Additional Practice 1
Instructions
- Go through the below passages.
- You need not limit your time. Take as long as you feel you need to understand the passage well.
- Once you have read the passage, answer the following questions in a single comment below.
Passage 1
The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely expected to result in a decline in television viewing, since it had been assumed that people lack sufficient free time to maintain current television-viewing levels while spending increasing amounts of free time on the computer. That assumption, however, is evidently false: in a recent mail survey concerning media use, a very large majority of respondents who report increasing time spent per week using computers report no change in time spent watching television.
Questions
- Is the above passage an argument?
- If so, what is the main point (conclusion)?
- On what basis (support) is the main point made?
- What are the connections between the various ideas in the passage?
- Are there any gaps? If so, mention ALL the gaps you notice.
Next steps
This passage will be discussed in a Strengthen Weaken Evaluate session.
For now, focus on gap analysis. In case you have any questions, you can ask them after we have discussed this passage in a live session.
Passage 2
The average normal infant born in the United States weighs between twelve and fourteen pounds at the age of three months. Therefore, if a three-month-old child weighs only ten pounds, its weight gain has been below the United States average.
Questions
- Is the above passage an argument?
- If so, what is the main point (conclusion)?
- On what basis (support) is the main point made?
- What are the connections between the various ideas in the passage?
- Are there any gaps? If so, mention ALL the gaps you notice.
Solution pointers
Hint: Do you notice any shifts in language in this passage?
Do you want to go back and go through the passage again?
I notice 2 shifts in language in the passage:
- weight –> weight gain
- The main point talks about weight gain being below the US average. While the basis talks about the weight at the age of three months, and nothing about the gain. Even if an infant weighs less than average, the infant’s weight gain might still not be below the average.
- weight of a normal infant at the age of three months –> a three-month-old child
- The first statement gives us data for a normal infant born in the US. The main point does not specify that the child is ‘normal’. For non-normal infants, the average might be different.
- The first statement gives us data for a normal infant born in the US. The main point does not specify that the child is ‘normal’. For non-normal infants, the average might be different.
– Anish
Passage 3
In virtually any industry, technological improvements increase labor productivity, which is the output of goods and services per person-hour worked. In Parland’s industries, labor productivity is significantly higher than it is in Vergia’s industries. Clearly, therefore, Parland’s industries must, on the whole, be further advanced technologically than Vergia’s are.
Solution Pointers
In virtually any industry:
- Are technological improvements enough to increase labor productivity?
- Are technological improvements required to increase labor productivity?
…
…
…
- Yes.
- No.
I’ll take another example to explain one flaw here.
For virtually any person, regular running improves fitness levels. Ramesh is extremely fit. Therefore, he runs regularly.
Do you see the flaw? Same problem here too. Just ’cause tech improvements increase labour productivity, doesn’t mean that any success in labour productivity would have been achieved through tech improvements. There could be other ways to achieve higher labour productivity too.
Passage 4
According to a prediction of the not-so-distant future published in 1940, electricity would revolutionize agriculture. Electrodes would be inserted into the soil, and the current between them would kill bugs and weeds and make crop plants stronger.
- What is the relation between the two statements above?
- What is the prediction based on?
- Is the prediction perfectly logical?
Solution Pointers
The prediction is based on the second statement.
How will electricity revolutionize agriculture? By using electrical circuits in the soil to kill bugs and weeds.
Is the prediction perfectly logical?
Can’t the plants get electrocuted too? They can, right? The prediction doesn’t take that into account.
Passage 5
Passage 6