Reading: Critical Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CBEST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Reading: Critical Analysis flashcards as text
A journalist writes: 'Studies suggest that social media may contribute to anxiety in some teens.' Which word signals the claim is qualified rather than absolute?
Answer: may
'May' signals uncertainty, making the claim hedged rather than a definitive assertion.
Read the following: 'Our town's crime rate dropped 12% last year. Clearly, the new curfew law is working.' What logical flaw does this argument contain?
Answer: Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Post hoc fallacy assumes the curfew caused the drop simply because the curfew preceded it, ignoring other possible causes.
An author describes a city as 'a labyrinth of noise and forgotten dreams.' This description is best classified as:
Answer: A metaphor expressing mood
The figurative comparison of a city to a labyrinth and personification of dreams create a metaphor conveying atmosphere.
Which of the following would most strengthen an argument that reading fiction improves empathy?
Answer: A controlled study showing empathy gains in fiction readers vs. non-readers
A controlled study with a comparison group provides direct empirical evidence for the causal claim.
A passage states: 'Not everyone agrees, but most historians believe the drought was a key factor in the empire's collapse.' The author's primary purpose here is to:
Answer: Acknowledge disagreement while presenting a majority scholarly view
The phrase 'not everyone agrees, but most historians believe' signals the author is balancing dissent with a prevailing scholarly consensus.
In an editorial, the author states: 'Anyone who opposes this policy simply doesn't care about children.' This statement is an example of:
Answer: A false dichotomy / appeal to emotion
The statement unfairly reduces complex opposition to a single uncharitable motive, combining false dichotomy with emotional manipulation.
A reader encounters the sentence: 'The committee tabled the motion.' In a US context, this most likely means the committee:
Answer: Postponed discussion of the motion
In American English, 'tabled' a motion means to set it aside or postpone it for later consideration.