Critical Thinking Practice Quiz

The 30 questions on this practice test are similar to those on the Critical Thinking Assessment Practice Quiz

Critical Thinking Practice Quiz

Take as much time as you need, and then review the answer explanations below. Good luck!

1. You arrange a job interview for Monday morning. When you arrive at the office, the interviewer is not there. You wait for 20 minutes, but he does not show up. What pieces of information can help you create a context for this problem? (circle all that apply)
   1. You heard a traffic report about a tie-up on the interstate.
   2. You realize you forgot your resume, and need to go home to get it.
   3. The interviewer's secretary tells you the interview is on the calendar for Tuesday.
   4. The receptionist makes a comment about how the interviewer is not punctual.
2. Three problems arise at work simultaneously. In what order should you solve the following:
   1. A package must be shipped to your west coast office by 4:00.
   2. Your boss needs a report on profit projections for a 1:00 meeting.
   3. You accidentally delete the computer file containing the rough draft of the profit report.
3. Which rhetorical devices are used in the following? (choose all that apply)

"The Civil War was the darkest moment in human history. From bloody battlefields to brothers caught in bitter brawls, over half a million lost their lives. They fought over slavery, economics, and the very Constitution itself. Is it any wonder this sad episode in American history still fascinates?"

1. comparison
2. rhetorical question
3. sound pattern
4. hyperbole
4. Which statement is NOT an example of bias or stereotyping?
   1. I told Blair she needs a lawyer, but she refuses. She said they only care about making money for themselves.
   2. Todd said Ruth was promoted instead of him because she's a beautiful woman.
   3. I can't believe I got the lead in the school play. The guess I did okay at the audition!
   4. Nancy won't date anyone who hasn't graduated from an Ivy League school.
5. Which explains the following statement?

"If you do not start exercising, you will get heart disease."

1. It appeals to the senses.
2. It is an example of the logical fallacy called false dilemma.
3. It is a true statement even though it sounds drastic.
4. It is an example of the logical fallacy called post hoc ergo propter hoc.
6. Which is probably a personal web page?
   1. www.members.aol.com/pspeabody63/
   2. www.stateuniversity.edu
   3. www.fastfacts.com
   4. www.veteransunite.org
7. Steve has an unexpected emergency. He needs to fly to Seattle because his grandfather is in the hospital. Steve knows he'll be away from his apartment for at least three weeks. How can he troubleshoot problems that could occur while he's gone? (Circle all answers that apply.)
   1. Buy a new lock for his door.
   2. Leave a mail key with a neighbor who can collect Steve's mail so it doesn't pile up.
   3. Ask a friend who's an animal lover to care for his two cats.
   4. Clean out the refrigerator so food doesn't go bad before he returns.
8. Which is NOT a valid deductive argument?
   1. All the people at my party work in my department at the company. If Ross is at my party, then Ross must work in my department.
   2. When I wear red I think I look heavier. I'll wear this blue dress tonight. Therefore, I'll look really skinny.
   3. I'm can't eat shellfish because of my allergies. Shrimp are shellfish, so I can't eat these shrimp.
   4. I like all of Leonardo daVinci's paintings. He painted the Mona Lisa. Therefore, I like the Mona Lisa.
9. Why is the following statement NOT an example of problem solving?

   "The teacher gave me a low grade on my project because he's unhappy at home."

   1. because the speaker doesn't know how to cheer up the teacher
   2. because the speaker is just angry about getting a lower than expected grade
   3. because the speaker thinks the project was better than it really was
   4. because the speaker is making an assumption about the teacher that might not be true

Read the following passage, and answer questions 10 and 11.

One of the major causes of the French Revolution of 1789 was the social class system. The population was divided into three Estates, with the clergy, the monarchy, and noblemen in the top two, and peasants and the middle class in the third. Clergy and noblemen were not required to pay taxes, and had representation in the government. The monarchy lived lavishly and led a repressive regime that silenced its critics. The bourgeoisie paid heavy taxes, had no representation in the government, and resented the King's power and excesses. They grew angry at the unjust system, and finally revolted by storming the Bastille, a state prison in Paris.

10. What did the Bastille represent to the Third Estate?
    1. the place of last resort
    2. the excesses of the big city
    3. the unjust, repressive government
    4. the First and Second Estates
11. In France's three Estates of social class, the top two included the
    1. clergy, noblemen, and middle class.
    2. clergy, monarchy, and noblemen.
    3. monarchy, noblemen, and middle class.
    4. clergy, middle class, and peasants.
12. Ramona is unhappy in her current job and wants to find a new one. What is a realistic goal for her job search?
    1. "I want a new job by next month. I will read the classifieds for the next four weeks, answer all interesting ads the day I see them, and line up interviews when I get responses."
    2. "I want a new job by next month. I will update my resume, and send it out to every company I am interested in working for. I will follow up the mailing with phone calls until I get an interview."
    3. "I want a new job within the next few months. This week, I will work on my resume. For the next three weeks, I will research other companies. Then, I will start networking. With the contact information I get, I will send out my resumes."
    4. "I want a new job within the next year. I will do some networking, especially with my alumni organization. I will update my resume, and do some cold calling to see if there are any openings for someone with my skills and experience."
13. Which is NOT an example of post hoc reasoning?
    1. It always rains the same day I wash my car!
    2. Reba had eggs for breakfast and got a phone call that she won money.
    3. Tito's soccer team won every time he remembered to carry his lucky penny.
    4. Our band started playing more gigs after we advertised in the local paper.
14. You are assigned a paper on a current political topic, and your professor stresses that it must be balanced and objective. How can you evaluate the sources you find in the course of your research? (choose all that apply)
    1. Find out the author's credentials.
    2. Look for web pages written by individuals who seem to have done a lot of research on the topic.
    3. Check for statistical information.
    4. Check the author's sources to see if they are reputable.
15. You are considering accepting a job offer in another state, 400 miles away. List four problems you might encounter if you move. Brainstorm two possible solutions for each problem.

Problem 1:

Solution 1:

Solution 2:

Problem 2:

Solution 1:

Solution 2:

Problem 3:

Solution 1:

Solution 2:

Problem 4:

Solution 1:

Solution 2:

16. What problems will most likely result from the following scenario?

Because of rising health insurance costs for government workers, there is a budget crisis in your state. The governor vowed not to raise taxes, so she is making drastic cuts in services to balance the budget. The biggest cuts are to the Department of Transportation, which is getting just 50% of its projected needs.



17. What two things are wrong with the following survey?

An environmental group sent out a questionnaire to 500 of its members. It began with an introduction about how local politicians are making it easier for developers to get permits to build in designated wetlands areas. Then they asked, "Do you think our precious natural resources, such as wetlands, should be depleted, so a handful of developers can get richer?"

1. The population is not random—the questionnaire was only sent to group's members.
2. The margin of error is too high.
3. The population is too large.
4. The question is biased—"precious" and "get richer" indicate the author's subjective intent.
18. Which is an example of an unfinished claim?
    1. Only sensitive, intelligent people use Taupe Soap.
    2. Buy our ground beef—it is fresher and better tasting.
    3. Big Bob's Music World has the lowest prices on the hottest CDs.
    4. Stand out in a crowd! Wear LookAtMe perfume.
19. Your company has just moved its offices to a new building. There is a group of parking spaces designated for your company, but there are not enough spaces for everyone, and you must sometimes pay to park on the street. What is the best, most time-effective way to find out how to solve this problem?
    1. Write a letter to the property management company.
    2. Ask your personnel manager to look into the situation for you.
    3. Send an e-mail to your boss explaining the problem.
    4. Call the owner of the building.
20. Which word in each example is the equivocation?
    1. Pools are full of water, so car pools must be pretty wet rides.
    2. If everything is relative, then why aren't we related?
    3. This pasta sauce can't be light. It weighs just as much as a regular pasta sauce!
    4. This website is devoted to some really odd things. You are 21, so you should be mentioned on this website.
21. What is the best conclusion for the following inductive argument?

The last time we went up against this defense team, they had no concrete evidence, but they produced 150 boxes of documents. We wasted countless hours looking through them. For this case, we just got a truckload of documents. We should probably

1. read through every single sheet of paper, and document them, just in case.
2. assign a few paralegals to go through a random selection of boxes to see if there is anything worthwhile.
3. forget about them. There is probably nothing we need in those documents.
4. look at the top document in each box to see if it could be of use to our case.
22. Keela was assigned a term paper on the Hubble Space Telescope. She wants to find information on the federal funding of the telescope. Which website should she use to find this information?
    1. http://hubble.nasa.gov
    2. www.mindspring.com/~deline/
    3. www.pbs.org/deepspace/hubble/
    4. www.thehubbletelescope.com
23. Read the following, and then answer the question:

"I went to a pool party once and there was a terrible accident," Alexis said. "This one girl slipped, hit her head on the edge of the pool, and was hospitalized with a concussion! I'll never go to a pool party again!"

Alexis' assertion is an example of

1. a well-founded conclusion.
2. a hasty generalization.
3. an opinion that's valid.
4. circular reasoning.
24. What are four qualities of a valuable goal?
    1. written down, specific, measurable, told to a friend
    2. specific, measurable, realistic, honorable
    3. written down, realistic, deadline oriented, challenging
    4. specific, measurable, realistic, deadline oriented
25. Why is the following a poor judgment call?

During an audition for a new theater group, Gigi had a feeling the group president, Matthew, didn't like her. When he invited her to be part of the group and offered her a part in the first production, she turned him down. Why would I want to be around people who don't like me? she thought.

1. Gigi is unreasonable; she can't know for sure if Matthew liked her or not. And who cares, he obviously liked her work!
2. Gigi should take the part in the play to prove what a good actress she is.
3. Gigi is obviously jealous of Matthew because he is head of the group.
4. Gigi should rely on real facts, not just a hunch that someone doesn't like her, before deciding whether to join the acting group.
26. Which is the best conclusion for the following argument?

Every store in Madison Mall is having a 60% off sale on Thursday. Faye's Fashions is in Madison Mall. Therefore,

1. prices were lower at Faye's Fashions yesterday.
2. on Thursday, Faye's Fashions is having a 60% off sale.
3. prices at Madison Mall are lower than at Midtown Mall.
4. on Thursday, prices at the mall will be 20% less than today.
27. While (T) true or (F) false for each of the following statements.
    1. Internet search engines lead you only to the best sites about the subject you are researching.
    2. Some Internet sites cost money to search with full access.
    3. Subject directories are sometimes written by experts in their fields.
    4. Information on websites is just as reliable as information found in libraries.
28. Label each statement as an (A) argument or an (E) explanation.
    1. There must be something wrong with the modem, because this computer doesn't work.
    2. Gina was late to the party because she missed her train.
    3. All schools should have vending machines that dispense apples, other fruit, and granola snacks because experts say most kids don't get enough healthy food at home.
    4. Israel's going to California because he's starting at UCLA next month.
29. What is wrong with the following statement?

We would all benefit if we joined the union. They get salaries of up to $40,000, double pay for overtime, and $15 deductibles on health insurance policies for their workers.

1. Workers are rarely better off when they join a union.
2. The union is asking for too much from management and probably won't get it.
3. We don't know if the union gets double pay for overtime for everyone, or just some workers.
4. We don't know what the workers have already in terms of salary, overtime pay, and deductibles.
30. Identify each ad hominem fallacy as (A) abusive, (C) circumstantial, or (TQ) tu quoque.
    1. Of course he is against gun control. He works for a rifle manufacturer.
    2. I thought you said borrowing money was a bad idea. Now you are taking out a car loan? I guess you were wrong—borrowing money is a great idea.
    3. My boss is so cheap. I have been working for her for six months and I still haven't gotten a raise!
    4. Did you buy that children's book on morals? I heard the writer got charged with drunk driving. How can her book be anything but hypocritical garbage?