions are not just as affected. There is no support for choice c. Choice d can be ruled out because there is nothing to indicate that DDT and toxaphene are the most toxic. Choice e is illogical.
- 7. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. No search of a person's home or personal effects may be conducted without a written search warrant issued on probable cause. This means that a neutral judge must approve the factual basis justifying a search before it can be conducted.
This paragraph best supports the statement that the police cannot search a person's home or private papers unless they have
Options- A. legal authorization
- B. direct evidence of a crime.
- C. read the person his or her constitutional rights.
- D. a reasonable belief that a crime has occurred.
- E. requested that a judge be present. Discuss
Correct Answer: legal authorization
Explanation:
The second and third sentence combine to give support to choice a. The statement stresses that there must be a judge's approval (i.e., legal authorization) before a search can be conducted. Choices b and d are wrong because it is not enough for the police to have direct evidence or a reasonable belief?a judge must authorize the search for it to be legal. Choices c and e are not mentioned in the passage.
- 8. Obesity is a serious problem in this country. Research suggests that obesity can lead to a number of health problems including diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Recent research has even indicated that there may be a relationship between obesity and some types of cancer. Major public health campaigns that increase awareness and propose simple lifestyle changes that will, with diligence and desire, eliminate or least mitigate the incidence of obesity are a crucial first step in battling this critical problem.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. public health campaigns that raise consciousness and propose lifestyle changes are a productive way to fight obesity.
- B. obesity is the leading cause of diabetes in our country.
- C. people in our country watch too much television and do not exercise enough.
- D. a decline in obesity would radically decrease the incidence of asthma.
- E. fast-food restaurants and unhealthy school lunches contribute greatly to obesity. Discuss
Correct Answer: public health campaigns that raise consciousness and propose lifestyle changes are a productive way to fight obesity.
Explanation:
The support for this choice is in the last sentence, which states that major public health campaigns that increase awareness and propose lifestyle changes are important in our fight against obesity. Choice b can be ruled out because although the paragraph states that obesity can lead to diabetes, it doesn't tell us that it is the leading cause of this disease. Choices c and e might sound reasonable and true, but they are not supported in the paragraph. And although we are told that obesity has been connected to asthma, this fact is not quantified in any way, so choice d is also not supported by the information given.
- 9. Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down your reading and, with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions. When you read, become an active participant.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. critical reading is a slow, dull, but essential process
- B. the best critical reading happens at critical times in a person's life.
- C. readers should get in the habit of questioning the truth of what they read.
- D. critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.
- E. critical reading should take place at the same time each day. Discuss
Correct Answer: critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.
Explanation:
This answer is implied by the whole paragraph. The author stresses the need to read critically by performing thoughtful and careful operations on the text. Choice a is incorrect because the author never says that reading is dull. Choices b, c, and e are not supported by the paragraph.
- 10. Walk into any supermarket or pharmacy and you will find several shelves of products designed to protect adults and children from the sun. Additionally, a host of public health campaigns have been created, including National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, that warn us about the sun's damaging UV rays and provide guidelines about protecting ourselves. While warnings about the sun's dangers are frequent, a recent survey found that fewer than half of all adults adequately protect themselves from the sun.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
Options- A. children are better protected from the sun's dangerous rays than adults
- B. sales of sun protection products are at an all-time high.
- C. adults are not heeding the warnings about the dangers of sun exposure seriously enough.
- D. more adults have skin cancer now than ever before
- E. there is not enough information disseminated about the dangers of sun exposure. Discuss
Correct Answer: adults are not heeding the warnings about the dangers of sun exposure seriously enough.
Explanation:
The last sentence gives direct support for this response. Although children might be better protected from the sun than adults, the paragraph does not specifically cite statistics about children, so we can't know for sure, ruling out choice a. There is no evidence provided in the paragraph to support choices b and d. Choice e is incorrect since the last sentence tells us that warnings about the sun's dangers are frequent.
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