Exam 3: Cost Volume Profit Analysis and Pricing Decisions

Classify the following: "Loquacious means talkative."

Rank the claims in the following set from general to least vague. a. Dennis was a monster all evening. b. Dennis was well-behaved while the guests were here. c. Dennis was ill-mannered toward the guests. d. Dennis threw a tantrum in front of everybody.

Criticize the following claim based on the material from Chapter 3 of the text. Cash customers this line only.

Considering the context in which it was most likely uttered, would you say the following claim is ambiguous, too vague, or neither? POLICE NAB STUDENTS WITH PAIR OF PLIERS -Journal and Courier (Lafayette, Ind.)

Classify the following: "Tenor applies to vocal ranges like Pavarotti's."

Classify the following definition according to its use: to reduce vagueness, to introduce or explain a new or unusual word, to evoke an attitude about something, or to accomplish some other purpose. "In this book we use the word universe to denote a 'model of the Universe' and avoid making pretentious claims to a knowledge of the Universe."-Edward R. Harrison, Cosmology

Define "farmer" by synonyms, using one synonym that carries a complimentary meaning and one that carries a derogatory emotive meaning.

Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: A diode is a solid-state electronic device that allows the passage of an electric current in only one direction.

Exercise: Are you familiar with the word, "besotted?" Provide a definition. If the term is unfamiliar, make a guess about its meaning based on its appearance or sound, and create your own definition. Then look the word up, and find out how close you got. (We provide a thumbnail meaning as answer.)

Which item in the following set of claims has the most negative emotive meaning? a. Conversation is not Daryll's forte. b. Daryll descends from simple folk, you know, "people of the earth." c. Daryll is not very clever. d. Daryll would lose a duel of wits with a gum ball machine.

For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or analytical: "An oxymoron? Try 'military intelligence.'"

Which item in the following set of claims has the most negative emotive meaning? a. She occasionally lapsed in her duty toward others. b. She didn't care how her actions would negatively affect others. c. She seized opportunities to cause misfortune to others. d. She was vicious toward others.

Definitions by synonym or definitions by example might serve to reduce the vagueness of an expression.

Discuss whether the vagueness of the following passage is appropriate to the context that is stated or implied. Pay particular attention to the underlined expression. I am 100 percent devoted to family values. -from a political speech during the 2008 presidential campaign

Evaluate the following claim, paying particular attention to problems of clarity. Note that claims may also present problems of knowability, though we don't address knowability per se in this chapter. Every socialist country in the world has been a violator of the fundamental human rights of individuals.

Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from ambiguity: He passed out and was later found by a group of stray sheep.

Evaluate the following claim, paying particular attention to problems of clarity. Note that claims may also present problems of knowability, though we don't address knowability per se in this chapter. I'm not very photogenic-no photograph anybody has ever taken of me really looks like me.

Discuss whether the vagueness of the following passage is appropriate to the context that is stated or implied. Pay particular attention to the underlined expressions. "I believe the worth of any economic policy must be measured by the strength of its commitment to American families, the bedrock of our society. There is no instrument of hard work, savings, and job creation as effective as the family. There is no cultural institution as ennobling as family life, and there is no superior-indeed, no equal-means to rear the young, protect the weak, or attend the elderly-none. Yet past government policies betrayed families and family values. They permitted inflation to push families relentlessly into higher and higher tax brackets. And not only did the personal exemption fail to keep pace with inflation, in real dollars its actual value dropped dramatically over the last thirty years." -Radio address given by Ronald Reagan in December 1985

Criticize the following claim based on the material from Chapter 3 of the text. "Who won?"-ABC poll question, after a presidential debate

Arrange the lettered items below in order of increasingly favorable emotive meaning. Instructor and/or students may want to fuss about some of our rankings in these problems. We've said (a) = (b) when (a) and (b) seem equally favorable to us. Personally, I find Harold very a. agreeable. b. congenial. c. manageable. d. submissive. e. flexible. f. yielding.