Full name: Nguyễn Thùy Linh S.

ID: 2112280051

MINI –TEST 2
(20mins)

Task 1. Identify fallacies in the following passages. Briefly explain your choice.
1. Of course, Chinese green tea is good for your health. If it weren’t, how could it be so
beneficial to drink it?
- Begging the question fallacy
The reason “how could it be so beneficial to drink it?” has the same meaning as the
conclusion “Chinese green tea is good for your health”.
2. “I would forget about whatever Moore and Parker have to say about pay for college
teachers. After all, they’re both professors themselves; what would you expect them to
say?”
- Ad hominem (attacking the motive)
The speaker is criticizing Moore and Parker’s motivation for offering an argument (they
are professors) rather than examining the worth of the argument itself
3. CARLOS: Four A.M.? Do we really have to start that early? Couldn’t we leave a little
later and get more sleep?
JEANNE: C’mon, don’t hand me that! I know you! If you want to stay in bed until noon
and then drag in there in the middle of the night, then go by yourself! If we want to get
there at a reasonable hour, then we have to get going early and not spend the whole day
sleeping
- Straw man fallacy
Carlos only asks whether they can get more sleep and Jeanne distorts his view into “stay
in bed until noon”
4. In a recent letter to the editor, Stella Davis argued that we should legalize same-sex
marriage. But allowing same-sex marriage would undermine respect for traditional
marriage. Traditional marriage is the very foundation of our society. If that foundation is
destroyed, our whole society will collapse. Thus, if we want to prevent the complete
disintegration of our society, we must oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage.
- Slippery slope
The arguer makes an assumption that legalization of same-sex marriage will lead to
disintegration of our society
5. Jeff’s mom is concerned when she finds out that he skipped class one day. She tells him
that she is concerned that since he skipped one class, he will start skipping more
frequently. Then he will drop out altogether, never graduate or get into college, and end
up unemployed and living at home for the rest of his life.
- The slippery slope fallacy
- The arguer makes an assumption that skipping class one day will result in
uncontrollable chain of undesirable events and then lead to unemployment.
Task 2. Identify the key assumption in the following arguments?
1. The business model of internet cafes is no longer capable of success in the United
States. This is because the availability of internet has skyrocketed over the past several
years. Free wifi is offered in most major coffee shops and stores. Additionally, Americans
have mobile devices with plans that provide them with internet access. For those without
devices, public libraries also provide computers offering internet access, free of charge.  
- Internet cafes only depend on internet access service to survive and gain profits.
2. You should be able to laugh aloud whenever you want to, wherever you are, because
it's good for your mind and body.
- Anything that is good for your mind and body should be done
3. Men are generally better than women at what psychologists call ‘target-directed motor
skills’, but what the rest of us call ‘playing darts’. Many people would say that this is not
due to innate biological differences in the brain, but is due to the fact that upbringing gives
boys more opportunities to practice these skills. But there must be some innate difference,
because even three-year-old boys are better than girls of the same age at target skills.
- Upbringing and innate differences are two only reasons for men to be better than
women at target-directed motor skills
4. Allowing parents to choose the sex of their children could have serious social costs.
There would be a higher percentage of males who were unable to find a female partner.
Also, since it is true that 90 per cent of violent crimes are committed by men, the number
of violent crimes would rise.
- Females cause no serious social costs.
5. "Cow-Abunga" yoghurts must be good for you since they're made with 100% natural
and organic ingredients!
- Natural and organic ingredients are good