Exam 3: Clear Thinking,critical Thinking,and Clear Writing

Criticize the following claim based on the material from Chapter 3 of the text. "Alcohol is present in about 50 percent of fatal traffic accidents among teenagers."

Exercise:Find an example of,and discuss,A)a persuasive definition,and B)a precising definition.

Indicate whether this informal definition is by example,by synonym,or analytical:"Dacha" is another word for "Russian country house."

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. Beard:a bettor who places bets for a friend with a bookie who has cut off the friend for not paying,for snitching to the police,or for having won too much.-The Los Angeles Police Department

Determine whether the claim in the following is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:"Well,let's see.To get to the Woodward Mall,go down this street a couple of blocks,and turn right.Go through several stoplights,turn left,and go just a short way.You can't miss it."

Considering the context in which it was most likely uttered,would you say the following claim is ambiguous,too vague,or neither? The instructions for a set of exercises:"Determine whether these claims are too vague given the contexts that are stated or implied."

Exercise:Are you familiar with the word,"ursine"? 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. )

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. Lytton is quite rich,but then,he is a.frugal. b.stingy. c.thrifty. d.miserly. e.greedy. f.a skinflint.

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. The world and everything in it was created fifteen minutes ago,complete with fictitious memories and false records.

Write two letters of general recommendation,one positive and one not so positive,for the same individual.Both letters are to describe the same facts-for example,that the individual graduated with a B average,played varsity tennis,seems well liked by others,has a sense of humor.

Invent three examples of semantically ambiguous claims.

Classify the following:"Bogey is the same as one over par."

Using a name or description of an item that you can't point to,provide a definition by example for "toothache." If you have difficulty doing so,try to identify the source of the trouble.

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. I've known Hawthorne for twenty years,and you're right,he's a.domineering. b.masterful. c.lordly. d.overbearing. e.dictatorial. f.bossy.

Classify the following:"To fledge an arrow is to fletch or feather it."

Exercise:Find an example in a radio or television advertisement of a claim that is vague enough to add nothing new to a potential buyer's information.(These are easy to find-your instructor may require a number of them. )

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. "In no previous epoch were adversaries so continuously and totally mobilized for instant war.It is a statistical certainty that hair-trigger readiness cannot endure as a permanent condition."-Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr.Bernard Lown,cofounder of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War

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. Bomb threats on abortion clinics are called in by the clinics themselves to gain sympathy and support from the public and news media.

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

Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and whether this contains grouping ambiguities),syntactically ambiguous,or free from ambiguity:San Francisco (AP)-"A group of citizens angry about the lack of public restrooms downtown is planning a sit-in at City Hall,leaving employees no place to go."