1. A speaker using induction is trying to lead an audience to a conclusion by demonstrating relationships between
established premises.
a. True
b. False
2. There is only one way to reasonably interpret a fact.
a. True
b. False
3. My sister is a lousy driver, which leads me to believe that most women are lousy drivers. This is an example of a
semantic fallacy.
a. True
b. False
4. What type of reasoning would you be using when your argument consists of combining a series of observations to
lead to a probable conclusion?
a. Causal reasoning
b. Deductive reasoning
c. Inductive reasoning
d. Reasoning by analogy
e. None of the above
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Chapter 20 Building Sound Arguments
5. One would be using a deductive pattern of reasoning when _____.
a. The argument consists of combining a series of observations to lead to a probable conclusion
b. The argument consists of demonstrating how the relationship of established premises leads to a necessary
conclusion
c. The argument consists of demonstrating how one event results from another
d. The argument consists of drawing conclusions about unknown events based on what one knows about
similar events
e. Both B and D
6. InSheng’spersuasivespeechabouttheneedtorecycle,hestates,“Weneedtorecycleinordertosaveenergy.
In 2003, the energy savings from recycling 54 billion aluminum cans exceeded the energy equivalent of 15 million
barrelsofcrudeoil.”WhattypeofreasoningisShengusing?
a. Deductive reasoning
b. Inductive reasoning
c. Causal reasoning
d. Reasoning by analogy
e. None of the above
7. Use reasoning by analogy to _____.
a. Draw conclusions about unknown events based on what you know about similar events
b. Test the validity of relationship between two events
c. Compare apples and oranges
d. Understand complex symbolic formulas
e. None of the above
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Chapter 20 Building Sound Arguments
8. “Yourcountry,loveitorleaveit”isanexampleof
a. Confusing sequence with cause
b. False dichotomy
c. Circular reasoning
d. Attacking the person rather than the argument
e. None of the above
9. A speaker wants to challenge the statement that the social and intellectual development of children is harmed when
both parents work outside the home. Which of the following would discredit that causal reasoning?
a. Examples of children who are doing well overall while having working parents
b. Examples of children who are having problems and have a parent at home full time
c. Statistics that show no correlation between hours worked by parents and developmental level of children
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
10. Identify and explain the four different forms of reasoning. Give an example of how each type of reasoning might be
used with health as the topic.
11. Select a causal claim made by one of your classmates in the round of persuasive speeches. Analyze the validity of
that claim using criteria from Chapter 21.
12. Identify and explain three reasoning fallacies. Use original examples (i.e., not from text, lectures, exams) to
illustrate each.
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Chapter 20 Building Sound Arguments
13. What are the two main reasons for a public speaker to learn reasoning fallacies?
14. What is the significance of understanding the difference between what facts are and what facts mean? How does
it apply to public speaking?
15. Identify the fallacy or fallacies in each statement.
All talk shows should be banned. Shortly after the airing of a show on surprises, one of the guests on the Jenny
Jones talk shows killed another guest.
Anyonewhodoesn’tsupportguncontrollawsadvocatesviolence.
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Chapter 20 Building Sound Arguments