1.
According to the text, which of the
following is a characteristic of a trustworthy source?
A) credentialed in topic X
B) interested in topic X
C) unclear about topic X
D) experienced in topic X
Correct Answer: D
2.
Marius is an authority who frequently
appears on television. His employer has made it very clear that there are
certain things he cannot say on TV (or else he will lose his job). One could
say that Marius is
A) tautological.
B) constrained.
C) critical.
D) unstable.
Correct Answer: B
3.
"The current trend in the stock
market is trendless." This is an example of a
A) observational response.
B) tautological statement.
C) critical response.
D) self-contradictory statement.
Correct Answer: D
4.
Caryn has already assessed the
credibility of the source. As a good critical thinker, what does she need to do
next?
A) assess the plausibility of the
claim
B) approve the tautological statement
C) reject all possible options
D) remember self-contradictory
statements
Correct Answer: A
5.
What is the definition of tautology?
A) the study of what is taught in the
U.S. and why it is taught
B) a way of viewing the world that
relies on ambivalence and stereotyping
C) a statement that is necessarily
true because of the meaning of the words
D) the practice of using critical
thinking to debunk commonly held cultural myths
Correct Answer: C
6.
Richard read on a blog that the world
will end in 2012. As a good critical thinker, Richard should
A) believe the claim and act
accordingly.
B) never visit that blog again.
C) approach the claim with a healthy
sense of skepticism.
D) consider the author of the blog to
be an expert.
Correct Answer: C
7.
Jason frequently makes claims without
supporting reasons. It is probable that he has
A) prophetic powers.
B) tautological sense.
C) ulterior motives.
D) critical sophism.
Correct Answer: C
8.
Jerome believes that the theory of
evolution is just as valid as the theory of creationism. It simply depends on
the context in which each is being used. He is a
A) collector.
B) sage.
C) truth-seeker.
D) relativist.
Correct Answer: D
9.
Josh's colleague frequently makes
claims out of context. As a good critical thinker, what should Josh do?
A) believe his colleague and assume
he/she is an expert
B) never believe what his colleague
says
C) question the plausibility of his
colleague's claims
D) patiently answer his colleague's
questions
Correct Answer: C
10.
Micah insists that vaccines cause
autism, even though there is no scientific evidence that proves his point. This
is an example of a
A) stubborn refusal to abandon a
discredited position.
B) healthy skepticism in the face of
conflicting information.
C) tautological response to a logical
problem.
D) logical response to a loaded
statement.
Correct Answer: A
11.
The statement "we all start off
equal in life" is an example of a
A) critical truth.
B) explicit truism.
C) trustworthy comparison.
D) empty tautology.
Correct Answer: D
12.
Which of the following statements
about claims is true?
A) They can be confirmed or
disconfirmed.
B) They are always true, especially
those by experts.
C) They should be taken at face value.
D) They are never true, no matter who
says them.
Correct Answer: A
13.
"Man is either mortal or he is
not." This is an example of a
A) critical observation.
B) self-contradictory statement.
C) tautological statement.
D) logical answer.
Correct Answer: C
14.
What is a loaded expression?
A) an expression that forces you to
make a decision
B) a statement that carries an
emotional charge
C) a saying that doesn't add up
D) a response that could be positive
or negative
Correct Answer: B
15.
According to the text, which of the
following statements about commercials is true?
A) They can be misleading.
B) They are usually straightforward.
C) They are always completely false.
D) They are only on during the nightly
news.
Correct Answer: A
16.
Kaitlin is five, Josh is eighteen,
Mary is twenty-five and Sue is sixty. According to the text, which of these
people is most trusting of authorities?
A) Sue
B) Josh
C) Mary
D) Kaitlin
Correct Answer: D
17.
Marilyn is interviewing potential job
candidates. As a good critical thinker, she is wary of candidates who give her
A) resumes without GPAs.
B) claims without reasons.
C) cover letters without photos.
D) heuristics without tautology.
Correct Answer: B
18.
Sheila's mom tells her that she cannot
stay out until midnight, but does not give any reasons to support her
statement. According to the text, it can be assumed that
A) Sheila's mom has her daughter's
best interests at heart.
B) Sheila's mom is an untrustworthy
source.
C) Sheila's mom failed her freshman
critical thinking course.
D) Sheila's mom is an expert on
discipline.
Correct Answer: A
19.
According to the text, which of the
following statements about Wikipedia is true?
A) Wikipedia should never be used as a
source.
B) Good critical thinker’s fact-check
Wikipedia entries.
C) All students should use Wikipedia
as a source.
D) Wikipedia is owned by the
government.
Correct Answer: B
20.
When evaluating the plausibility of
claims, it is important to remain
A) tautological.
B) negative.
C) open-minded.
D) closed-spirited.
Correct Answer: C
