RLA - Reasoning through Language Arts Evaluating Claims and Evidence Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A city council member argues against building a new skate park: "If we build this skate park, it will attract loitering teenagers. This will inevitably lead to an increase in vandalism and petty crime throughout the neighborhood, and soon our entire community will become unsafe." What is the primary weakness in the council member's argument?
- It assumes a series of negative events will happen without providing evidence. (Correct answer)
- It attacks the character of teenagers rather than the merits of the park.
- It claims the community will be unsafe just because a few people are worried.
- It presents only two options: build the park or have a safe community.
Correct answer: It assumes a series of negative events will happen without providing evidence.
This argument is a 'slippery slope' fallacy. It claims that a relatively minor first step (building a park) will inevitably lead to a chain of negative events (loitering, crime, unsafe community) without sufficient evidence to support that this chain reaction will actually occur.
Question 2: An article makes the claim that mandatory school uniforms improve the learning environment by reducing distractions and improving student focus. Which of the following pieces of evidence is LEAST relevant to supporting this specific claim?
- A survey in which 70% of teachers reported fewer classroom disruptions after implementing a uniform policy.
- Data showing a 15% increase in average test scores at a school in the year following the adoption of uniforms.
- Testimonials from students who said they feel less pressure to keep up with fashion trends.
- A report indicating that local clothing stores saw a 30% increase in sales of uniform-compliant apparel. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A report indicating that local clothing stores saw a 30% increase in sales of uniform-compliant apparel.
The sales figures of local stores are an economic side effect of the uniform policy. This information does not provide direct evidence about the students' learning environment, focus, or behavior inside the school, unlike the other options which relate to classroom disruptions, test scores, and student feelings.
Question 3: A blogger writes, "Our town must ban plastic straws immediately. I saw a sea turtle on a documentary that was harmed by a straw, and it proves that our town's straw usage is directly contributing to a global crisis." Why is the evidence provided insufficient to support the blogger's claim?
- Documentaries are often biased and cannot be used as evidence.
- The blogger fails to propose an alternative to plastic straws.
- The conclusion is based on a single, emotional example rather than broad data. (Correct answer)
- The problem of plastic waste is too large for one town to solve.
Correct answer: The conclusion is based on a single, emotional example rather than broad data.
The argument relies on a single, emotionally powerful piece of anecdotal evidence (one sea turtle from a documentary). This is a hasty generalization. To make a convincing case, the blogger would need broader evidence, such as data on local plastic waste or studies linking specific community usage to environmental impact, rather than one isolated example.
Question 4: A student is writing a research paper arguing that industrial farming practices are a major contributor to water pollution. Which of the following sources would provide the most credible and relevant evidence to support this claim?
- The website of a corporation that sells large-scale farming equipment.
- A peer-reviewed study from a scientific journal on agricultural runoff and water quality. (Correct answer)
- A newspaper opinion piece written by a local organic farmer.
- A social media post from an activist group that opposes all forms of farming.
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed study from a scientific journal on agricultural runoff and water quality.
A peer-reviewed scientific journal is the most credible source. Its articles are reviewed by other experts in the field to ensure the research methods are sound and the conclusions are supported by verifiable data. The corporation has a financial bias, the opinion piece relies on personal views, and the activist group may present extreme or biased information.
Question 5: Read the following passage: "The city council has proposed a 1% increase in the local sales tax. This is an outrageous and unacceptable burden on hardworking families. A far better solution would be to cut wasteful spending in the city's bloated administrative departments. Any sensible person knows that the government should tighten its belt before asking citizens for more money." Which of the following is a statement of fact presented in the passage?
- The city council has proposed a 1% increase in the local sales tax. (Correct answer)
- The proposed tax increase is an unacceptable burden on families.
- Cutting wasteful spending is a better solution than raising taxes.
- The city has bloated administrative departments.
Correct answer: The city council has proposed a 1% increase in the local sales tax.
A statement of fact is an objective piece of information that can be verified. The city council's proposal of a 1% tax increase can be proven by looking at public records or meeting minutes. The other statements are opinions, as they reflect the author's personal judgments and use subjective language like 'outrageous,' 'better solution,' and 'bloated.'
Question 6: Read the following argument: "Recent studies have shown that employees who work from home are 15% more productive than their in-office counterparts. Furthermore, companies can save thousands of dollars annually on overhead costs like rent and utilities. A flexible work-from-home policy also improves employee morale and retention, reducing costly turnover. Therefore, it is clear that businesses should transition to a remote-first work model." What is the author's primary claim?
- Working from home improves employee morale.
- Businesses should adopt a remote-first work model. (Correct answer)
- Companies can save money by reducing office space.
- Remote workers are more productive than in-office workers.
Correct answer: Businesses should adopt a remote-first work model.
The primary claim is the main argument or conclusion the author wants the reader to accept. The statements about productivity, cost savings, and morale are all pieces of evidence or supporting reasons used to justify the main claim that businesses should make this transition.
RLA - Reasoning through Language Arts Evaluating Claims and Evidence Questions and Answers
A city council member argues against building a new skate park: "If we build this skate park, it will attract loitering teenagers.
This will inevitably lead to an increase in vandalism and petty crime throughout the neighborhood, and soon our entire community will become unsafe." What is the primary weakness in the council member's argument?