Critical Thinking quiz 1

Which of the following statements represents an interpretation? a. "Poetry enables humans to communicate deep, complex emotions and ideas that resist simple expression." b. "If drastic environmental measures are not undertaken to slow the global warming trend, I believe that the polar ice caps will melt and the Earth will be flooded." c. "An effective college education provides not only mastery of information and skills but also evolving insight and maturing judgment." d. "Children today spend too much time on the Internet and too little time reading books

a

Thinking critically involves actively using your thinking abilities to attack problems, meet challenges, and __________.

analyze issues

. In the method for achieving short-term goals, once you identify the short-term goals, the next step is to: a. devise an effective plan to achieve all of your goals. b. rank the goals in order of importance. c. select the most important goal(s) to focus on. d. none of these are correct.

b

. Looking for different things to apply the concept to in order to determine if they "meet the requirements" of the concept we are developing is referred to as: a. applying. b. interpreting. c. inferring. d. generalizing.

b

A __________ represents an interpretation, evaluation, conclusion, or prediction about the world that we endorse as true. a. perception b. belief c. thought d. concept

b

A system of spoken sounds and written markings that we use to represent various aspects of our experience is known as: a. symbolism. b. language. c. communication. d. semantics.

b

All of the following are cognitive abilities and attitudes that characterize the critical thinker EXCEPT: a. thinking actively. b. engaging in two-way communication. c. discussing ideas in an organized way. d. viewing situations from different perspectives.

b

As you form and revise your beliefs, based on your experiences and your reflections on these experiences, it is important to make them as __________ as possible. a. complete b. accurate c. reflexive d. unbiased

b

At the most basic level, the concept of perceiving refers to __________ the sensations provided by the senses. a. selecting, using, and retaining b. selecting, organizing, and interpreting c. sensing, organizing, and storing d. sensing, feeling, and interpreting

b

The most effective way to test the strength and accuracy of your beliefs is to evaluate evidence that supports them. Which of the following is NOT a category of evidence? a. Personal experience b. Opinions c. Authorities d. Factual evidence

b

The process by which we describe the world in ways that are based on factual information yet go beyond this information to make statements about what is not currently known is called: a. judging. b. inferring. c. perceiving. d. evaluating.

b

To become a sophisticated thinker, you must develop expertise in the conceptualization process. All of the following are areas within which you must improve your abilities EXCEPT: a. forming concepts. b. generalizing concepts. c. applying concepts. d. relating concepts.

b

We work at evaluating the accuracy of our beliefs by: a. getting the opinions of those we trust. b. examining the reasons or evidence that support them. c. regressing back to our childhood to discover the root of the beliefs. d. testing our beliefs against proven fact.

b

When you let events control you or permit others to do your thinking for you, you are said to: a. be noncompliant. b. react passively. c. deal effectively. d. transfer responsibly.

b

Which of the following is NOT an activity of the automatic process of perception? a. Selecting b. Predicting c. Organizing d. Interpreting

b

Which of the following is the final step in the method for making decisions? a. Select the choice that seems best to meet the needs of the situation. b. Implement a plan of action and then monitor the results, making necessary adjustments. c. Gather all the relevant information and evaluate the pros and cons of each possible choice. d. Create a schedule of implementation.

b

__________ represent interpretations, evaluations, conclusions, or predictions about the nature of the world.

beliefs

A common thinking error in seeking our goals is: a. explicitly identifying important goals. b. failing to compile a mental summary sheet. c. concentrating on less important goals first, leaving insufficient time to work on more important ones. d. identifying too many steps that must be taken in order to reach the goals

c

Language that is ineffective because it does not successfully communicate an idea or experience in precise or exact terms is known as __________ language. a. dialectic b. euphemistic c. vague d. ambiguous

c

One important criterion for evaluating your beliefs is that the beliefs are: a. reliable. b. verifiable. c. falsifiable. d. explainable.

c

People in the "Garden of Eden" stage of thinking tend to see the world in terms of: a. romantic relationships. b. compelling reasons to support their viewpoints. c. black and white. d. euphoric fantasy

c

What part of a word's total meaning expresses the relationship between a linguistic event and an individual's consciousness? a. Syntactic meaning b. Semantic meaning c. Perceptual meaning d. Pragmatic meaning

c

Which of the following is NOT one of Bloom's six categories of questions? a. Synthesis b. Analysis c. Classification d. Evaluation

c

Which of the following is NOT one of the basic types of beliefs you use to make sense of the world? a. Reports b. Judgments c. Opinions d. Inferences

c

Which stage of knowing is based upon knowledge being clear, certain, absolute, and provided by authorities? a. Anything Goes b. Thinking Critically c. The Garden of Eden d. Childhood

c

Which stage of knowing is based upon the concept that some viewpoints are better than other viewpoints, not because authorities say so but because compelling reasons support these viewpoints? a. The Garden of Eden b. Anything Goes c. Thinking Critically d. Organized Perception

c

Your __________ in perceiving your world is something you are not usually aware of. a. emotional blindness b. helpless inaccuracy c. active participation d. selective blindness

c

The process by which you group things based on their similarities is known as __________.

classifying

__________ are general ideas we use to identify and organize our experience.

concepts

Perceptual meaning is sometimes called __________—the literal or basic meaning of a word plus all it suggests to you.

connotative meaning

Analyzing for the purpose of developing a better understanding of what is going on is called __________ criticism.

constructive

3. __________ is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that we use to understand the world and make informed decisions.

Thinking

4. Using our thinking process to develop ideas that are unique, useful, and worthy of further elaboration is __________.

Thinking creatively

Being __________ involves breaking out of established patterns of thinking and approaching situations from innovative directions.

creative

9. Thinking critically is thinking about what you are thinking so that you can: a. be reactionary. b. be critical. c. influence the thinking of others. d. clarify and improve it.

d

According to the section of the chapter devoted to "Evaluating Online Information," a critical thinker should never accept information at face value without first: a. determining the point of view or bias of the source. b. establishing its accuracy. c. evaluating the credibility of the source. d. all of these are correct.

d

Critical thinkers continually evaluate their beliefs by applying __________ to assess the strength and accuracy of these beliefs. a. inferences b. reflections c. emotional evaluations d. intellectual standards

d

Interpretations, evaluations, conclusions, or predictions about the world that we endorse as true are called: a. perceptions. b. interpretations. c. observations. d. beliefs.

d

Once the process of identifying and ranking your goals is complete, you should: a. explicitly define the important ones. b. rearrange them. c. summarize what you've done. d. focus on devising effective plans and strategies to achieve them.

d

The most common way researchers define creativity is by saying it is whatever produces something that is: a. meaningful to others. b. original. c. adaptive. d. all of these are correct.

d

The relationship between thinking and language is __________ since both processes are continually influencing each other in many ways. a. connotative b. euphemistic c. reflexive d. interactive

d

To clarify and validate your perceptions, you must: a. test your beliefs. b. find common ground with others by associating with people who share your ideas. c. tell people your ideas and get their input. d. critically examine and evaluate them.

d

What do we call the language that often plays a double role, not only symbolizing and expressing our feelings but also arousing or evoking feelings in others? a. Perceptual language b. Sign language c. Symbolic language d. Emotive language

d

What do we call the process by which we describe the world in ways that express an evaluation based on certain criteria? a. Theorizing b. Perceiving c. Inferring d. Judging

d

When identifying the most appropriate long-term goals for yourself, you need to look at all of the following EXCEPT: a. your talents. b. your interests. c. those things that stimulate you and bring you satisfaction. d. your level of cognitive development.

d

When we are able to identify all of the requirements of a concept, we say these requirements are both __________ and __________ for applying the concept. a. required; present b. generalized; interpreted c. developed; clarified d. necessary; sufficient

d

When you apply a concept to an object, idea, or experience, you are __________ that object, idea, or experience by placing it into the group of things defined by the properties of the concept. a. nesting b. organizing c. processing d. classifying

d

Which of the following is NOT a key element of the process of developing accurate and thoughtfully reasoned beliefs? a. Thinking critically about information b. Developing informed beliefs c. Evaluating the accuracy of information and the credibility of sources d. Comparing your beliefs with those of other people

d

Being able to listen and exchange ideas, a process of give and take, of both advancing our views and considering those of others is called __________.

discussion

Words such as disgusting, mouthwatering, and Nazi probably stimulate certain feelings in you. Language that evokes strong feelings is called __________.

emotive language

Beliefs that are __________ are those that you can state conditions—tests—under which the beliefs can be disproved and the beliefs nevertheless pass those tests

falsifiable

Focusing on the common properties shared by a group of things is called __________.

generalizing

prevalent myth about creativity is that it is restricted to those who are __________.

geniuses

__________ occurs when an incubating idea finally erupts to the surface of your conscious mind.

illumination

Describing the world in ways that are based on factual information yet go beyond this information to make statements about what is not currently known is referred to as

inferring

Forming concepts is a(n) __________ process that involves a constant back-and-forth movement between generalizing and interpreting

interactive

Questions of __________ seek to select and organize facts and ideas, discovering the relationships among them.

interpretation

Looking for different examples of a concept in order to determine whether they meet the requirements of that concept is called __________.

interpreting

Reasons or evidence that support our beliefs are also known as __________ for our beliefs

justification

The idea of __________ is the ability to distinguish beliefs supported by strong reasons or evidence from beliefs for which there is less support, as well as from beliefs disproved by evidence to the contrary.

knowing

__________ comprises beliefs about the world that we believe are true and for which we can supply compelling reasons and evidence

knowledge

__________ is a system of symbols for thinking and communicating.

language

A(n) __________ is a visual presentation of the ways in which concepts can be related to one another.

mind map

1. When we are __________, we avoid rigid, reflexive behavior in favor of a more improvisational and intuitive response to life.

mindful

2. The intuitive understanding that a single thing is, or could be, many things, depending on how you look at it, is at the heart of the attitude Harvard professor of psychology Ellen Langer calls __________.

mindfulness

We depend on the direct experience of __________ to provide us with beliefs and also to act as foundations for those beliefs since we can only be in one place at one time

other people

The __________ of a word expresses the relationship between a linguistic event and a nonlinguistic event.

perceptual meaning

Actively selecting, organizing, and interpreting what is experienced by your senses is known as __________.

percieving

When you arrive at a perception, your reasons and the evidence that help support your views are taken from various authorities, references, factual evidence, and __________.

personal experience

Making accurate observations depends more on how well you understand the __________ you or someone else brings to the situation than on how well your senses are functioning

personal factors

giving your life creatively means bringing your unique __________ and creative __________ to all dimensions of your life.

perspective; talents

The __________ of a word involves the person who is speaking and the situation in which the word is spoken

pragmatic meaning

A(n) __________ is a statement about what will happen in the future.

prediction

The __________ of a concept are the features that all things named by the word or sign have in common.

properties

A(n) __________ is a description of something experienced that is communicated in as accurate and complete a way as possible.

report

To determine whether the concept we have selected fits the situation, we have to determine whether the __________ that form the concept are being met.

requirements

A(n) __________ is a word or symbol used to name or designate a concept

sign

The __________ is a method of inquiry that uses a dynamic approach of questioning and intellectual analysis in order to explore the essential nature of concepts.

socratic method

To __________ is to let one thing represent something else.

symbolize

Questions of __________ combine ideas to form a new whole or come to a conclusion, making inferences about future events, creating solutions, and designing plans of action.

synthesis

. A(n) __________ statement is a statement with which all "rational" people will agree, providing that suitable evidence for its truth is available. a. emotive b. descriptive c. factual d. euphemistic

a

As organizers of your experience, __________ work in conjunction with language to identify, describe, distinguish, and relate all the various aspects of your world. a. concepts b. perceptions c. generalizations d. philosophies

a

Because __________ play such an important role in our exchange and accumulation of information about the world, it is important that they be as accurate and complete as possible. a. factual reports b. news media c. cognitive abilities d. perceptions and beliefs

a

Everybody has a collection of beliefs that she or he uses to: a. guide her or his actions. b. judge others negatively. c. predict the future. d. persuade others of her or his faith.

a

Facts and inferences are designed to help you figure out what is actually happening, but the purpose of __________ is to express your evaluation about what is happening. a. judgments b. perceptions c. knowing d. predictions

a

If you are combining ideas to form a new whole or come to a conclusion, you may need to draw in questions of: a. synthesis. b. evaluation. c. application. d. analysis.

a

Much of our failure to achieve our short-term goals is because we: a. skip one or more of the steps in the goal-seeking process. b. consult with others. c. look at long-term goals as short-term goals. d. all of these are correct.

a

One component of a word's total meaning is its __________ meaning, which defines its relation to other words in a sentence. a. syntactic b. perceptual c. pragmatic d. semantic

a

One major goal of social institutions, including family, the school system, and religion, is to: a. transfer knowledge. b. control the masses. c. create social order. d. define what truth is.

a

The __________ meaning of a word expresses the relationship between speaking or writing and an object, an idea, or a feeling. a. semantic b. syntactic c. perceptual d. pragmatic

a

The aim of questions of __________ is to take knowledge or concepts gained in one situation and apply them to other situations. a. application b. synthesis c. analysis d. interpretation

a

The best way to understand the structure of concepts is to visualize them by means of a model. All of the following are aspects of that model EXCEPT: a. the processing of the concept, which allows the brain to organize it. b. the sign, which is the word or symbol used to name the concept. c. the referents, which represent all the various examples of the concept. d. the properties of the concept, which are the qualities that all examples of the concept have in common.

a

The philosophical view that asserts if authorities are not infallible and we can't trust their expertise, then no one point of view is ultimately any better than any other is known as: a. relativism. b. authoritarianism. c. hedonism. d. communism

a

The process of forming concepts involves moving back and forth between the __________ of the concept and the __________ shared by all examples of the concept. a. referents; properties b. referents; sign c. sign; properties d. classifications; characteristics

a

Thinking critically about your __________ results in the formation of your beliefs and ultimately in the construction of your knowledge about the world. a. perceptions b. outlook c. intelligence d. cognitive abilities

a

What are the three relationships among words that are defined by a syntactic meaning? a. Content, description, and connection b. Connection, semantics, and meaning c. Description, connection, and usage d. Description, semantics, and usage

a

Which of Bloom's six categories of questions seeks information that is relatively straightforward and objective? a. Questions of fact b. Questions of interpretation c. Questions of analysis d. Questions of comparison

a

Which of the following is part of the interactive process of forming a concept? a. Generalizing b. Theorizing c. Assuming d. Implying

a