Week 2 Quiz

When an argument is put in standard form, where does its conclusion go?

Select one.

• First, on line P1, so the reader knows the point before the reasons.
• Last, on its own line marked C, after a line that reads "So,".
• Inside the last premise, joined to it by the word "therefore".
• Nowhere, because standard form lists only the premises.

A food pantry's sign (illustrative) reads: "Donate canned goods this month. Our shelves run low every winter. Canned food keeps for a long time." Before you rewrite it in standard form, which sentence is the conclusion?

Select one.

• "Our shelves run low every winter," because it is the one claim a reader could go and check.
• "Canned food keeps for a long time," because conclusions come last.
• None of them, because the sign has no conclusion indicator.
• "Donate canned goods this month," because it is what the sign asks readers to do.

A bike shop's sign (illustrative) begins: "Why walk when you can ride?" Which standard-form line handles that question the way this course requires?

Select one.

• P1: Riding a bike is a better choice than walking.
• P1: Why walk when you can ride?
• C: You must never walk anywhere again.
• P1 (supplied): Why walk when you can ride?

True or false: in standard form, a premise marked "(supplied)" is one the arguer stated out loud.

True or false.

• True
• False

A student senator (illustrative) argues: "The student center should stay open until midnight. Many commuter students wait there for late buses." Under the principle of charity, which premise should you supply?

Select one.

• Every campus building must stay open all night, whatever it costs.
• Commuter students care about the student center more than anyone else does.
• The student center should stay open late when a sizable group of students has nowhere else to wait.
• The bus company should change its schedule instead.

An argument (illustrative) reads: "Everyone with a library card can borrow a laptop. The new nursing student has a library card. So the new nursing student can borrow a laptop." How should the two premises be drawn on an argument map?

Select one.

• As independent premises with two arrows, because each premise is written as a separate sentence.
• As linked premises sharing one arrow, since neither supports the conclusion alone.
• As independent premises with two arrows, because the conclusion might be true even without them.
• As an objection and a reply, because one premise answers the other.

On an argument map, a reply answers an objection. Where does the reply's arrow point?

Select one.

• At the conclusion, marked "for", because a reply supports the conclusion.
• At the first premise, marked "against", because replies always attack premises.
• Nowhere, because replies are written in words and never drawn.
• At the objection it answers, marked "against".

Read the running question's illustrative campus-newsletter passage: "The campus library should stay open around the clock during finals week. During finals week many students need a quiet, safe place to study late at night. The library is the only quiet, safe, well-lit study space on campus large enough to meet that need. Keeping the library open overnight for the five nights of finals week costs about 1,600 dollars in staff wages." When it is put in standard form, which premise is supplied under the principle of charity?

Select one.

• P3 (supplied): The campus should provide study space students need during finals when it can do so at modest cost.
• P3 (supplied): The campus must give students any space they ask for, at any cost.
• P3 (supplied): During finals week many students need a quiet, safe place to study late at night.
• P3 (supplied): Students should study through the night during finals week.

In standard form, the running question has 3 stated premises and 1 supplied premise, plus its conclusion. How many lines (premises and conclusion, not counting the "So," line) does it have?

Select one.

• 4 lines
• 3 lines
• 5 lines
• 6 lines

In the same newsletter passage, which of these is a stated premise, one the passage says out loud?

Select one.

• The campus should provide study space students need during finals when it can do so at modest cost.
• The library is the only quiet, safe, well-lit study space on campus large enough to meet that need.
• The campus library should stay open around the clock during finals week.
• Losing sleep during finals week can hurt exam performance.