Question 1

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
Some human beings are mortal.
Plato is a human being.
A)Plato may need a will.
B)Plato may be mortal.
C)Some mortals are human beings.
D)Some human beings are Plato.

Accepted Answer

Plato may be mortal. The first sentence is a major premise and establishes a general principle taken as true-that some human beings are mortal. The second sentence is a minor premise and establishes that a specific person is a human being. In reaching a conclusion, however, the test-taker must recognize that the major premise is not an absolute. Answer B properly connects the major and minor premises by concluding that Plato (a human being) comes within the principle established in the major premise and that conclusion is limited by the same limitation of the major premise.

Question 2

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
All human beings are mortal.
George is an extraterrestrial.
A)All human beings are extraterrestrials.
B)George is not mortal.
C)George is not a human being.
D)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

None of the above. No conclusion can be reached because George does not fall within the general principle of the major premise. Answer A is not correct because the major premise does not establish a connection between human beings and extraterrestrials. Answer B is not correct because the major premise does not establish anything about whether extraterrestrials are mortal-so it is possible they could be either mortal or immortal. Answer C is not correct because it repeats the minor premise in different words and does not draw a conclusion based on the major premise.

Question 3

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
A- All negligent drivers who caused a plaintiff's injury are liable if the plaintiff suffered actual damages.
B- Plaintiff Paul suffered actual damages from Darlene's negligent driving that caused his injury.
C- Therefore...

A)Darlene caused Plaintiff Paul's injury
B)Plaintiff Paul suffered actual damages
C)Darlene is liable for negligent driving
D)Darlene is liable for Plaintiff Paul's actual damages

Accepted Answer

Darlene is liable for Plaintiff Paul's actual damages. Here, the major premise establishes the liability of (1) negligent drivers (requiring duty and breach of duty), (2) who cause a plaintiff's injury, (3) if the plaintiff suffered actual damages. The minor premise states (1) that Darlene was a negligent driver ("Darlene's negligent driving" ), (2) that the negligent driving cause Plaintiff Paul's injury ("that caused his injury"), and (3) that "Plaintiff Paul suffered actual damages." Since Darlene is within the class of negligent drivers who cause a plaintiff"s injury, with the plaintiff also suffering actual damages, Darlene is liable. Answers A and B are incorrect because they merely restated facts from the minor premise. Answer C is incorrect because it is incomplete - it does not state Darlene is liable for actual damages.

Question 4

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise:
A- Stegosauruses were dinosaurs
B-Stegosauruses were warm-blooded

A)All stegosauruses were warm-blooded
B)All dinosaurs were warm-blooded
C)All dinosaurs were stegosauruses
D)All stegosauruses were dinosaurs

Accepted Answer

All dinosaurs were warm-blooded. Here, the test-taker must recognize that the minor premise and the conclusion rely on a connection between dinosaurs and warm-bloodedness. Since stegosauruses are within the class of dinosaurs, the conclusion can only be reached if "all dinosaurs are warm-blooded." Answer A is not correct because the minor premise would not be needed to reach the conclusion. Neither Answer C nor Answer D is correct because neither answer establishes warm-bloodedness in dinosaurs.

Question 5

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise:
_________________________________________.
Darlene is an automobile driver who breached the duty of care.
Darlene was negligent.
A)All automobile drivers who breach the duty of care owed to others are negligent.
B)All automobile drivers breach the duty of care to others.
C)All automobile drivers owe a duty of care to others.
D)All automobile drivers named Darlene are negligent.

Accepted Answer

All automobile drivers who breach the duty of care owed to others are negligent. To draw the conclusion that Darlene was negligent, the major premise must establish a connection between automobile drivers who breach the duty of care and negligence. Only answer A makes that connection by establishing that all automobile drivers are negligent if they breach the duty of care owed to others. Since Darlene is within the class of drivers who breached the duty of care (the minor premise), the conclusion can be reached. Answer B and Answer C are both incorrect because they do not establish a connection to negligence. Answer D is incorrect because the minor premise would not be necessary for the conclusion.

Question 6

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
All human beings are mortal.
Plato is a human being.
A)Plato should make a will.
B)All mortals are human beings.
C)All human beings are Plato.
D)Plato is mortal.

Accepted Answer

Plato is mortal. The first sentence is a major premise and establishes a general principle taken as true-that human beings are mortal. The second sentence is a minor premise and establishes that a specific person is a human being. Answer D properly connects the major and minor premises by concluding that Plato (a human being) comes within the general principle (mortality of human beings) established in the major premise.

Question 7

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
A- All mountain lions are blue
B- Peter saw a mountain lion
C- Therefore...

A)The mountain lion was blue.
B)Peter is a mountain lion.
C)All mountain lions are blue.
D)Peter is a blue mountain lion.

Accepted Answer

The mountain lion was blue. Answer A is correct because it draws a logical conclusion from the major premise ("all mountain lions are blue" ) and the minor premise ("Peter saw a mountain lion" ). The test-taker must ignore the fact that the major premise is not true. The test-taker must focus only on the logical conclusion from the major and minor premise as given in the question. Answer B is not correct because Peter is not within the class of mountain lions. Answer C is not correct because it simply repeats the major premise. Answer D is not correct because Peter is not within the class of mountain lions.

Question 8

Select the answer choice that correctly describes George's responses in the following:
Jerry: Is Elaine in the apartment?
George: Yes.
Jerry: Is that true?
George: No.
A)If George's second answer is true, his first answer is true.
B)If George's first answer is false, his second answer is true.
C)Elaine must have left the apartment after George's first response.
D)If George's first answer is false, his second answer is false.

Accepted Answer

If George's first answer is false, his second answer is true. If Elaine is not in the apartment, and George falsely answered that Elaine is in the apartment, then George's second answer is true. Answer A is incorrect because George's responses cannot both be true. Answer C is not correct because it adds facts that are not a part of the exchange between Jerry and George. Answer D is incorrect because George's responses cannot both be false.

Question 9

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
A- All automobile drivers owe a duty of care to others
B-Darlene is a driver of an automobile
C- Therefore...
A)Darlene owes a duty of care to automobiles
B)Darlene is a driver of an automobile
C)Darlene owes a duty of care to others
D)All automobile drivers owe a duty of care to Darlene

Accepted Answer

Darlene owes a duty of care to others. The major premise establishes a duty of care that is owed by all drivers to others, and the minor premise establishes that Darlene is within the class of drivers. Since Darlene is within the class of drivers, she also owes a duty of care to others. Answer A is not correct because the duty is owed to others, not to automobiles. Answer B is not correct because it simply restates the minor premise. Answer D is not correct because it is too broad (uses the term "all"), and because it does not draw a conclusion from the minor premise.

Question 10

At a press conference, a reporter asked a candidate for mayor, "Did you sleep with Annie Actress?" The candidate responded, "Definitely not." Another reporter asked, "Is that false?" The candidate responded, "Yes."
Select the answer choice that correctly describes the candidate's responses:
A)The candidate slept with Annie Actress between the first and second question
B)If the candidate's second answer is true, his first answer is true
C)If the candidate's first answer is false, his second answer is true
D)If the candidate's first answer is false, his second answer is false

Accepted Answer

If the candidate's first answer is false, his second answer is true. If the candidate did sleep with Annie Actress, and the candidate falsely answered that he did not do so, then his second answer is true. Answer A is not correct because it adds facts that are not a part of the question. Answer B is incorrect because George's responses cannot both be true. Answer D is incorrect because George's responses cannot both be false.

Question 11

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
A- All comedians are cynics
B- Jerry is a comedian
C-Therefore...
A)All cynics are comedians
B)All persons named Jerry are cynics
C)Jerry's humor is cynical
D)Jerry is a cynic

Accepted Answer

Jerry is a cynic. Answer D is correct because it completes the logical connection between Jerry and cynics. The statement "Jerry is a comedianâ€ establishes that Jerry is within the class of all comedians. Since the major premise establishes that "all comedians are cynics," Jerry the comedian must also be a cynic. Answers A and B are incorrect because both are too over-inclusive for a logical conclusion (they use the word "all"). Answer C is incorrect because the conclusion is about Jerry's humor and not Jerry.

Question 12

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following:
A- All negligent drivers can be liable if the driver's negligence caused the plaintiffâ's injury
B- Darlene's negligence caused Plaintiff Paul's injury
C- Therefore...
A)Darlene caused Plaintiff Paul's injury
B)Darlene was negligent
C)Darlene can be liable for Plaintiff Paul's injury
D)Darlene has no defense to Plaintiff Paul's negligence suit

Accepted Answer

Darlene can be liable for Plaintiff Paul's injury. The major premise establishes that any driver who was negligent (that is, who had a duty and breached that duty) can be held liable if that negligence was the cause of the plaintiff's injury. Since the minor premise states that Darlene's negligence was within the category of negligence that caused Paul's injury, Darlene can be liable. Answer A is incorrect because it does not state that Darlene can be liable. Answer B is incorrect because the issue is causation and (potential) liability, not negligence. Answer C is not correct because the issue is causation and (potential) liability, not Darlene's defenses.

Question 13

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise:
A- All actors are extroverts
B- ...
C- George is an extrovert
A)Kramer is an actor
B)George is an actor
C)George is very outgoing
D)George acts like an extrovert

Accepted Answer

George is an actor. Here, the conclusion that "George is an extrovert" is given, and the major premise establishes a connection between actors and extroverts. Thus, the conclusion that George is an extrovert can only be reached in this question if George is within the class of actors. Answer A is incorrect because Kramer is not mentioned in the conclusion. Answer C is not correct because it basically restates the conclusion in different words. Answer D is not correct because it does not establish George's membership in (any) class.

Quiz 9: Comprehensive Examination: Reading

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: Some human beings are mortal. Plato is a human being.

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: All human beings are mortal. George is an extraterrestrial.

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: A- All negligent drivers who caused a plaintiff's injury are liable if the plaintiff suffered actual damages. B- Plaintiff Paul suffered actual damages from Darlene's negligent driving that caused his injury. C- Therefore...

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise: A- Stegosauruses were dinosaurs B-Stegosauruses were warm-blooded

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise: _________________________________________. Darlene is an automobile driver who breached the duty of care. Darlene was negligent.

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: All human beings are mortal. Plato is a human being.

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: A- All mountain lions are blue B- Peter saw a mountain lion C- Therefore...

Select the answer choice that correctly describes George's responses in the following: Jerry: Is Elaine in the apartment? George: Yes. Jerry: Is that true? George: No.

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: A- All automobile drivers owe a duty of care to others B-Darlene is a driver of an automobile C- Therefore...

At a press conference, a reporter asked a candidate for mayor, "Did you sleep with Annie Actress?" The candidate responded, "Definitely not." Another reporter asked, "Is that false?" The candidate responded, "Yes." Select the answer choice that correctly describes the candidate's responses:

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: A- All comedians are cynics B- Jerry is a comedian C-Therefore...

Select the answer choice that correctly completes the following: A- All negligent drivers can be liable if the driver's negligence caused the plaintiffâ's injury B- Darlene's negligence caused Plaintiff Paul's injury C- Therefore...

Select the answer choice that correctly provides the missing premise: A- All actors are extroverts B- ... C- George is an extrovert