Test Bank for Becoming a Critical Thinker: A User-Friendly Manual, 7th Edition

TEST BANK FOR BECOMING A CRITICAL THINKER, 7th EDITION Note to Instructors: The answers are included for all of the test questions given. Please use these questions as a template and edit and add questions that best fit your particular class. Chapter 1 Test Questions True/False 1. _____ (T) A critical thinker is someone who uses specific criteria to evaluate reasoning, form positions, and make decisions. 2. _____ (F) Everyone’s opinion about an issue, though different, has equal substance. 3. _____ (T) The conclusion is the position taken about an issue. 4. _____ (F) The main indicator word for a conclusion is because. Multiple Choice Since reasons are what critical thinkers spend most of their time evaluating, a good trick in isolating the reasons, is to write the conclusion and then add the word: A. Why B. Always C. Issue D. *Because A conclusion is supported by A. Arguments B. Issues C. *Reasons D. Critical thinking E. Common sense Issues about _____ sometimes called prescriptive issues, deal with what is considered good or bad or right or wrong. A. Knowledge B. Logic C. *Values D. Reasoning E. Dilemma Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Evidence, premises, support, or justification are synonyms for: … A. Values B. Rationale C. C. Ethics D. *Reasons E. Decisions A_____involves a dilemma between two or more alternative actions. A. Choice B. *Decision C. Reason D. Example E. Method This can be used as an argument in order to provide information in a disarming way using tools such as irony and exaggeration… A. Purpose B. Persuasion C. Informative arguments D. Ethically driven information E. *Humor Matching A. Issue B. Conclusion C. Reasons The question that is being addressed is called the______. (A) You will spend most of your time and energy as a critical thinker and responsible speaker and writer looking at the quality of the ______. (C) When we say yes or no to the issues presented, we are stating our______.(B) Short Answer 1–4. Define issue and conclusion, using examples for each. The issue is the question that is being addressed. Example: Should air traffic controllers be given periodic drug tests? (Students can use examples from the text, like this one, or they can use their own examples.) The conclusion is the position taken about an issue. Example: I believe that vitamin supplements are necessary to maintaining good health. 5. What is one benefit of learning critical thinking skills? Critical thinking helps us to evaluate reasoning and make decisions as citizens and consumers and as people in personal relationships. Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 6–7. Give a brief summary of one of your classmate’s opinion statements— list the issue, conclusion, and one reason. Jose gave a speech on the issue: “Should term limits be imposed on senators and Congress people?” He concluded that term limits should not be imposed, and one reason he gave was that elected officials could be eliminated by voters at the end of their terms. (Note to instructors: this question obviously is useful only if students did opinion statements as inclass speeches or discussion posts.) 8. What function do the reasons play in an argument? Reasons provide support for the conclusion in an argument. They provide the evidence that justifies the conclusion. 9–10. Using an example, define “policy issue.” A policy issue involves specific actions that should or should not be taken. Example: Should prescription drug costs be regulated? 11. What is the definition of a critical thinker? A critical thinker is someone who uses specific criteria to evaluate reasoning and make decisions. (Note to instructors: you may have a revised definition for purposes of your course, or you may want to revise the question to fit your students, for example. “Why is critical thinking important to business, nursing, or administration of justice?”) 12–13. A billboard proclaims, “Drink Z-Cola. Buy it now!” Is this an argument? Why or why not? This billboard proclamation is a statement, but not an argument because it has only the issue (implied) and conclusion, but no reasons are given to support the conclusion. 14. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion. The right to think freely is prized by our culture. However, as critical thinkers, we can see some opinions as carrying greater weight than others. On what basis does one opinion have higher quality than another? How do we determine the worth of a given conclusion? The worth of a conclusion is determined on the basis of the quality of reasons given to support the conclusion. Everyone has a right to an opinion, but if people have no evidence to justify their opinions, their arguments are unsupported and considered weak. 15–19. What are the steps of the decision-making method? What types of situations or decisions have you encountered when this logical deconstruction would have been helpful to you? Step 1: Define the dilemma in the form of an issue Step 2: Look at your long-term objective Step 3: Which factors of the desired outcome are most important to you (rank order your outcomes) Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Step 4: List the reasons for and against each choice and give clear criteria for your decision by rank ordering the reasoning, that is, weigh the alternatives. Step 5: Choose the highest scoring alternative Students may choose to discuss situations in which they have encountered at work, home, or school. Allow the students to discuss the situation and see how this process can help them with their daily lives 20–25. Think of a situation you currently or recently experienced that requires you to make a decision. Using the steps in the decision-making method show the logical progression to your final decision. This question asks students to apply the concepts in the text to their daily lives. 26–27. Explain the statement: “The strength of a conclusion is based on the quality of the evidence used to support the conclusion.” Use an example in your explanation. The reasons provide support for the conclusions. The reasons most be logically linked and discussed make the associated connection to the conclusion. The students can present their understanding through their own experiences. Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 I. For the following short readings, list the issue, conclusion, and as many reasons as you can find. Each issue is 1 point, each conclusion is 1 point, and each reason is 1 point. Make sure the conclusions and reasons are in the material presented; don’t add your own. 28–31. The United States is fast becoming a two-class society, one class being the rich and the other being the poor. According to Donald L. Barlen and James Steele who co-wrote America: What Went Wrong, the top 5% of American individuals earned the same as the bottom 51%. While salaries of top executives are increasing dramatically, salaries of average workers are increasing slowly, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the middle class. Issue: (Is America becoming a two-class society?) Conclusion: ( Yes, America is becoming a two-class society) Reasons: (The top 5% of individuals earned the same as the bottom 51%. Salaries of top executives are increasing dramatically while salaries of average workers are increasing slowly and that widens the gap between the wealthy and the middle class.) 32–39. Try Painfree. Doctors have recommended it over 4 million times and pharmacists trust Painfree so much that they recommend it more than any other medicine for muscle aches, stomach cramps, and arthritis pain. Just one Painfree is as effective as 2 regular strength aspirin pills. Clinical studies proved it. And, Painfree is gentler to your system than aspirin. Painfree is just different. You can save 75 cents if you try Painfree now. Use the coupon below. (from an ad) Issue: Should you try Painfree? Conclusion: Yes. Reasons: Doctors have recommended it over 4 million times. Pharmacists trust Painfree so much that they recommend it more than any other medicine for muscle aches, stomach cramps, and arthritis pain. One Painfree is as effective as 2 regular strength aspirin pills, according to clinical studies. Painfree is gentler to your system than aspirin. Painfree is just different. You can save 75 cents if you try Painfree now. (Note to instructors: This is an excellent, clear and easy example to show students how many reasons can be packed into a short ad and how the quality of the reasons differ. In reviewing this question, you can challenge them to find all 6 reasons and to evaluate the quality of Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 these reasons. They should see that saying that Painfree is different is a very weak reason compared to the reasons on clinical testing. You can also point out that the ad refers to doctors and clinical studies, but provides no information about where and how these studies were conducted.) 40–45. Editor: I am writing to protest the outlawing of fireworks on the 4th of July here in Monroeville. The 4th of July represents joy and celebration, especially in small-town America. Kids really look forward to our fireworks display and also to waving their sparklers in the air. Most citizens are very careful with fireworks. Why should the majority suffer because of an unsafe minority? Issue: Should fireworks be outlawed in Monroeville on the 4th of July? Conclusion: No. Reasons: The 4th of July represents joy and celebration. Kids look forward to our fireworks display and to waving their sparklers in the air. Most citizens are very careful with fireworks. The majority should not suffer because of an unsafe minority. 46–53. The process in which jurors are selected for County Superior Court is inconvenient, unorganized, and a waste of time and money. Hundreds of people file into the jury assembly room and wait and wait and wait. Many people must call in several times a day or make several trips during the day only to be asked to leave and call back later for further notice. Those of us who must arrange for child care find this extremely inconvenient. Not only are we affected, but so are family members and/or our pocketbooks. Five dollars a day does not compensate for our losses. This system is extremely unorganized. Why must so many people be called when so few are chosen? The biggest waste is that hundreds of people spend several days waiting and often sacrificing part of their own finances because someone has committed a crime. The ironic part is that if the person is found guilty, he or she may not even serve 100 or so days in jail. Yet, collectively, we’ve served at least that. When chosen to be on a jury panel, one must state his or her name, occupation, family members, etc. Why must the defendant be made aware of this? The jury panel knows nothing about the defendant’s personal life. The juror is not the one on trial. (Taken from an editorial in the Contra Costa Times, February 8, 1989.) Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Issue: Is the process in which jurors are selected for Contra Costa Superior Court inconvenient, unorganized, and a waste of time and money? Conclusion: Yes. Reasons: Hundreds of people file into the jury assembly room and wait. Many people must call in several times a day or make several trips during the day only to be asked to leave and call back later for further notice. Those of us who must arrange for child care find this extremely inconvenient. We and our family members and/or our pocketbooks are affected. Five dollars a day does not compensate for our losses. Many people are called and few are chosen. Hundreds of people spend several days waiting and often sacrificing part of their own finances because someone has committed a crime. If the person is found guilty, he or she may not even serve 100 or so days in jail. Yet, collectively, we’ve served at least that. The defendant is given personal information about the jurors. Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Chapter 2 Test Questions Match the correct ethical system with the value assumption: a. Judeo-Christian principles b. Utilitarianism c. Libertarianism d. Egalitarianism e. Universal ethical norms 1. Value assumption: The highest value is to promote individual liberty. (c) 2. Value assumption: The highest value is that which promotes the greatest general happiness and minimizes unhappiness. (b) 3. Value assumption: The highest value is equality, which means justice and opportunities distributed equally. (d) 4. Value assumption: The highest ethical values are based on faith and spiritual truth, such as loving God and one’s neighbor. (a) 5. Value assumption: The highest ethical values are universal ethical principles, such as honesty and respect for others; these principles are considered to be self-evident and obvious to rational individuals of every culture. (e) 6–9. More Matching: Tests for Ethical Decision Making. Match each example to the test which is considered in the example. (a) higher principles test (b) new cases test (c) universal consequences test (d) role exchange test 6. It is 3:00 a.m. and you are driving on a city street with virtually no traffic. You come to a red light, and consider passing through the intersection, despite the red light. Then you ask yourself, “What if everyone who drove decided it was O.K. to bend the traffic rules, whenever they decided the traffic rules weren’t ‘applicable’ at that time?” 7. You realize that your neighbor stocks his or her home office with supplies from work because the matter is discussed at a neighborhood potluck. You decide not to mention anything about the ethics of this matter, so as to maintain a good relationship. Would you still make the same decision if the neighbor was obviously reselling the stolen office supplies at frequent Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 garage sales, held across the street from your house, sales that your friends and relatives attended? (b) 8. You are at a social gathering that is important to your career. Several of your co-workers are talking negatively about your boss. The boss has been good to you and others, and you want to defend her or him but are afraid of being left out of the group. You begin to wonder if honesty is always the best policy. (a) 9. You purchase an item at your corner grocery store and are given a ten dollar bill instead of the one dollar bill you should have received in change. You are ready to pocket the cash. Then you wonder to yourself, “How would I feel if I accidentally paid an extra nine dollars and the cashier kept my money?” (d) 10–17. Considering the four ethical tests listed in the previous question, choose one test and apply it to the following situation: your roommate, spouse, or child asks you to tell callers he or she isn’t home, when he actually is home. Describe the test you are applying to the situation and document your analysis of the application here: Sample answers: Role Exchange Test: “I would decide how I would feel if someone told me my friend wasn’t home when he or she really was home. I wouldn’t appreciate being lied to, and so I don’t think I would lie for someone else.” Universal Consequences Test: “I would think about the consequences if everyone did what my roommate, spouse, or child was asking me to do. If it became common practice for people to lie about who is home, I think that could make lying in general more acceptable, and that would be a bad thing.” The New Cases Test: “To come up with a new, harder case, I’d imagine someone I live with asking me to say they are not home when I answer the door. That would be harder because I would be lying to a person’s face. Since that clarifies that I would be lying in either case, I wouldn’t want to do it.” The Higher Principles Test: “The value conflict for me would be between pleasing my roommate, child, or spouse and telling the truth. Honesty is a higher principle for me than the approval of others, so I would choose to be honest.” 18–26. Matching: Common Rationalizations a. “If it’s necessary, it is ethical.” b. “If it’s legal and permissible, it’s proper.” c. “I was just doing it for you.” d. “I’m just fighting fire with fire.” e. “It doesn’t hurt anyone.” f. “It can’t be wrong; everyone’s doing it.” g. “It’s O.K. if I don’t gain personally.” Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 h. “I’ve got it coming.” i. “I can still be objective.” 18. This rationalization is based on the false assumption that deceit, lying, promise-breaking, and other similar actions are justified if they are the same sort engaged in by those you are dealing with. (d) 19. A student notices that the majority of his or her classmates are cheating on a test and feels justified in cheating him or herself. (f) 20. This rationalization is based on the false assumption that one can deem an action to be so necessary that ethics are not a consideration in choosing this action. (a) 21. This rationalization fits in the case of someone who works for a grocery store giving food to the homeless behind the owner’s back. (g) 22. This rationalization could apply to fairly well-off, middle-class families who put all their financial assets into relatives’ names at the time that their college-age children enter college, so that the students can “qualify” for financial grants based on the neediness of their families. (b) 23. This rationalization is based on a false assumption that whatever reward the individual is helping himself or herself to (without proper clearance and approval) is justified, because the individual has earned this reward for services rendered. (h) 24. This rationalization might be used by a coach who allows the child of a major donor to new athletic fields to be the “star” of the team when in reality, the student is on a par with his or her teammates. The rationalization underestimates the subtle ways in which gratitude, friendship, and favors affect judgment. (i) 25. This rationalization works on the assumption that if there is no clear and immediate harm to others, then the action must not be wrong. (e) 26. A secretary is frustrated with his or her supervisor’s messy desk and knows that many of the documents on the desk are outmoded and irrelevant to the work. One day, he or she cleans off the desk, throws old papers away, and puts everything in order. The supervisor is angry that his or her possessions were disturbed without his or her permission. In response, the secretary uses which rationalization? (c) Copyright © 2020 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. 10