Question 1

"The term continent refers to Asia, Europe, Antarctica, and so forth." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

An enumerative definition specifies the members of the class the term denotes by listing them individually. In this case, the term "continent" is defined by enumerating examples such as Asia, Europe, and Antarctica.

Question 2

All vague expressions are ambiguous.

Accepted Answer

Vague expressions lack specificity or details, making them unclear, while ambiguous expressions have two or more possible meanings or interpretations. Not all vague expressions are ambiguous.

Question 3

" Blanker means someone who sends holiday cards without signatures or personalized messages." This is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

A stipulative definition assigns a new or currently existing term a specific meaning for the purposes of argument or discussion within a specific context, which is what is being done with the term "blanker" in this example.

Question 4

Vague language is useful and appropriate in certain contexts.

Accepted Answer

Vague language can be useful in diplomacy, negotiation, or casual conversation where being non-specific can avoid conflict, create a sense of inclusivity, or protect sensitive information.

Question 5

" Foal means a young horse." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A definition by genus and difference specifies the general category (genus) to which the term belongs (in this case, horse) and then distinguishes it from other members of that category by some characteristic (in this case, being young).

Question 6

Government officials and politicians are especially notorious for using euphemisms.

Accepted Answer

Euphemisms are often used by government officials and politicians to soften the impact of harsh or controversial policies, actions, or events, making them seem more palatable or less alarming to the public.

Question 7

The statement "Janey told her mother she needed to lose ten pounds" is primarily _____.

Accepted Answer

The statement is ambiguous because it's unclear whether "she" refers to Janey or her mother, making the meaning uncertain.

Question 8

" Affirmative action means a policy or practice that advantages women and/or minorities but unjustly discriminates against white males." This is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a persuasive definition because it is designed to influence attitudes or opinions about affirmative action by including a value judgment ("unjustly discriminates against white males") in the definition.

Question 9

" Passion derives from the Greek pathos, meaning emotion." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an etymological definition because it explains the origin of the word "passion" by tracing it back to its Greek roots, specifically the word "pathos," which means emotion.

Question 10

Officer: "Can you describe the bank robber?" Al: "Sure, he was between three feet tall and nine feet tall." In this dialogue, Al's statement is overgeneral but not vague.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Officer: "Can you describe the bank robber?"...

Question 11

" Fruit means orange, banana, pear, plum, and so forth." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of " Fruit means orange, banana, pear, plum,...

Question 12

" Barn means a building for storing hay, grain, etc., and often for housing livestock." This is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a lexical definition because it provides the conventional meaning of the word "barn" as it is used in everyday language, without altering or specifying its meaning for a particular context.

Question 13

" Beauty pageant means a demeaning competition in which fluffhead women or girls compete to be judged 'most beautiful' according to stereotypical male standards of beauty." This is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a persuasive definition because it is designed to sway opinion or influence emotion by using evaluative or emotive language, rather than neutrally defining the term.

Question 14

" Capitalism means an exploitative economic system in which ownership of the means of production lies chiefly in the hands of private individuals, and workers are deprived of a just share of what they produce." This definition is too _____.

Accepted Answer

The definition is biased or presents a one-sided view, which is what "slanted" means. It emphasizes the negative aspects of capitalism, suggesting exploitation, rather than providing a neutral or comprehensive description.

Question 15

"Today, Eric passed by a huge pile of garbage lying by the side of the road. The ugly sight repulsed him and aggravated his already foul mood." This sentence best exemplifies the use of _____.

Accepted Answer

The sentence uses emotive words like "huge," "ugly," "repulsed," and "foul" to evoke a strong emotional response and describe Eric's feelings towards the garbage pile, making "emotive words" the best choice.

Question 16

"Yesterday, Michelle watched a horror movie that was so terrifying, it sent chills down her spine." In this statement, the words "horror," "terrifying," and "chills" can best be described as _____.

Accepted Answer

The words "horror," "terrifying," and "chills" evoke strong emotions, making them emotive in nature.

Question 17

"We had to put the puppy to sleep," said to a small child, is an inappropriate use of a euphemism.

Accepted Answer

Using "put the puppy to sleep" is a softer way of explaining the concept of death to a small child, making it an appropriate use of a euphemism to convey a difficult topic in a more gentle manner.

Question 18

Words like "bank," "star," and "mouse" are primarily ambiguous.

Accepted Answer

These words are considered primarily ambiguous because they each have multiple meanings that are widely recognized and used. For example, "bank" can refer to the side of a river or a financial institution, "star" can mean a celestial body or a famous person, and "mouse" can refer to a small rodent or a computer input device.

Question 19

" Vertebrate means mammal, bird, reptile, fish, etc." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

This is a definition by subclass, as it lists specific examples (mammal, bird, reptile, fish) that fall under the broader category of vertebrates.

Question 20

" Fidelity means faithfulness." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A synonymous definition explains the meaning of a term by providing a synonym, which is exactly what is done here by defining "fidelity" with the synonym "faithfulness."

Quiz 4: Language

"The term continent refers to Asia, Europe, Antarctica, and so forth." This is an example of a(n) _____.

All vague expressions are ambiguous.

" Blanker means someone who sends holiday cards without signatures or personalized messages." This is an example of a _____.

Vague language is useful and appropriate in certain contexts.

" Foal means a young horse." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Government officials and politicians are especially notorious for using euphemisms.

The statement "Janey told her mother she needed to lose ten pounds" is primarily _____.

" Affirmative action means a policy or practice that advantages women and/or minorities but unjustly discriminates against white males." This is an example of a _____.

" Passion derives from the Greek pathos, meaning emotion." This is an example of a(n) _____.

Officer: "Can you describe the bank robber?" Al: "Sure, he was between three feet tall and nine feet tall." In this dialogue, Al's statement is overgeneral but not vague.

" Fruit means orange, banana, pear, plum, and so forth." This is an example of a(n) _____.

" Barn means a building for storing hay, grain, etc., and often for housing livestock." This is an example of a _____.

" Beauty pageant means a demeaning competition in which fluffhead women or girls compete to be judged 'most beautiful' according to stereotypical male standards of beauty." This is an example of a _____.

" Capitalism means an exploitative economic system in which ownership of the means of production lies chiefly in the hands of private individuals, and workers are deprived of a just share of what they produce." This definition is too _____.

"Today, Eric passed by a huge pile of garbage lying by the side of the road. The ugly sight repulsed him and aggravated his already foul mood." This sentence best exemplifies the use of _____.

"Yesterday, Michelle watched a horror movie that was so terrifying, it sent chills down her spine." In this statement, the words "horror," "terrifying," and "chills" can best be described as _____.

"We had to put the puppy to sleep," said to a small child, is an inappropriate use of a euphemism.

Words like "bank," "star," and "mouse" are primarily ambiguous.

" Vertebrate means mammal, bird, reptile, fish, etc." This is an example of a(n) _____.

" Fidelity means faithfulness." This is an example of a(n) _____.