Pre-Assessment review Flashcards
Which question describes a problem for which experts generally agree there is a single best solution?
What is the best strategy to win a chess match?
What is the best way to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building?
What is the easiest way to stimulate economic growth?
What is the shortest route from New York to California by automobile?
What is the shortest route from New York to California by automobile?
A group of students is working on a research project based on the topic of ethical animal care. They have decided that the first step is to clarify the problem they want to address.
Which of the following is a question of judgment that clarifies the problem?
What is the best way to address the high number of unwanted pets?
How profitable is the pet care industry?
What percentage of households own pets?
What breed of animal is most commonly abandoned?
Which of the following is a question of judgment that clarifies the problem?
A large urban school district spends more per pupil than any other district in the state; yet this district’s graduation rate is the lowest.
Sharply declining state revenues have forced political leaders to consider cuts across the entire state budget. Even so, Senator A argues that funding for the urban school district should not be cut because more funding is needed to counter problems particular to an urban setting. Senator B, meanwhile, argues that funding should be cut because the urban district is not improving its graduation rate. Senator B’s position is based on an incomplete survey conducted by personal staff members, which indicates that cutting funding will make the district focus on basic academics. This has also been the result after decreasing funding for public education in suburban areas in other states.
For the last 12 years, an organization representing parents and teachers in the urban district has argued for an increase in funds to support programs that encourage students to stay in school and graduate. A public university conducted a study of the urban school district and recommended that funding be increased to meet the needs of the urban district. This year, funding for the public schools will be competing with road funding, a priority for the business sector in the state. A private management business has offered to take over the urban school district at a lower cost to guarantee a higher graduation rate. Last year a private school in the same city produced three National Merit Scholar finalists.
Note: Graduation rates do not include students who leave the district without graduating, but who graduate from another district. Dropout rates in this district are compiled for the twelfth-grade year only.
Which statements are both accurate and relevant in determining funding for this urban district?
Even though the entire state budget will likely decrease for the next year, an appeal for more funding for education is relevant because a real need exists.
Graduation rates may be inaccurate because not all students are tracked after leaving the district.
Graduation rates are accurate because dropout rates are determined in the senior year.
It is irrelevant that three National Merit
Scholars graduated from a private school in the city this year.
It is irrelevant that the parent teacher organization argues for a funding increase because they do that every year.
It is irrelevant that the business sector has placed a priority on road construction, since this competes with education funding.
It is relevant to compare the effects of reduced funding in suburban districts in other states with an urban district.
Even though the entire state budget will likely decrease for the next year, an appeal for more funding for education is relevant because a real need exists.
Graduation rates may be inaccurate because not all students are tracked after leaving the district.
It is irrelevant that three National Merit
Scholars graduated from a private school in the city this year.
An animal shelter, serving a low-income community, is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of homeless cats and dogs received at the shelter. The shelter staff are worried because the increase is impacting their ability to care equally for all their other animals and many people in the community cannot afford to adopt a dog or cat. They decide to implement a new promotion where they keep the current fee structure and reduce the paperwork and forego the usual reference checks to encourage more adoptions.
Which of the below are implications of this proposed solution?
Choose two answers.
Many people have no interest at all in adopting a dog or cat.
Other animals may not receive the care they need.
Adoption fees may prevent people from participating.
There are too many homeless cats and dogs at the shelter.
Pets may be matched with irresponsible owners.
Adoption fees may prevent people from participating.
Pets may be matched with irresponsible owners.
Which question requires critical thinking?
What is the order of colors in a double rainbow?
What is an acronym for remembering the colors of the rainbow?
Which atmospheric conditions must exist for a rainbow to be visible?
What are ways to help ensure that rainbows will continue to be visible in the future?
What are ways to help ensure that rainbows will continue to be visible in the future?
You are writing an essay on the proliferation of AIDS throughout the world. You have been asked to document the problem and its possible solutions using evidence and reasoning.
Which of the following would be relevant sources for this topic?
Choose 3 answers
An article that examines the cost of living with AIDS
A document that profiles individuals living with AIDS in Africa
A study on current AIDS treatments in various parts of the world
An essay by a medical doctor who has treated AIDS victims in other countries
A document that discusses the probable causes of AIDS in Africa
A speech given by a prominent researcher in the field of AIDS research
An essay by a medical doctor who has treated AIDS victims in other countries
A document that discusses the probable causes of AIDS in Africa
A speech given by a prominent researcher in the field of AIDS research
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, or national origin.
Which of the following ethical perspectives are relevant to this law?
Choose 3 answers
Equal access to housing facilities requires accommodating all people.
All people should have access to adequate financing, regardless of income.
Children and adults should have equal access to recreational facilities in multiple housing developments, such as condominium projects.
In multiple housing developments which have a “no pets” designation, blind residents should be allowed to keep guide dogs.
Reasonable people should respect the rights and needs of others in regard to housing.
Ethical concepts are impossible to apply to housing issues.
Children and adults should have equal access to recreational facilities in multiple housing developments, such as condominium projects.
In multiple housing developments which have a “no pets” designation, blind residents should be allowed to keep guide dogs.
Reasonable people should respect the rights and needs of others in regard to housing.
Ethical concepts are impossible to apply to housing issues.
World food prices have hit an all-time high, driven up by price increases in wheat, corn, sugar, and oils. The price of wheat has doubled within a six-month period. While these soaring prices have had only a modest effect on U.S. inflation, they have devastated the world’s poor who spend a majority of their income on basic food staples.
Politicians and scientists continue to argue over the cause of rising food prices. Some believe the jump in prices can be attributed to bad policies set by the U.S. Federal Reserve, and others believe that commodities speculation is to blame. But most scientists, including those from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, believe higher food prices were caused by two major factors: (1) low production due to severe weather around the world, including extreme heat in Russia, drought in Brazil, and flooding in Australia; and (2) a large portion of the world’s corn going toward ethanol production instead of food. Regardless, the world’s poor continue to suffer.
Which of the following are plausible solutions to the given problem?
Choose 3 answers
Increase subsidies to encourage farmers to produce more of the basic crops such as wheat and corn.
Keep U.S.-produced crops in the United States to take care of the nation’s poor.
Develop ways of growing crops indoors so weather will no longer be a factor.
Rely on world food organizations to redistribute and ration the food in a fair and equitable way so the poor get a share.
Consider the effects of greenhouse gases on climate change and set policies accordingly.
Set government policies that will lower the cost of basic food staples to the poorest people.
Reconsider tax incentives offered for production of alternative fuels.
Consider the effects of greenhouse gases on climate change and set policies accordingly.
Set government policies that will lower the cost of basic food staples to the poorest people.
Reconsider tax incentives offered for production of alternative fuels.
Read the following excerpt from Albert J. Beveridge’s 1898 speech “The March of the Flag”:
“What does all this mean for every one of us? It means opportunity for all the glorious young manhood of the republic–the most virile, ambitious, impatient, militant manhood the world has ever seen.”
Which two fallacies occur in the excerpt?
Choose 2 answers
Evading questions Post hoc reasoning Begging the question Flattering the audience Sweeping generalizations
Flattering the audience
Sweeping generalizations
Due to an increase in the number of degree programs at a local college, there has been a significant increase in job placement for graduates. College administrators believe it is because new degree programs have been created to meet the demands of a changing job market.
Which of the following activities will help validate this explanation for the increase?
Look for a common element in other degree programs which lead to high job placement
Review surveys of graduates who did not participate in the new degree programs that indicate increased job placements
Interview professors about the value of their classes and course content
Examine the decrease in the number of credit hours required to complete a degree
Look for a common element in other degree programs which lead to high job placement
During recent practices, there has been a significant increase in the number of sprained ankles and knees among players of a very successful sports team that is going to compete in the state championship. The coach has decided to compare ankle and knee sprains during recent practices to those in the regular season.
What actions would a sports coach take to determine injuries by using the common factor method?
Choose 2 answers
The coach would determine if the injured players were playing the same position.
The coach would consider and rule out factors unrelated to the increase in injuries.
The coach would look for differences between the injured players’ practice shoes and game-day shoes.
The coach would investigate whether the injured players’ warm-up routines were similar.
The coach would observe players during different types of practice routines
The coach would determine if the injured players were playing the same position.
The coach would investigate whether the injured players’ warm-up routines were similar.
An individual has recently been reading about the use of animals in medical testing. The individual doesn’t know much about animal testing, but on the surface, doesn’t like it. However, the individual has a friend who suffers from an incurable disease and could possibly benefit from medical research conducted on animals. The friend has told the individual it could be a matter of life or death for certain people. The friend is adamant that medical testing on animals should be continued because it saves human lives.
What are the underlying assumptions in the friend’s reasoning?
Choose 2 answers
The life of a human is more valuable than the life of an animal.
People who do not support animal testing are not compassionate.
The animals are not being harmed in the medical testing process.
Only undesirable animals are used for animal testing.
Steps should be taken to save human lives whenever possible.
The life of a human is more valuable than the life of an animal.
Steps should be taken to save human lives whenever possible.
How would an elected official’s point of view influence that official’s approach to public education?
Choose 2 answers
The elected official’s desire to be re-elected may bring the official to adopt the minority view on how to support education.
The elected official’s desire to reach a balanced budget may influence the official to increase education funding.
The official’s desire to fund an expensive road-building project may influence the official to limit educational funding.
The official’s enthusiasm for sports may influence the official to support funding for education if it includes increased spending for athletic programs.
The official’s desire to raise educational achievement in public education may influence the official to cut funding for assessment in education.
The official’s desire to fund an expensive road-building project may influence the official to limit educational funding.
The official’s enthusiasm for sports may influence the official to support funding for education if it includes increased spending for athletic programs.
A teacher has taught high school for twenty years and has become increasingly annoyed with the disruption that tardiness creates. Still, the teacher cares about all students and wants them to be successful.
How would bias be likely to impact the teacher’s reaction to student tardiness and student success?
It would make the teacher hesitant to change classroom policies.
It would make the teacher want to emphasize punctuality.
It would make the teacher more likely to begin class late.
It would make the teacher feel there is more validity in the content area.
It would make the teacher want to emphasize punctuality.
An excerpt from a hypothetical news story reads:
“The tobacco industry is backing campaigns to help people control smoking. While the campaigns aren’t designed to urge all smokers to quit, they are aimed at those who want to quit.”
Why should the campaign be regarded as potentially biased?
Because the tobacco lobbyists are powerful and exert influence over politicians
Because people can stop smoking on their own without the help of the tobacco industry
Because the tobacco industry is a commercial enterprise that loses money when people stop smoking
Because the tobacco industry knows that consumers are well-educated on the dangers of tobacco use
Because the tobacco industry is a commercial enterprise that loses money when people stop smoking
