1. THEA Objective 5 Critical Reasoning

2. 5 Types of Questions 1.Author’s Logic 2.Fact and Opinion 3.Author’s Assumptions 4.Author’s Argument 5.Author’s Credibility

3. 1. Logic Ex. Using the author’s logic, what will happen to asthma patients when they exercise for 15 minutes? Think like the author and use information from the passage

4. 2. Fact and Opinion Ex. Which statement expresses an opinion rather than a fact? Fact Opinion Ask yourself: Can this statement be proven? Numbers Dates Statistics Percentages “according to the study…” words like: too, should, beautiful, respect,disgusting,interesting… statements about the future Statements that not everyone would agree with

5. 1. The tarantula spider can live for as long as two years without food. 2. The first President to have been born in a hospital is Jimmy Carter. 3. The best-looking of all American Presidents was John F. Kennedy. 4. Cigarette advertising was banned on TV on January 1, 1971. 5. Congress should pass a law making cigarettes illegal. 6. Couples should know each other for at least a year before getting married. 7. For various reasons, some spouses take separate vacations. 8. In point of fact, it is always better for spouses to vacation together. 9. Boxing, an overly violent sport, should finally be outlawed. 10. Boxer James J. ( “ Gentleman Jim ” ) Corbett never had a bloody nose or a black eye during his eighteen-year boxing career.

6. Author’s Argument Ex. Which of the following statements supports the writer’s contention that dogs are better than cats?* *Also in THEA objective 2 and 3

7. Which of the following details best supports the authors' point that children can be helped to overcome fears? A.Fear of strangers usually ends when a child develops a more inclusive schema of faces and people. B.Children should never be forced to confront a feared situation before they are ready to do so. C.A child can sometimes be reassured after a caregiver has encouraged the child to explain the fear. D.Many of children's fears are well-grounded and reasonable.

8. Assumptions Ex. The argument the author presents is based on which of the following assumptions? Assumption…something believed to be true without any proof. Step One: What is the author’s argument? (same as Main Idea) Step 2: What does the author assume when stating his/her argument?

9. Author’s Credibility (Evidence or Support) Ex: The writer supports his argument by presenting which types of support? Types of support: Statistics Research Facts Testimony Experience Opinions Which is most reliable? How does it influence the author’s credibility?

10. What 3 statements provide relevant support for the following argument? Argument: Selling cigarettes ought to be against the law. A. Cigarette smoking kills many more people than all illegal drugs combined. B. Today, tobacco growing is actually supported by government subsidies. C. Alcohol is another legal drug that kills numerous Americans every year. D. Nonsmokers are endangered by breathing the smoke from others ’ cigarettes. E. Tobacco is one of the most addictive of all drugs.

11. Point: The county should require residents to recycle newspapers, cans, and bottles. A. When the county had a “ Clean Up Our Streets ” day, everyone pitched in. B. By selling the materials to be recycled, the county could gain much-needed funds. C. County residents should be taught to buy products that are not wastefully packaged. D. Recycling contributes to a stronger environment by making the best use of limited resources. E. It wouldn ’ t be difficult for the county to give every home a recycling bin to use. Recycling will help solve the problem of limited space in landfills. What 3 statements provide relevant support for the following argument?

12. l Individual and family stress would be lessened and family togetherness increased if household responsibilities were assigned more evenly among family members. 2 Often wives who work full-time also do most of the work around the house, which makes their lives more stressful than necessary. 3 This stress often causes wives to resent their husbands and children, creating tensions throughout the family. 4 America ’ s husbands have always been too self- centered. 5 A more fair distribution of household work would also free wives to spend more relaxing time together with their families. 6 If household work was more fairly divided, everyone ’ s lives would undoubtedly be improved. ___ 8. Which sentence is not relevant to the author ’ s argument that assigning household responsibilities more evenly would lessen stress and increase togetherness? A. Sentence 2 B. Sentence 3 C. Sentence 4 D. Sentence 5

13. 1 Forty-six out of ninety-three bottles of various brands of water tested in a major study had detectable levels of potentially harmful chemicals. 2 The levels didn ’ t exceed Environmental Protection Agency limits — but, then, neither do those of tap water from urban areas with municipal water- treatment plants. 3 Indeed, it was found that most tap water can be as pure as — or purer than — some bottled waters. 4 And many taste just as good too. 5 It was also noted that tap water has as many “ healthy ” minerals as bottled water. 6 “ The minerals in tap and bottled water are comparable, and vary only slightly, ” noted one dietician involved in the study. 7 Obviously, tap water can be as healthy or healthier than bottled water. ___ Which sentence expresses the point of the argument? A. Sentence 1 B. Sentence 2 C. Sentence 5 D. Sentence 7 ___ Which sentence is not relevant support for the point of the argument? A. Sentence 2 B. Sentence 3 C. Sentence 4 D. Sentence 6