Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum - Testing
Techniques
Testing Techniques
Pollution of our Oceans
(1) One of the great pollution problems today is ocean pollution, which
is defined as the presence of substances in the ocean that may in any way
be harmful to human or aquatic life. (2) On some American beaches you
will find hospital waste, dead animals, and all sorts of household
garbage. (3) Medical waste makes up only about one percent of the junk
in our oceans, however, and dead land animals even less. (4) Much more
significant in both quantity and danger is the huge amount of toxic
chemicals and sewage that America dumps into the oceans‹an average of
over THIRTY BILLION GALLONS EVERY DAY!!! (5) This waste is doing
terrible things to the coastal zone, which makes up about ten percent of
the ocean. (6) The coastal zone is where most fishing takes place. (7)
All the evidence suggests that unless we spend over a hundred billion
dollars to make the big changes that will end this massive assault on the
oceans, the destruction will continue at a very dangerous rate. (8)
Businesses and government at all levels must allocate massive amounts of
money to get our coastal waters clean and keep them clean!
1. If I am presented with the recommendation contained in (7), my only
choices are to accept it or reject it and let the destruction continue.
a. yes, those are the choices
b. not exactly, since the phrase "over a hundred billion dollars"
is so vague that it is useless as a guide to action
c. no, there are other possibilities so that's a false dilemma
2. Which claim presents the most serious assertion that evidence you
can't see exists to support a point?
a. (1) b. (4) c. (5) d. (7)
28. What would the writer most likely intend to be the conclusion of the
argument presented in the paragraph?
a. (1) b. (4) c. (5) d. (8)
29. From the information presented in (5), would you be logically
justified in concluding that there are some areas of the coastal zone
that are unaffected by pollution?
a. yes, because the paragraph clearly states that the coastal zone
is only ten percent of the ocean, meaning that ninety percent of the
ocean is unaffected
b. yes, because pollution could be doing terrible things to some parts
of the coastal zone, but the statement doesnąt prove that all of the
coastal zone is affected
c. no, because (5) is an A-claim and conversion is invalid for A-claims
d. no, because there is no evidence in (5) that there are areas of the
coastal zone that are unaffected by pollution
30. In (3) and (4), the writer is attempting to __________ the danger of
medical waste in the oceans in order to get us to devote more attention
to the danger of chemical waste.
a. eliminate b. downplay c. exaggerate d. ridicule
31. The definition of ocean pollution in (1) is an example of a
definition that is
a. analytical b. persuasive c. analytical and persuasive d. neither
analytical nor persuasive
32. Sentences (5) and (6) could function as _____________ premises in an
argument concluding that ocean pollution is a threat to the fishing
industry.
a. valid b. independent c. dependent d. red herring
Fundame
ntal Critical Thinking Competencies
An
alytical Writing Rubric
Sco
ring sheet for Analytical Writing Rubric
Discus
sion strategies that build critical thinking
Test
question formats that target critical thinking
The
case discussion method as critical thinking exercise
This document is maintained by:
gtropea@csuchico.edu
Last Updated: 2003.09.17