Chapter 8-12 TFY MindMaps

Chapter 13 - 14 CRCB MindMaps

Chapter 9-12 CRCB MindMaps

Chapter 8 CRCB MindMaps

TFY Chapter 10-12 Exercises

Chapter 10

Fallacies:

What’s a Faulty Argument?

Chapter Quiz

Identify the following arguments either as NF for not fallacious or by the types of fallacious arguments indicated for each section. In some cases, you may find that more than one fallacy applies; choose the one you feel to be the most appropriate. Be prepared to defend your answers.

Part I

In this section, look for arguments that are Misapplied Euphemisms, Band Wagon, Appeal to Fear, and Nonfallacious.

1. It was announced today that our troops, who have been shelled for some weeks now in Lebanon, have made a strategic transfer to their ships offshore of that country. ME
2. In China, Europe, and Brazil, efforts are being made to control the population growth that adds one billion people to the planet every decade. NF
3. “Africa, the birthplace of humankind, provides a disturbing clue to our future. As I fly across areas that were forests just years ago and see them becoming desert, I worry. Too many people crowd this continent, so poor they strip the land for food and wood for fuel. The subject of my life’s work and our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees and gorillas are slaughtered for food or captured for the live-animal trade. Pollution of air, land, and water abounds.” NF
4. Five million people have already seen this movie. Shouldn’t you? BW
5. Why do I think the president’s program is sound? It is sound because the polls show that the vast majority supports it. BW
6. By a margin of two to one, shoppers prefer Brand X to any of the leading competitors. Reason enough to buy Brand X. BW
7. What if your bank fails and takes your life savings? Buy diamonds-the safe investment. AF
8. There is virtually no tar in these cigarettes. ME
9. It has been estimated that illegal aliens are costing our taxpayers in excess of $5 billion a year. Should our senior citizens be denied full health care benefits, should our children suffer overcrowded classrooms in order to subsidize the costs of illegal aliens? AF
10. There are plenty of people out there on the streets waiting to get your job. If you go on strike, you may find yourself out there with them. AF
11. The natural way to relieve muscular pain is through our vitamin ointment. It relieves pain from burns, stiff neck, backache, swelling, and so forth. ME

Chapter 11

Exercise

Inductive Reasoning and Inductive Fallacies

Chapter Quiz

Rate the following statements as true or false. If you decide the statement is false, then revise the statement to make it a true one.

1. Inductive reasoning is also known as the scientific method. T
2. You are out swimming in the ocean and you see some fish with prominent sharp teeth swimming around you. You know that some fish with sharp teeth are predatory. You take off without waiting around to see if they might harm you. Your decision is based on analogous reasoning. T
3. You could use inductive reasoning to put together a picture puzzle if all the pieces were available, even if there were no box cover to show what the whole picture would look like when it was finished. T
4. There is a contest to guess how many gumballs are in a jar. You can use inductive reasoning to figure this out. T
5. Inductive reasoning could help you cook a new dish by carefully following instructions from a cookbook. F
6. Inductive reasoning can extrapolate reliable predictions from only one or two examples of a phenomenon.
7. Counterexamples can test or refute theories or generalizations. T
8. A hypothesis is a theory that can lead to new facts and discoveries, but the hypothesis itself is not a certainty. T
9. Statistical evidence is always reliable regardless of the attitudes of the people who research and present the information. F

Chapter 12

Deductive Reasoning: How Do I Reason from Premises?

Exercise

Chapter Quiz

1. A premise is a reason given to support a conclusion. T
2. Syllogisms are used in logic because logicians like to make their knowledge arcane, or hidden and secret. F
3. Logic is less concerned with truth than with whether one statement follows reasonably from another. T
4. Reasoning occurs only in deduction – not in induction. F
5. A generalization reached through induction can become a premise used in a deductive syllogism. T
6. “All homeowners are taxpayers. He is a property owner. Therefore, he is a taxpayer.” This is a valid argument. T
7. “Bloodletting reduces fever. This patient has fever. This patient needs bloodletting.” This syllogism shows valid reasoning although both premises may not be true. T
8. “White-skinned people are superior to dark-skinned people. Therefore, it is the manifest destiny of white-skinned people to rule dark-skinned people.” No country would ever accept such fallacious reasoning as this. F

State whether the reasoning in each of the following syllogisms is correct or incorrect:

9. “If the two parties agree, then there is no strike. The two parties agree.

Therefore, there is no strike. Correct

10. “If the two parties agree, then there is no strike.

There is no strike. Incorrect

Therefore, the two parties agree.

11. “If the two parties agree, then there is no strike.

The two parties do not agree. Incorrect

Therefore, the two parties do not agree.

12. “If the two parties agree, then there is no strike.

There is a strike. Correct

Therefore, the two parties do not agree.

Chapter 14 CRCB MindMap

Chapter 14 Exercise - Post Test

Post Test
Part I
1. Match the words

1. Rubric - A type of chart used to evaluate a product or process.
2. HTML - - The computer language of the WWW.
3. 2RCA - A mnemonic used to remember the seven-step website evaluation.
4. WWW - Countless networks of computers that are connected.
5. Internet - A visual component of the Internet, which can include pitures, sound, video clips, and more.

2. An "open-minded skeptic" refers to someone
a. Who does not accept everything read as truth but is willing to consider an research questionable information.

3. Which of the seven steps of the Internet source evaluation system is missing from this list: know your purpose; evaluate the look and content; know the intendded audience; evaluate the writing; compare content to what you already know; double-check your facts and sources.
c. Consider the source

4. Which of the following is not a reason to use a rubric?
d. To determine if you will receive a good grade on your research paper.

5. If information is relevant, it is
b. Related to the topic you are researching.


SUMMARY CHAPTER 14 CRCB

One must be an "open-minded skeptic" when considering internet sources. The seven-step internet source evaluation system is best remembered by using the mnemonic 2RCA, Relevancy, Reliability, Credibility and Accuracy. The seven steps are (1) know your purpose, (2) double-check facts and sources, (3) Consider the source, (4) Evaluate content, (5) determine intended audience, (6) evaluate the writing and lastly, (7) Use what you already know.

Chapter 11 MindMap

Chapter 13 CRCB MindMap

Chapter 13 CRCB Summary

Benjamin Bloom was well known for "Bloom's Taxonomy". It lists the six levels of thinking teachers use in testing their students. Critical reading involves asking and answering questions at these six levels. The levels are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Chapter 13 CRCB Exercise 13a

Knowledge Level Questions

Read each question and choose the best answer from the choices given.

1. What example is used to illustrate an inappropriate way of disagreeing with another group member?
b. Your proposal is the work of a fool with one eye and half a brain.

2. Which of the following is not a rule of proactive conflict management?
c. Employees with the most seniority are best at making a decision that affects us all.

3. According to the excerpt, why is conflict constructive?
a. Because every person has the right to disagree, if necessary.

Chapter 12 CRCB Summary

Arguments have at least one conclusion and one reason. A way to look for the argument is through word clues. The two types of arguments are deductive and inductive. Arguments can be evaluated by determining dependability and distinguishing fact from opinion. Another way of evaluating them is by detecting fallacies. Some examples of fallacies are Hasty Generalization, Red Herring, False Cause, Slippery Slope, Ad Hominem and Circular Reasoning.

Chapter 12 CRCB MindMap

Chapter 12 CRCB Exercise 12K

Chapter 12
Critical Reading for College and Beyond
Exercise 12k

Detecting Fallacies

Read the following arguments and determine if they contain a fallacy or error in reasoning; if so, identify what kind it is. The first one is modeled for you.

1. If you don’t get good grades, you’ll never get to college.

If you don’t get into college, you’ll never get a job.
Therefore, you’ll end up a homeless person in some major city.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited?
Slippery slope (an event will precipitously lead to another event, which will lead to another event, and so on.)

2. Flowers are so beautiful in the springtime.
The air seems cleaner and the grass seems greener.
In my opinion, there is something so rejuvenating about the onset of spring.
Error in reasoning? None
If so, which fallacy was commited?

3. The doctor said that I could either stick to his diet plan, or accept being overweight.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? Either/Or (allows for only two answers to a problem when in fact there may be more)

4. Ima Geeke, mayoral candidate, suggest changing several local laws. She believes that the laws need to be more reflective of the times. She’s just a generation X’er; what does she know?
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? Ad Hominem (they avoid the true issue by attacking the person they disagree with)

5. Every student who earns a 3.0 grad point average or higher is eligible for the Lah D. Dah scholarship. I have a 3.2 GPA. If I apply, I could get the scholarship.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? Circular Reasoning (make two statements that essentially say the same thing)

6. If I go to the casino with Andy, I know that I’ll win money.
The first time I went to the casino with Andy, I won $10.
The second time, I won $50.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? False Claim (fails to explain how the conclusion and reasons are connected to each other, or provides unclear or faulty connections)

7. Judy gave an outstanding presentation in class today, and I admit that she seems like a good candidate for student council. But I am leery of someone whose parents support euthanasia.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? Red Herring (introduce irrelevant material to distract readers) or Ad Hominem ( avoid the true issue of an argument by attacking)

8. It’s easy to prove that Santa Claus exists. Most people do believe in Santa, even if they are not able to define exactly what they mean in the same way. To some it means a real person living in the North Pole. To some it’s a spirit of giving, a supernatural force. And to others, he’s a saint. But setting aside the differences in these interpretations, we can be confident that there is a Santa because Santa would not cause so many people to believe in him if he did not exist.
Error in reasoning? No
If so, which fallacy was commited?

9. I’m not bringing my brother to the Rangers’ football games anmore. Every time I bring him, the team loses.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? False Cause

10. May Aspirin will help relieve headaches because May Aspirin contains a secret new ingredient, which serves to increase the strength of relief it provides. What is the secret ingredient? It is an ingredient that has the ability to provide relief from headaches. So buy May Aspirin and get relief from your headaches.
Error in reasoning? Yes
If so, which fallacy was commited? Circular

Chapter 11 CRCB Summary and Exercise

Chapter 11 CRCB
Reading, Understanding, and Creating Visual Aids
Summary

Visual aides help the reader better understand the material. There are many different types of visual aides. A few examples are Charts and tables, diagrams, illustrations, graphs, time lines and outlines. You will find that when creating your own visual aide, you must first have a good understanding and be able to organize and prioritize the information, then put it in a logical format.











Chapter 11 CRCB
Reading, Understanding, and Creating Visual Aids
Exercise 11c
Reading Illustrations

What is the purpose of the visual?
To show the brain activity while sleeping.


What parts of the brain are active during sleep, according to Figure 11-2?
Complex visual processing
Attention
Emotion
Memory formation
Arousal

According to Figure 11.2, which part(s) of the brain is inactive during sleep?
Motivation

Chapter 10 CRCB Summary and Exercise

CRCB
Chapter 10
Textbook Marking
Summary

Textbook marking can be very beneficial to students and can aid in learning. It is a way of marking, highlighting and underlining text in order to differentiate things that are important. The three basic markings you should make in your textbook should identify the main idea, important details, and vocabulary. Margin cues are symbols or notations written in the margins indicating what was marked and why. A list of common margin cues symbols used are “def” for Vocabulary/Definitions, “MI” for Main idea and “ID” for Important detail. You can develop your on personalized system as long as it is consistent and works for you.


CRCB
Exercise 10a
Identifying What’s Important.

Read the following excerpt, and highlight (bold) the main ideas and underline the major supporting details. Circle (italicize) the word clues that helped you identify the major supporting details.

What Do Scientists Do?

Scientists collect scientific data, or facts, by making observations and taking measurements, but this is not the main purpose of science. As French scientist Henri Poincare put it, “Science is built up of facts, but a collection of facts is no more science than a heap of stones is a house.”
Scientists try to describe what is happening in nature by organizing data into a generalization or scientific law. Thus, scientific data are stepping stones to a scientific law, a description of the orderly behavior observed in nature – a summary of what we find happening in nature over and over in the same way. For example, after making thousands of measurements involving changes in matter, chemists concluded that in any physical change (such as converting liquid water to water vapor) or any chemical change (such as burning coal) no matter is created or destroyed. This summary of what we always observe in nature is called the law of conservation of matter, as discussed in more detail later in this chapter.
Scientists then try to explain how or why things happen the way a scientific law describes them. For example, why does the law of conservation of matter work? To answer such questions, investigators develop a scientific hypothesis, an educated guess that explains a scientific law or certain scientific facts. More than 2,400 years ago Greek philosophers proposed that all matter is composed of tiny particles called atoms, but they had no experimental evidence to back up their atomic hypothesis. Scientists, also develop and use various types of scientific models to simulate complex processes and systems. Many are mathematical models that are run and tested using computers.

Chapter 9 and 10 Summary and Exercises TFY

Chapter 9 Argument:
What’s a Good Argument?

1 Reason 1. Students who want well-paying careers upon graduation should train themselves to be computer programmers. Most cities are full of advertisements for computer programmers.


1 Reason 2. By the study of different religions we find that in essence they are one. All are concerned with revelations or breakthrough experiences that can redirect lives and empower them toward good.


2 Reason 3. I am not pro-abortion at all. I think that people nowadays use abortion as an easy form of birth control. It’s also against my religion.


1 Reason 4. Guns kill people; that’s why handguns should be banned.


1 Reason 5. Deep fat frying can greatly increase the calories of foods such as fish, chicken, and potatoes. Therefore, it is better to bake, boil, or steam foods.


2 Reason 6. “It is important that individual citizens equip themselves with a baloney detection kit to determine whether politicians, scientists, or religious leaders are lying – it’s an important part of becoming a citizen of the world.” (Carl Sagan)


3 Reason 7. America should put a freeze on immigration. Its first duty is to take better care of its own disadvantaged, poor, and unemployed.


0 Reason 8. America boasts about its wealth and prosperity as the world’s most competitive economy. Yet its citizens are told there is not enough money for health care, environmental protection, for parks, safety nets for the poor and elderly, or public funding for the arts. Isn’t there something wrong with this picture?


3 Reason 9. “If nothing happened, if nothing changed, time would stop. For time is nothing but change. It is change that we perceive occurring all around us, not time. In fact, time doesn’t exist.” (Julian Barbour, British physicist)


2 Reason 10. I don’t drink because alcohol gives me a brief high followed by a longer depression.

Chapter 10 SUMMARY
Fallacies:
What’s a Faulty Argument?

A fallacy is something that is not true. Fallacies are intentional manipulation and can present itself as reasonably sound when in truth, it is not. There are three types of Fallacies of Trickery. Trickery with Language includes word ambiguity, misleading euphemisms and prejudicial language. Trickery with Emotions includes Appeal to Fear, Pity, False Authority, Bandwagon and Appeal to Prejudice. Trickery with Distraction involves Red Herring, Pointing to Another Wrong, Straw Man and Circular Reasoning.




Chapter 10 Exercise page 279

Identify the ambiguous words in the following sentences by underlining the words.

All ingredients in this ice cream are natural and nutritious.
These pies are made from locally grown cherries and have that old-fashioned country taste.
Ace aspirin provides relief up to eight hours.
Ida Insect Spray helps fight mosquitoes.
Tony’s Tonic helps you feel and look ten years younger.
You can save as much as 1 quart of oil a day.
Wear a jacket that has the feel of leather.
Cults enslave people.
The federal government has too much power.
You should be willing to do anything for love.

Chapter 9 CRCB Summary and Exercise

Chapter Nine Summary
Using Preview, Study-Read, and Review (PSR) Strategies
CRCB


Preview, Study-Read, Review (PSR) allows you to question the reading before, during and after. By doing so, you establish a purpose for reading, a framework that holds new information, reaction and you read more closely looking for the answers.

In previewing, you can get a sense of how difficult the reading is and can predict how much time would be needed. There are three steps to previewing:
1. Skim the reading – read quickly, focus on titles, intro and summary.
2. Develop questions – who, what, when, why, where and how.
3. Predict content – what is it about.

Study-Read Stage of Reading involves the following steps:
1. Read and ask questions
2. Understand
3. Monitor
4. Main Ideas

Review Stage of Reading involves asking questions to ensure your understanding of the reading and the second step clarifies the confusing parts. It is during this section you would summarize, paraphrase and pick out the major supporting details.












Chapter Nine CRCB
Exercise, Practice with Reading Passage Page 304

1. Gay (Summary of the story)

This is the story of a young man coming home to die. In this home he felt trapped. He was not able to be himself. Mainly because of the relationship he had with his parents. He couldn’t talk to his parents about being gay. His parents would much rather believe he was a heroin addict than a homosexual.
It was not revealed in the newspaper what had killed this young man. He had died of Aids. His parents didn’t figure out he was gay until his death. Even the day of his funeral when a friend was helping with the dishes, after losing her temper, said, “He’s Gay”, the mother refused to listen. She covered her ears with her soapy hands in an attempt to ward off the words.
Some parents are not willing to accept the truths about their homosexual children. In this story, the parents did not know anything about homosexuals. The writer of this story has thought about this a lot. She is the mother of sons. She believes she could live with having a son who is a homosexual. Her biggest fear would be having a son who didn’t feel comfortable enough to tell her.
The mother of the young man mourned her son’s death mainly because she really didn’t know who he was. She spent too much of her time wondering “what he was”.
We often find things we hate about our children and the decisions they make, such as marriages, careers, sexual orientation. We state that we will never accept those things not realizing how long never really is and the impact it can have on our lives once our loved ones are no longer with us.

2. What was the main idea of the reading passage?
a. Certain lifestyles can cause irreparable damage to the body, and parents have the responsibility to guide their children away from such lifestyles.
b. Parents should take the time today to deal with things they can’t accept about their children, or they may never get the chance to develop nurturing and sustaining relationships with them.
c. Parents should consider joining support organizations to help them cope and learn more about their children’s lifestyles, such as the Parents of Gay Children (PGC).
d. A young man came home to die


3. When the author talks about never, what does she mean about its terrible endless power when she says, “Perhaps much longer than we intended, deep in our hearts, when we first invoked its terrible endless power.”
a. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
b. Don’t invoke spirits you can’t handle.
c. Sometimes we think we will have time later to deal with problems we don’t want to deal with today.
d. We can never change who we are.

4. What was the problem no one wanted to discuss at the young man’s home?
a. He was gay.
b. He dropped out of college.
c. He died of cancer.
d. He was a womanizer.

5. Why didn’t anyone want to talk about his illness with his parents?
a. They were too embarrassed to discuss AIDs, because it was a disease associated with homosexuals.
b. His parents weren’t close to anyone in the small town.
c. The neighbors were very angry with the parents for not accepting the boy for who he was.
d. His parents were very ill.

6. Why do you think the young man disliked his home town so much?
a. It was boring.
b. The author doesn’t really say why the young man disliked his home town.
c. He felt trapped and unable to be himself.
d. He was unable to find a job of choice.

7. In addition to being gay, list three things for which people are sometimes ostracized in cultures:
Religious beliefs, Handicaps, Political beliefs

Chapter 8 Summaries and Exercises (both books)

Thinking for Yourself
Chapter 8
Viewpoints: What’s the Filter?
Summary


In critical thinking, one should carefully examine viewpoints, understanding that if taken as reality, the viewpoints of others would not be considered. One should look at biases and the context in which viewpoints are taken. In literature, there are many points of views in which the story can be delivered, such as a first-person narrative or third person. The author must decide which viewpoint he will use in order to shape his story. Viewpoints can be conscious or unconscious. Jean Piaget believes that children under the age of seven experience egocentrism, seeing no other viewpoint than their own. Other examples of self identification viewpoints are ethnocentrism and religiocentrism. Through media reporting, quite often viewpoints can be hidden by the way an editor use layout design, placements, etc.





























Building Arguments
Viewpoints

Much has been said of what you term Civilization among the Indians. Many proposals have been made to us to adopt your laws, your religion, your manners, and your customs. We do not see the propriety of such a reformation. We should be better pleased with beholding the good effects of these doctrines in your own practices than with hearing you talk about them, or of reading your newspapers on such subjects. You say, “Why do not the Indians till the ground and live as we do?” May we not ask with equal propriety, “Why do not the white people hunt and live as we do?”

(Old Tassel of the Cherokee tribe, 1777)

1. What argument is Old Tassel refuting?
Old Tassel is simply stating that there are two viewpoints here, that of the Indians and White people. He is not completely sold on the idea that he should give up his way of life based on another’s viewpoint.


2. Given what you know about U.S. history from 1777 to the present, was Old Tassel’s viewpoint heard or understood by the white men?
No it was not. The Indians were considered uncivilized. They were not respected as an indigenous, well developed group completely capable of survival on their own native land. The white men have taken full control of land that was once occupied by the Indians.

3. How can you explain that Old Tassel could describe and compare the two opposing viewpoints while the white men only saw their own?
Old Tassel implies that after receiving the proposals offered by the white men, they see no reason to conform to their ideas and way of life. He made the comparison in the end asking “Why do not the white people hunt and live as we do?”











Critical Reading for College and Beyond
Chapter 8
Textbook Methods of Organization
Summary

Authors use methods of organization for the purpose of presenting information in a logical format. We as students can benefit in our studies by recognizing the organizational patterns being used.

Organizational word clues (OWC’s) reveal organization and patterns of the readings. Textbook methods of organization include the following:
Listing – shows steps, events or ideas chronologically.
OWC’s first, second, first of all, secondly, finally.
Analysis – breaks concept down presenting basic elements.
OWC’s – features, types, one way, classes, functions
Cause/Effect – shows why, the effects and outcome of event.
OWC’s – since, as a result of, therefore, because, may be due to, consequently
Comparison/Contrast – shows similarities and differences.
OWC’s – however, on the other hand, like, yet, although
Definition/Example – clarifies meaning
OWC’s – defined as, another meaning, is, also referred to as…..
Sequence – shows chronological order of events
OWC’s – first, second, then, next, following, order of events, steps



Exercise 8e page 261

Definition/Example
Read the following, underline the definition/example OWCs. Identify the topic and main idea of the reading passage.

To solve this problem, psychologists typically use a procedure in which all participants receive a treatment, but those in the control group actually receive a placebo treatment. A placebo is a bogus treatment, such as a pill, “drug,” or other substance without any significant chemical properties or active ingredient.

Topic: Control Group Treatments
Main idea: Those in the control group actually receive a placebo treatment.
Question #1 What is a placebo

Visual representation Placebo -
Bogus Treatment - 1. Pill 2. drug 3. other substance

Chapter 7b Exercise

Chapter 7b Exercise

For each of the following excerpts, decide what the author's purpose is in writing.

1. The ACT, like the SAT, is designed to test what a student has learned and demonstrate the application of ideas. It uses both multiple-choice and essay questions. The ACT is the most common college admission test in Michigan, and test administrators make slight adjustments to maintain the same degree of difficulty each year.

The author's purpose in this excerpt is to inform.

2. We finally have driven the fift-generation Nissan Z-car, the new 350Z, and, like a chocolate souffle that takes an extra twenty minutes to emerge from the restaurant's kitchen, it was worth the wait. All of us who've been behind the wheel of the 350Z agree that to drive it is to love it.

The author's purpose in this excerpt is to persuade you to buy.

3. God is not a jolly fellow like Santa Claus; He is a great bookkeeper. And He is keeping a book on you? I am a Western Union boy? I have a death message? I must tell you plainly you are going to hell! You listen! Don't you trifle with God! Don't you think you can barter! You are a sinner! You have come short of God's requirements! Your punishment is sure!

The author's purpose in this excerpt is to scare, warn, pursuade you.

4. I asked my mother, What was Daddy like?"
"Crunchy, a bit salty, rich in fiber."
"Before you ate him, I mean."
"He was a little guy, insecure, anxious, neurotic-pretty much like all you baby boys".
I felt closer than ever to the parent I had never known, who'd been dissolved in Mom's stomach just as I was being conceived. From whom I had gotten not nurturning but nourishment. I though, thank you Dad. I know what it means for a (praying) mantis to sacrifice himself for the family.

The author's purpose in this excerpt is entertainment.

5. The terrorists who killed Danny stood at the other extreme of what Danny represents. They could only wield their knife and cowardice against Danny's intellectual courage and bold spirit. Danny died holding only a pen. They stole his life but were unable to seize his soul. By killing Danny, terrorists took my life as well but could not lay claim to my spirit. Dead and alive we will never let them win.

The author's purpose in this excerpt is to inform.

CRCB Chapter 7 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 6 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 5 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 4 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 3 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 2 MindMap

Chapter 7 TFY MindMap

Chapter 6 TFY MindMap

Chapter 5 TFY MindMap

Chapter 3 & 4 TFY MindMap

Chapter 2 TFY MindMap

TFY 1 MindMap

CRCB Chapter 6 & 7 Summaries

Chapter 6 CCRB Summary

Authors use details to illustrate and explain their main ideas. There are two types of details, major and minor supporting details, they are used to validate and clarify the main ideas. Details are found in word clues and phrases. They are usually presented as facts, opinions, examples and illustrations. Being able to identify main ideas and supporting details in your reading is crucial in critical thinking and college success.






Chapter 7 CCRB Summary

Authors assume a certain level of knowledge in their readers. They rely on inference which is the process of making assumptions and drawing conclusions about information when an authors opinions or ideas are not directly stated. To understand an authors purpose note comparisons and implied similarities, detect an authors bias are example of inference strategies. These strategies will help you to better infer meaning when an author doesn’t directly state their points. One problem that arises is that the reader will tend to infer too much. Make sure you do not ignore the speaker.

MindMaps

TFY Chapter 6 & 7 Summaries and Exercises

Chapter 6 Thinking for Yourself
Summary


Opinions


This chapter looks at the word Opinions. This word can be confused with facts. An opinion express the decisions we make about life. It involves a judgment, belief, claim or statement we believe to be true. There are several types of opinions, judgments, advice, generalizations and personal taste or sentiments. Public opinion polls can be used to determine or manipulate public sentiments.



























CHAPTER 6 TYF
An Exercise in Evaluating Opinioins

Rate the following opinions as:
A. An opinion I would accept and act on.
B. Worthy of consideration.
C. I’d want another opinion.
D. Forget it!


A 1. Your doctor says you need surgery immediately.
B 2. A psychiatrist testifies in court that the defendant is not guilty by reason of insanity.
C 3. The weather forecaster says it will rain tomorrow.
C 4. Your attorney says you should sue your neighbor for damages.
C 5. You want to rent an apartment but the neighbor next door says the landlord is a weirdo.
D 6. Your best friend tells you your fiancée is tacky.
D 7. Your English instructor says you don’t know how to think and should see a psychiatrist.
B 8. Your astrologer tells you not to go on any long trips in May.
A 9. The judge says you are guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol.
A 10. An engineer says you can prevent your basement from flooding by blasting holes for drainage in your foundation.















Chapter 7 Thinking for Yourself
Summary
Evaluations


In critical thinking, one must learn to recognize an evaluation because it can be viewed in many ways. It intentions can be honest, hidden and manipulative. To evaluate is to determine the value of something or to examine, judge, appraise and estimate. Quite often we prematurely evaluate things without carefully looking it over. This can lead us to make hasty judgments and can lead to a lot of problems. Evaluations are not facts and expectations can influence evaluations. Evaluations are opinions and word connotations can manipulate our evaluations.



























Discovery Exercise Page 202

Recognizing Evaluative Words’ Persuasive Powers.

Underline the words in the following passages that contain connotations that could influence feelings, and thus opinion as well.

1. I listen to the feminists and all these radical gals-most of them are failures. They’ve blown it. Some of them have been married, but they married some Caspar Miquetoast who asked permission to go to the bathroom. These women just need a man in the house. That’s all they need. Most of these feminists need a man to tell them what time of day it is and to lead them home. And they blew it and they’re mad at men. Feminists hate men. They’re sexist. They hate men-that’s their problem.
2. We saved these helpless pets from being butchered for ‘gourmet’ food in South Korea. You can help us save thousands more from the cruel Cages of Despair.
3. (Photograph of a happy white middle-class family walking into the arms of a grandfatherly figure). All these years we’ve been protecting you. When you walk into our insurance office, you’ll learn how we can protect the lives of a husband and wife. Your children. Or even the lives of your business associates.
4. Before Sept. 11, though, we thought of globalization as mainly meaning us sending ‘them’ good things, like the Internet and Coca-Cola. Now we understand that globalization also means ‘them’ being in a position to send ‘us bad things like terrorist attacks, emerging diseases, illegal immigrants and situations requiring the dispatch of U.S. troops.
5. This city does not need our vote for a ballpark shopping mall complex that would only be a megashrine to cookie-cutter consumerism.
6. Corporate welfare – the enormous and myriad subsidies, bailouts, giveaways, tax loopholes, debt revocations, loan guarantees, discounted insurance and other benefits conferred by government on business – is a function of political corruption.

Acceptance

My days are filled

with hopes and dreams,

that I one day

will witness great things.

I wanna live by

an oceanside,

to watch my

fears and worries

easily subside..

I wanna see smiles

on the children's faces,

No more hungry nights

and trips to strange places.

I want us all

to simply get along,

and make each other feel

we really do belong.

As I watch your

low regards and grins,

simply cause of the

beauty of my skin,

It really scares me

one can be so blind,

as not to see

what really shines.

We've come so far

yet have miles to go,

come tomorrow,

what will we show.

Don't hate me cause

I'm beautiful.

Love oneself,

open up and learn

why there's a certain

glide in my stride,

a pep in my step

and there's definitely

funk in my spunk.

I invite you

to know me,

to love me,

to admire me.

I am one of many who are very proud,

stand tall,

refuses to fall.

I'll gracefully

walk my walk,

and talk my talk.

Strong determination

will take me there.

Where?

Beyond, and then some.

If you choose

to meet me there,

Smile when you pass

accept the radiant glow

from my skin,

allow it to flow

to your heart,

It'll give you

a beautiful start.

Let's strive for

Peace, Forgiveness,

Understanding

and most of all

ACCEPTANCE.

Chapter 5 - TYF, Summaries/Exercises

Chapter 5
Assumptions:
What’s Taken for Granted?

Summary:

Assumption means to take up or accept something. It is said to be an unproven belief. Critical thinkers must learn to identify hidden assumptions such as stereotypes, which are hasty generalizations. There are four types of assumptions. Unconscious or unwarranted assumptions are usually wrong and can lead to problems. A conscious assumption is used to gain more information and a warranted assumption is based on knowledge. They both are useful tools for problem solving.
A good persuasive argument is based on claims supported by facts, examples, evidence and reasoning, not assumptions.



















Discussion Break Questions
(Hidden Assumptions)

Identify and express the hidden assumptions underlying each of the following statements.

2. I couldn’t visit a Buddhist temple because they worship idols there.
a. Buddism is not a respected religion.
b. I am superior in my beliefs.
c. Buddist people would allow nonbelievers to visit.

3. How can that marriage counselor help people if he himself is divorced?
a. He is not a qualified counselor
b. It is his fault he is divorced
c. He did not try to work out his relationship with his spouse.

4. You go into a pharmacy and see a young woman standing behind the counter. You ask her if you can speak to the pharmacist. She tells you she is the pharmacist.
a. She is a pharmaceutical technician.
b. She is too young to be a pharmacist.
c. She is a female and cannot be the pharmacist.

5. You shouldn’t be critical of corporations. Aren’t you in favor of free enterprise?
a. All corporations should be trusted.
b. I am in favor of free enterprise.
c. I am not an owner of a corp

6. I can’t understand why I haven’t met my soul mate this year. My astrologer said I would.
a. My astrologer is always right
b. I will never meet my soulmate.
c. Everything my astrologer has told me, has been true.

7. Villagers in the Fiji Islands live in poverty and hardship. They do not have running water, baths, and toilets in their homes. It will take them a hundred years to catch up with the rest of the world.

a. The villagers are very poor.
b. They are very dirty and smelly.
c. They are behind time and not very smart.

8. In a television program about earthquake preparedness, an expert demonstrated his gas-driven generator. “In the event of a major disaster,” he said, “this generator would run our children’s television set so that they would have something to do.”
a. We allow our children to watch too much television.
b. Our kids would rather watch tv than read a story.
c. We will have a major disaster.

Chapter 5 CRCB Summary and Exercises

Chapter 5
Summary
Locating Stated Main Ideas

1. A topic is a word or short phrase about the main ideas of an essay, paragraph or article. The main idea is the major point the author makes about the topic. The details are specifics supporting the main ideas. Mind maps are used as line drawings that show relationships between the ideas.

2. Previewing is a strategy used to prepare you for reading new material. It involves reading the title, introduction, headings and summary. The stated main idea can either be implied or stated directly in the text.

3. There are four strategies used for recognizing the main idea. The first comes with asking the question “What is this all about?” The second is to look in the usual spots, usually placed at the beginning, in the first or second sentence or at the end of the paragraph. The third strategy is to notice word clues. Word clues signal what is important in the text. They indicate changes in the author’s thinking. Emphasis word clues grab your attention and let you know which words are key to remember. A few examples are “in conclusion, most importantly, thus, therefore, in summary and hence”. Support word clues lets you know when the details of the main idea are coming up. Some examples are for example, for instance, first of all, also, because, finally and as a result, just to name a few. The fourth strategy involves categorization, which helps you decide which are the main ideas and which are details.


















Exercise 5a
General and Specific Ideas
Box/Underline the most general item in each list.

1. Saab 4. gas
Audi matter
Mustang solid
cars liquid

2. genetics 5. Buddhism
DNA Sikhism
RNA religions
3. English Islam
history 6. control group
majors variables
research
data







Exercise 5b
Identifying Topics

For each list, think about what the separate items have in common and ask yourself, What is the general subject, or topic, of this list?

1. Topic: holidays 2. Topic: Authors/poets
Labor Day Langston Hughes
Fourth of July Emily Dickinson
Memorial Day T.S. Eliot

3. Topic: puzzles 4. Topic: nutrition
crossword calories
riddles carbohydrates
jigsaw fat
conundrum protein

5. Topic: resume 6. Topic: dental hygiene
name gingivitis
education tartar
employment experience periodontal disease
references plaque

CRCB - Chapters 1-4, Summaries and Exercise

Critical Reading for College and Beyond
Part One Chapters 1-4

Chapter 1 Exercises
Exercise 1A
Concentration Survey
Y 1. I know that concentraton is a skill that can be learned.
N 2. I have a study area, complete with study supplies, and this area is used only for studying.
N 3. I try to concentrate as I read, but my mind usually drifts to other things, such as bills I have to pay or people I have to call.
Y 4. If I get angry, I am unable to concentrate on my reading.
Y 5. I know how to minimize all distractions.
N 6. I cannot read unless my house, or study environment, is immaculate.
N 7. I have a system to let others know when I am reading ad that I do not want to be disturbed.
Y 8. I lose concentration easily when I am bored with what I’m reading.












Practice with Reading Passage
Letting Justice Flow

1. What was the problem that the author had in the essay?
b. She had to use the bathroom and could not find a bathroom stall on campus wide enough to accommodate her wheelchair.

2. How did she solve her problem?
d. She relieved herself outside in the meditation garden.

3. What did her professor do when she told her about her problem and what she had to do to solve her problem?
a. She told the students the school president’s name so that they could write letters.

4. What did the president of the school do when the author had a meeting with him to discuss the problem?
d. He said the school could not currently afford to build an accessible bathroom stall.

5. What did the author do to help resolve the problem?
b. She continued to relieve herself in the garden, complained in the halls, and wrote another letter to the president.





Chapter One Summary

Chapter One defines reading as an active process involving both the author, who conveys meaning through words, and the reader who establishes an interpretation of the meaning of the words. A learning journal can be a valuable tool to the reader by allowing one to think on paper. The journal will provide awareness to the reader of his strengths and weaknesses when it comes to reading.

Concentration requires patience and perseverance. It requires disciplining of the mind. One must first recognize what blocks your concentration. It is helpful to document these findings in your journal so that you can control and train your mind to work for you and not lose focus. Blocks can be either internal or external distracters. Internal is the things that are going on inside of you and external comes from the outside environment.

There are different learning styles we must be aware of. By knowing the style that works best for you, it would make reading and learning more pleasurable and effective. Auditory learning comes from what we hear. Visual learning is through what we see, watch or read. Kinesthetic learning involves touch, by practicing, drawing, “hands on”, or writing over and over.

By knowing how to concentrate, learning styles and how to create a positive attitude and study environment, you can make the necessary changes and become an effective reader.


Chapter Two Assignments


Context Clues
Exercise 2a

2. She was so overcome with joy by the birth of her baby that she was able to say nothing other than that the whole experience was simply ineffable.
c. Incapable of being expressed in words.

3. Most of us eventually reach our goals, but life’s path to success is often a circuitous one.
c. Marked by roundabout or indirect procedures.

4. The preacher took a pedagogic approach with his sermon, hoping that those attending would learn something meaningful from it.
a. Instructional

6. Although teaching is not a lucrative profession, I know that I wouldn’t want tot do anything else. Helping others learn is far more important to me that money.
b. well paying

6. Buying a lottery ticket is a very capricious way to plan for your future. The chances of winning are 1 in 10,000,000.
d. unpredictable


Context Clues in Textbooks
Exercise 2b

1. exacts – demands
b. Forces

2. circadian - the behavioral or physiological rhythms associated with the 24hr cycle of the earth’s rotation.
b; Daily behavioral cycle

3. conciliatory – to win over, make friendly
b. Agreeable, accommodating

4. desynchronized – out of rhythm

5. mitigate – to make or become less severe, less painful.












Chapter Two Summary


Developing your vocabulary is important because it allows you to understand what the author is saying. You should have a dictionary with you while reading, as it is an important reading strategy which will build your vocabulary. Having an extensive vocabulary will allow for a better concentration of your readings and also allow you to compete in the workforce. There are many ways to understand new vocabulary. One way is through different types of context clues. They are words found within the text that conveys the meaning of the words. They can be found by definitions, examples, punctuations, and personal experience, opinion and knowledge.

Words can be broken down into three parts, the root, prefix and suffix. The root is the most basic part of the word. A prefix attached to a word can change it’s meaning dramatically. Suffixes are added to the end of the word and doesn’t necessarily change the meaning of the word.

Creating word maps and the card review system (CRS) are other strategies that makes it easy to remember new vocabulary. Word maps are similar to mind maps with the new word written in the center. Then create a branch with the original sentence, your prediction of what the word means, followed by the definition. Next, create your own sentence and the last branch should tell the part of speech, verb, noun, adjective or adverb. You should have five branches with the definition in the middle. The CRS involves copying the new word on an index card with the definition on the back.

In order to improve your vocabulary, you must follow the different strategies as outlined in the text. Most importantly, use them in your everyday life and make learning work to your advantage.




































Chapter Three Assignments

Exercise 3e Organization for Retrieval

Set 1
Write in the requested items using the letters on the right at the beginning of each word.

Name a bird beginning with the letter B - bluejay
Name an animal C – Cat
Fruit P – pineapple
Metal L - Lead
Country G – Germany
Boy’s name M – Mike
Girl’s name J – Jessica
Weapon S – sword
Vegetable P – pickle
Classic fairytale C – Cinderella
Flower P – Petunia








Set 2
Write in the requested items using the letters on the right at the end of each word.

Name a bird beginning with the letter W sparrow
Name an animal G - dog
Fruit H - peach
Metal R - copper
Country Y - Germany
Boy’s name N - Justin
Girl’s name E - Michelle
Weapon W - Saw
Vegetable T - carrot
Classic fairytale E - Snowwhite
Flower T – violet
















Chapter Three Summary



Memory is the process of storing information. There are three stages in the memory process. The first stage is sensory memory, followed by short-term memory and then long-term memory. Chunking is a strategy used by condensing the amount of information into groups. Ultimately one wishes to have information stored in your long-term memory which is the final stage where information can be permanently stored. This can be obtained by using several different strategies such as organizing newly learned information, mastering technical vocabulary and by creating a memory matrix. Other strategies include connecting new information to information you already know and by going beyond textbook information. Another effective strategy can be by reviewing, reading out loud and teaching or lecturing the information.

Information can be recalled by using Mnemonics, which are tricks used after you understand it. Memory cues help you call up information whereas, key words represents the topic or main idea. Acronyms differ from acrostics in that acronyms use the first letter of each word or phrase to come up with a single word such as HOME or F.A.C.E. Acrostics use the first letter to make a phrase or sentence. It uses different words to stand for the actual word.





Chapter Four Assignments
Managing your Reading Time

Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women


Rate: 3.22 min 112 words per min

1. Which of the following statements is not accurate according to the exerpt:
b: Prostitutes have flawed characters lackin in values.

2. Which of the following statements is true, according to the excerpt?
d: Almost nine out of 10 Ranch prostitutes had earned their general equivalency diplomas or had graduated from high school.

3. According to the excerpt, what is one reason why streetwalkers rarely become regular brothel prostitutes?
c: Brothels have lots of rules and mandatory confinement.

4. According to the author, the prostitutes she investigated at the Mustang ranch were:
b: Women who were very committed to their families.

5. In your opinion, the author’s attitude toward the prostitutes at Mustang Ranch is:
b: Accepting



Chapter Four Summary

Comprehension is more important in reading than how fast you read. You should develop a reading and study schedule. Efficient reading is comprehending text at an appropriate reading rate and understanding the information. Speed reading consists of grouping words and reading in chunks, only some of the words. Critical reading involves thinking about what you are reading. Skimming is reading groups of words instead or individual words. Regressing is rereading. Subvocalizing is reading out loud. Pacing is using your finger to guide your reading.

TFY - Chapter 1-4, Summaries and Exercises

Chapter One Assignment

Early Saturday morning I awaken with a slight headache, not sure if it was from the long drudging week I had just endured or could it have been my late night escapade with tequila and orange juice. To the best of my knowledge I had retired for the night around 2:30 am and stupidly awaken around 8:00a.m. My English assignments had been on my mind all week and as each day passed, I was getting further and further away from my scheduled assignments. That worried me. In fact, that might have something to do with my slight headache. As I lay in bed typing away on my computer, I can feel the headache disappearing. Or could that be because I went downstairs, ate a few prunes, popped a Motrin and drank a small glass of orange juice? I think it could be a combination of things. I choose to believe it is because I am finally doing what I needed to do last week, get caught up on my English assignment.

My husband decided two or three days ago that because of my early risings for work and late night return from school, that I need to relax and stay in bed most of the day on Saturday. He got out of bed, went downstairs and started on breakfast while I went to the trunk of my car and retrieved my English book, determined to complete several exercises while I “Chill in Bed.” My husband refused to let me in the kitchen so I asked him to choose any vegetable or fruit and give it to me so I can do my assignment upstairs. He turned around and low and behold the first thing his eyes gazed upon was an onion. He grabbed it and said “Here, now get out of the kitchen”. Immediately, I thought, why did I involve him in my assignment and how difficult it’s gonna be working with a stupid onion. I held the onion in my hand, stared at it and noticed some of the skin was coming off. I then decided to grab a bowl and paper towel so that I won’t have a mess. I then ran upstairs worried about the task at hand with the dreaded onion.

As I lay here typing I think of our other Critical Reading textbooks. Distractions are discussed and I now have several going on trying to sway me from my assignment. The sounds of the football game can easily be drowned out, I know that is a necessity in order for my husband to complete breakfast. The smell of the bacon is a bit much. Then here comes my husband running upstairs force feeding me a slice of bacon with gloved hands. Never had that done before. Next his cell phone rings with the sounds of the old fashioned ring tone we all grew up hearing before any other rings were introduce, which today I hate so much. I didn’t look to see who was calling. Now this distraction cannot be ignored, him standing at the bottom of the stairs loudly calling my name saying come down, breakfast is ready. I must obey and finish later. When I return, I promise to start talking about the dreaded onion, I’ve avoided it long enough.

After ten minutes of filling my gut with grits, bacon, eggs and pancakes, my vision is clear. I see a medium to large size beautiful onion with very few flaws. The crisp golden honey colored skin surrounds and protects the inner onion. The almost perfect rounded onion is very firm and solid. It looks the size of a softball and bears the weight of a canned vegetable. A few pieces of the skin have fallen off into the paper towel. I picked up a piece and brought it closer so that I can better examine it. It feels as thin as paper. There are a few tears in the small piece I am examining. The reddish golden color is at the base and blends upward into a lighter vanilla/banana color near the top. There are golden distinguishable vertical lines also starting at the base and thinning out further along the top. They have a veins and arteries appearance. I wonder what role they play in the development of the onion. The texture is smooth and slick. The outside has a dull appearance whereas the inside is shinier. While holding the onion in my hands, I can see many layers of this protective skin covering the flesh. Judging by looking at the bulb or tip, my guess would be about four or five thin layers. The first layer is already split on two sides, ready for peeling. At the base of the onion, it reminds me of the inside of a sunflower. It looks like a dried flower with short wooded stems popping out of the center. From the base you can see where the lighter colorations are. It appears as though the juice of the onion has bleached the beautiful golden color and you can visibly see a ring around the entire base. This indeed is a beautiful onion. I would say it is as close to perfection as any onion could possibly be. The only fault I see is a small bruise near the base that could only be seen if you really studied it as I have done. Slightly beneath that are small tiny dark circles with the appearance of a ringworm. It is beneath the first layer and I am certain by the time you get to the core there will be no trace. Near the base lies a sticker securely attached to the outer skin. It is of oval shape and about the size of a thumb print. It lists the web site as www.dalenafarms.com slightly circled across the top. The all capital letters in the middle of the label says “SWEET D” 4093. Now I find it interesting that my husband singly selected this one onion and chose this as my vegetable or fruit to do my writings on, as his name is also “De” and more times than fewer he can be called “Sweet De”. I laugh out loud thinking of his reaction to that. I’m sure in the future he will choose this to be his favorite onion.
Because it is still early morning, and my belly is full, I decided to not taste the onion. The house still carries the strong aroma of bacon and doesn’t allow my sense of smell to absorb any others. So when I sniffed all around the onion, I smelt nothing. When I firmly pressed the onion against my face, it was pleasantly cool. At this point, I am now engaged and fascinated. I decided to take a bite through the skin, quite ready for the explosion. I did it twice, however I was not able to penetrate which did leave me with a feeling of dissatisfaction.

It is now noon, time to get up and start my day fresh with an all day concert, Sheryl Crow and friends. I propose that in conclusion, this was a very good learning exercise. I began with little expectations of my subject matter and upon finishing I fell in love with the subject, maybe the “D” connection. I realized the importance of observation and its impact on making final decisions. Slowing down, concentrating, and investing time and patience in most things can possibly leave you with a new, different, often satisfied and rewarding experience.










Chapter Two Assignment
Saved – Malcom X

1. Why, do you think, Malcolm X could be so confident and articulate as a hustler, yet have so much difficulty writing “simple English”?
Malcolm X felt comfortable in his life as a hustler and was able to express himself confidently and verbally amongst the people in the streets. I’m sure the street language spoken was mostly slang. It was difficult for him to write “Simple English” because it was a language that was not native to his ancestry. During the times in which he was educated, it was harder for blacks because the “status quo” did not involve successful learning of the black man and success in the classroom was frowned upon and not expected.

2. What do you think of his practice of copying out every word in a dictionary?
It was a very good strategy and learning tool. It allowed him to enhance his writing skills as well as increased his reading and comprehension skills.

3. Why did Malcolm X find it so empowering to learn new words?
It empowered him in the sense that he could be like Bimbi, take charge of any conversation and write letters and be less frustrated. Because he commanded attention, he could now possess power in both the spoken word along with the written word.


4. What motivated him to read in his cell in semidarkness late through the night?
He was excited, fascinated and engrossed in learning and never wanted it to end. His street life only required a few hours of sleep and now that he has found a whole new life, he was thrilled. Time was also a factor. His new life of learning made prison time quickly drift away.

5. Why do you think Malcolm X wanted others to hear this story?

He wanted to give others different ways of bettering themselves. He wanted them to understand the valuable tool of a dictionary. He did something that seemed so simple and made it become a “Grand Accomplishment”. Through this type of learning, it empowered him and made it easier for him to write and speak on a very large stage. His demise unfortunately was brought on because of his further curiosity, questioning of the status quo and his freedom of expression which many others were not quite ready for.












Chapter Three Exercise
Core Discovery Writing Application page 91

1. Choose one photograph from this book. Spend time absorbing the photo. Imagine writing for someone who cannot see the picture and make a specific and detailed list of ten or more factual statements. Be careful of assumptions.

Taken from the photo on page 14
1. This is a black and white photo
2. The only person in the picture is a young girl.
3. The girl is white.
4. Her hair is pulled back and she also is wearing a bang across the front.
5. The girl is looking downward.
6. She is wearing a sweat shirt, sweat pants and tennis shoes.
7. In her right hand she is holding the head of a doll.
8. The doll is wearing a long white dress.
9. In her left hand she is holding a cane.
10. At the end of the cane is a round ball.









Chapter Four Exercises
Discovery Exercises
Drawing Inferences from Evidence

Read the following scenarios and think of three inferences you could make to explain each situation?

1. Your neighbors have regular habits and spend a lot of time at home. One day you notice that no lights have appeared in their house in the evenings for at least a week.
a. They went on vacation
b. Someone is sick
c. They moved away

2. In an airport waiting room, you sit down next to a nun wearing a dark blue dress, starched white collar, and starched white headdress. You notice she is reading Playboy magazine.
a. She’s doing research
b. She’s just interested and this is part of her normal reading
c. She’s dressed up in costume

3. Your child, age four, usually has a good appetite. However, she says no this morning when you offer her a dish of applesauce.
a. She is sick
b. She no longer likes applesauce
c. She wants something else to eat

4. You are on a Greyhound bus. A man gets on and sits beside you. He is carrying an expensive briefcase, although he is shabbily dressed, unshaven, and perspiring heavily. When you suggest he place his briefcase on the rack overhead, he refuses, saying he doesn’t mind holding it in his lap.
a. He stole the briefcase
b. He was once employed and is now unemployed reminiscing.
c. He really don’t mind carrying the briefcase.

5. You are looking in your wife’s closet for your missing shoe, and you notice a new and expensive man’s sports jacket hanging there.
a. She brought him a gift.
b. She’s cheating on him.
c. Someone gave her the jacket to give to her husband.

6. After a class you go to see your professor about an error in addition on your test score. You explain to him respectfully that 100 minus 18 is 82, not 79. He tells you to get the hell out of his office.
a. He just found another man’s jacket in his wife’s closet.
b. He doesn’t like to be questioned about his grading.
c. He received some bad disturbing news and is angry.




7. You are driving through a valley on a spring morning in a heavy rainstorm. You are on a two-lane highway, and you notice that only about half the cars that pass you head-on have their lights on.
a. They don’t know that they should turn on their lights.
b. The weather is better on the side they are leaving.
c. They are rude, inconsiderate drivers.

8. You want to buy a used car but your first priority is that it be smoke free. The owner of the car assures you that she is a nonsmoker. You notice small holes the size of cigarette ends in the upholstery of the front seats and the car has a strong smell of lemon deodorant.
a. She is lying and trying to cover up the smell.
b. She is not aware of the burns.
c. She just wants to sell the car and is very greedy and selfish












Chapter One Summary
Observation Skills

Observation is to hold something in front and pay close attention to. It requires slowing down, staying awake and focusing. The observation process involves sensing, perceiving and thinking. When we take in data without preconceptions, we are sensing. It occurs through feel and using the sense organs such as eyes and skin. In other words, we feel it. Perception means to catch, seize or hold. It is both passive and active, holds sensations in consciousness long enough to interpret them. Perception allows us to move through the physical world. Thinking is explained as an active process whereas people organize their perceptions.















Chapter Two Summary
Word Precision

Writing involves careful selection of words. The use of dictionaries allow us to have better word choices and can be a valuable tool in building a vocabulary. We need to understand what dictionaries can and cannot do for us. Thesaurus helps us when we are writing nonverbal experiences into words. The dictionary helps us when we are reading and need to interpret the word. Writing challenges you to stretch your abilities in using words. Definitions clarify words through boundaries. The word to be defined is a term which can be broken down into classes. Word connotations are about feelings, negative or positive. Concepts are a word that organizes and abstracts a body of related experience. A general idea. Concepts abstract experience. Critical reading is an active thinking endeavor that must begin with accurate comprehension under bias control.










Chapter Three Summary
Facts: What’s Real
Facts are our interpretations of what is real and true. Reality can be divided into relative and absolute, some say what reality is while others say it is what it is whether you like it or not. Facts are not the equivalent of truths or reality; they are decisions about what seems to be most real. The facts that are most useful are the ones that have been proven over and over. Critical thinking is a product that value the freedom to search for the truth.

It is said that we should be objective (facts) and not subjective (feelings) in order to determine the facts. This is not necessarily true. There are many times when our feelings would draw us to look closely at the situation.
Our need for verification of facts or confirmation can often leave us vulnerable to manipulation. This is quite often demonstrated through social pressure. We are limited in our ability to know the facts because of our limitations of our senses. Dogs can hear levels of pitch we cannot and butterflies can see colors we can not. We rely on science and wisdom to help us compensate for the limitations of our senses.

When we are stating facts, our language has to reflect the limits of our data as well as the measure of our certainty. How we state a fact makes all the difference.
When thinking critically, the four standards we use to determine facts are:
1. Verifiability – data can be conformed by another source.
2. Reliability – consider the degree of dependability.
3. Plausibility – does it makes sense, undergo the test of credibility.
4. Probability - as tested through time and repetition.
Chapter Four Summary
Inferences:
What follows?

Inference enables us to imagine, decide, guess, conclude, and predict about things unknown. Inferences can be confused for facts. Descriptive writing can become challenging for the mind. It lets the facts speak for themselves. Stating the facts with responsible clarity is also interesting writing, which involves clearly describing what we observe and think. This makes our work become concrete and specific. Reasonable inferences can be used to tie facts together. Many professionals are required to examine facts and make the best inferences from them. Laws are generalizations based on observations and relationships. We must look for patterns, analyze them, and draw conclusions. We should learn to draw generalizations that can be supported. The topic sentence is a generalization that states the main idea. It is a kind of conclusion that is repeated at the end of the paragraph. Observation helps determine facts, imagination, and reasoning to link the facts with explanations, and how a generalization ties all this together.