Chapter 03 Clear Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Clear Writing
Answer Key
Short Answer Questions
1.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: A loquacious person is a talkative one.
By synonym.
2.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: A deciduous tree is a hardwood tree that loses its leaves during the winter.
Analytical.
3.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: The oud is a stringed musical instrument shaped much like a guitar and played
primarily in Middle Eastern countries.
Analytical.
4.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: “An oxymoron? Try ‘military intelligence.’”
By example.
5.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: “Epistemologist” means a philosopher or other intellectual who studies the
nature of knowledge.
Analytical.
6.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: “Widow” refers to a woman whose husband has died.
Analytical.
7.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: What I mean by setting a good example is not putting your feet on the table.
By example.
8.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: “Poltroonery” means the same thing as “cowardice.”
By synonym.
9.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: Honor means being willing to lay down your life for a just cause.
Analytical. (Had a specific example of the laying down of a life been mentioned, the proper
answer would have been “by example.”)
10.
For the following, indicate whether the definition given is by example, by synonym, or
analytical: Happiness is having your own DVD burner.
By example.
11.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: “Dacha”
is another word for “Russian country house.”
By synonym.
12.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical:
“Foppish” means “dandy.”
By synonym.
13.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical:
“Congenial” means “companionable.”
By synonym.
14.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical:
Mayonnaise is a thick sauce of egg yolk beaten together with vegetable oil and
seasonings.
Analytical.
15.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: Meat
that contains larval worms is said to be measly.
Analytical.
16.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: “Hit me”
means the same as “Give me another card.”
By synonym.
17.
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.
Analytical.
18.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: “Either”
is a disjunctive correlative used before two or more words, phrases, or clauses that are
joined by “or.”
Analytical.
19.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: A
professional bureaucrat is anyone like our present governor.
The answer we prefer is definition by example, but one might easily argue that the
definition is analytical because of the “anyone like” phrasing. We take the force of such
claims to be something like, “Now that’s what I call a professional bureaucrat!”
20.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: Interest
is an amount paid for the use of borrowed money.
Analytical.
21.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: “Real
property? Why, your house and land are real property.”
By example.
22.
Indicate whether this informal definition is by example, by synonym, or analytical: A slice
occurs when the ball flies in a curve because of lateral spin; the slice curves to the right if
the golfer is right-handed and to the left if the golfer is left-handed.
Analytical.
23.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: People who go shopping often go broke.
Semantically ambiguous: “go broke” and syntactically ambiguous: does “often” go with
“shopping” or with “go broke?” (Many students incorrectly read “broke” as “broken” and
thus get a second version of a semantic ambiguity.)
24.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: All snakes are not poisonous.
Syntactically ambiguous.
25.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: The wizard made a pig of himself.
Semantically ambiguous (on both “made” and “pig”).
26.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: “Corporate executives outspend working families 11 to 1 in politics.”—Center
for Responsive Politics & Federal Elections Commission
Semantically ambiguous (grouping ambiguity).
27.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: He went to the store but was held up in the process.
Semantically ambiguous.
28.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: The team was upset.
Semantic ambiguity on “upset” and grouping ambiguity on “team.”
29.
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.
Semantically ambiguous.
30.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: She watched him dance with intensity.
Syntactically ambiguous.
31.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Carlton harassed the man on the motorcycle.
Syntactically ambiguous.
32.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: When the head waiter asked whether she had reservations, she said, “Yes, but
I’m going to eat here anyway.”
Semantically ambiguous joke.
33.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: If properly frosted, a person shouldn’t notice lumps in a cake.
Syntactically ambiguous.
34.
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.”
Semantically and syntactically ambiguous; they work together in this one.
35.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: She looks more like her mother than her father.
Syntactically ambiguous.
36.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: He dislikes her smoking.
Semantically ambiguous.
37.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Residents of the continental United States have more pets than those of
Alaska.
Grouping ambiguity; semantically ambiguous.
38.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Susan got in trouble for messing up the house with her younger sister.
Syntactically ambiguous.
39.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Sign in a hotel: NO SMOKING ROOMS AVAILABLE.
Syntactically ambiguous.
40.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Eighteen people have slept in the new hotel’s most expensive suite.
Grouping ambiguity.
41.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: After finishing his term paper, he went out for a beer and left it in his
instructor’s mailbox.
Syntactically ambiguous.
42.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: There is a job for everyone.
Grouping ambiguity.
43.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: “Police said Sunday that a Lebanese woman arrested in Milan planned to
deliver photographs of American hostages to an Italian man who has been linked to arms
scandals…. The man… was questioned by police after they found the photos and a letter
from a hostage hidden in a false bottom of the woman’s suitcase Thursday.“—From an
Associated Press dispatch, Sacramento Bee
Syntactically ambiguous: Was the hostage hidden in the suitcase?
44.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: “My husband got his project cut off two weeks ago, and I haven’t had any relief
since then.”—From a letter requesting public assistance, as quoted in Ann Landers,
Chicago Tribune
Semantically ambiguous.
45.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: “A lot of people are living to 100 who never used to.”—Herb Caen, San
Francisco Chronicle
Syntactically ambiguous, or worse.
46.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: “I want Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States in the
worst way.”
Syntactically ambiguous.
47.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Laughter was heard at Grace Cathedral last week when it was announced that
next week would be the blessing of the animals followed by a barbeque.
Syntactically ambiguous; the barbeque announcement preceded by the animals makes it
sound as though first they’ll bless the animals and then they’ll eat them.
48.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Headline: Park ends spraying Dutch for elm disease.
Syntactically ambiguous (one hopes).
49.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Headline: Retired priest may marry Springsteen.
Syntactically ambiguous.
50.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Headline: Pesticide Concerns Blossom
Semantically ambiguous.
51.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: From an accident report: In my attempts to kill a fly I drove into a telephone
pole.
Syntactically ambiguous.
52.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: From an accident report: The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I
ran over him.
Syntactically ambiguous.
53.
Determine whether the following claim is best classified as semantically ambiguous (and
whether this contains grouping ambiguities), syntactically ambiguous, or free from
ambiguity: Did he tell you what he said in his email?
Syntactically ambiguous (ambiguous pronoun reference); are we talking about three
different men, one, two?
54.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
During his first news conference of the year, the president said today that his
administration was going to crack down even harder on international terrorism.
Too vague to be very informative; this speaks as much of an attitude as it does of plans to
combat terrorism.
55.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Said at a party: “What did I think of the concert? I thought it was pretty good. You should
have been there.”
Fine, under the circumstances.
56.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
My aunt lost most of her possessions when her house burned down last month.
Sufficiently precise for most contexts; too vague, of course, if the remark is directed to an
insurance claims agent.
57.
Determine whether the following claim 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.”
Hopelessly vague.
3-18
58.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Your chances of winning the grand prize in the lottery by purchasing a single ticket are
approximately 1 in 16,000,000.
Precise enough.
59.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
“I can’t tell you how much I love you. You make me very happy.”
Vagueness is not inappropriate here.
60.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Your hard drive is big enough for most word-processing uses, but it’s way too small for
graphics files.
Depends on the context; this does make the main point precisely enough, but if storing
graphics files is an issue, “way too small” is pretty vague.
61.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
“How many miles to a gallon does it get? Oh, you’ll be quite satisfied if you buy this little
beauty. It gets really impressive mileage.”
Too vague for a potential buyer. But the vagueness is supportive of the speaker’s purpose,
which is to evade the question.
62.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Advertisement: “The Aquaclear water filter—it really will improve the taste and odor of
your water.”
Too vague to be useful.
63.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
From the label of a can of spaghetti sauce: “Made with real meat.”
Too vague, if you care what kind of meat goes into your spaghetti.
64.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Teacher to student: “How long should your term paper be? As long as it takes to do justice
to your subject.”
Too vague. (How does your instructor’s standard answer to this question compare?)
65.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Instructions for a lawn mower: “For best service, crankcase oil should be replaced at least
once each season.”
Too vague—“best service” means what? Replace at least once each growing season.
66.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Property owner, showing his property to a potential buyer: “The lot extends back to about
where that large oak tree stands.”
Too vague.
67.
Determine whether the following claim is too vague in the context that is stated or implied:
Property owner, showing his property to guests: “The lot extends back to about where that
large oak tree stands.”
Precise enough.