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Mock test May 2023 -Advanced reading

Advanced reading (Trường Đại học Ngoại thương)

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ADVANCED READING

MOCK TEST

I-Identify the key assumptions in the following two arguments. (3 pts)

1. Are Macs really better than PCs? The answer is a resounding yes! Computer Nerds
Quarterly recently ran an article thoroughly outlining every advantage that Macs
have over PCs. Furthermore, just ask Mac users and they will quickly explain how
Macs are superior to PCs (reason1 ). For example, Sherry, a Mac user, states, "My
Mac is the best thing I ever purchased. It is fast and easy to use. Plus, it has never
crashed on me. All of my friends who have PCs have complained about all kinds
of problems my Mac has never had." More importantly, a recent report in
Consumer Affairs states that more new businesses are using Mac based systems
than PC based systems. Clearly, Macs are a cut above the PCs. (2 points)

- Assumption 1: Mac users have no bias in comparing Macs and PCs

- Assumption 2: The article writer had conducted a fair examination of both strengths
and weaknesses of PCs and Macs, and was unbiased in presenting the results.

- Assumption 3: the writer didn’t have bias in selecting the testimonial/ case

2.A program instituted in a particular state allows parents to prepay their children's future
college tuition at current rates. The program then pays the tuition annually for the child at
any of the state's public colleges in which the child enrolls. Parents should participate in
the program as a means of decreasing the cost for their children's college education. (1
point)

- Assumption 1: Their child will choose and be admitted to one of the public colleges in
the state.

- Assumption 2: The prepaid money plus an additional amount coming from putting it in
an interest bearing account will be less than the total costs of tuition in any of the public
colleges in the time their child is enrolled.

II-Detect the fallacies in the reasoning of the following arguments (if any) and
explain why you find the argument(s) fallacious (3 pts)
1.Dan is a fine one, trying to persuade me to give up smoking when he indulges himself
with a pipe and a cigar from time to time. Maybe I should quit, but then so should he. As

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things stand now, however, it’s hypocritical of him to complain about my smoking when
he persists in the same habit.

- Fallacy: Ad Hominem

+ It is an attack on the person instead of evaluating the soundness of the advice

+ Reason: Dan smokes

+ Conclusion: Dan persuades me to quit smoking is hypocritical.

2.Automobiles cause more deaths than handguns do. If you oppose handguns on the
ground that doing so would save lives of the innocent, you’ll soon find yourself wanting
to outlaw the automobile.

- False/faulty analogy: đúng hay sai/ đúng là analogy khi điểm tương đồng (similarities)
 tìm similarities/ differ

+ It is based on the faulty assumptions: automobiles and handguns are similar in causing
deaths, they should be treated similarly  the similarity is irrelevant  The analogy is
faulty.

III- Discuss the following reasoning, making use of all that you have learnt about
critical reading. How will you respond to the conclusion by the writer?

When Gallup pollsters ask Americans about their dissatisfaction, public education is
typically on the list of top problems every year. Is such concern warranted? Yes. Fifteen-
year-olds in 22 countries outperform their U.S counterparts in science and those in 35
countries have much higher scores in math, surpassing even the students in the highest
achieving states in the Northeast.

Why are many U.S. students doing so poorly? Some believe that the typical curriculum in
the United States covers “too many topics too superficially” unlike the curricula in many
other countries. One reason for the superficiality of coverage may be short school hours.
For example, Asian students have longer and more school days than their American
counterparts. From grades 1-12, this equated to 610 extra hours in school per year or 7.4
more years of schooling in Asia than in the U.S.

Not all Americans endorse the idea of longer school days, even if the extra hours offer
musical studies, art, music or creative projects like building model houses (to teach
fractions). Instead, many parents feel that kids need some time to relax and play, and
administrators worry about the additional costs of materials and teachers’ salaries. Many
Americans complain that the United States is falling behind other nations in academic

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achievement, but 44 percent feel that college and universities should not require students
to take more maths and science courses.

Unlike the United States, many countries identify young children with high innate ability
in mathematical problem solving and then provide them with the resources (such as
highly qualified teachers and specialized programs) to excel. A number of policy analysis
maintain that many U.S students are performing poorly, in mathematics and other areas,
mainly because of school funding.

 Argument 1

- Conclusion: The U.S education is worrisome (is not good)

- Reasons:

+ Fifteen-year-olds in 22 countries outperform their U.S counterparts in science.

+ Those in 35 countries have much higher scores in math, surpassing even the
students in the highest achieving states in the Northeast.

 Argument 2

- Conclusion: The U.S education problem is caused by superficial coverage of

curriculum and the lack of school funding
- Reasons:

+ US school hours are shorter than Asian schools

+ A number of policy analysts say the problem is due to the lack of funding.

- Key assumptions:

+ The students chosen for comparison are typical enough to represent the students
in their countries.

+ How good an education is can be measured by comparing students result in math

and science.

+ Math and science are the only two criteria to evaluate how well students are
doing.

+ The policy analysts quoted are a reliable source, and the appeal to authority has
no selectivity problem.

 Fallacies:

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- Causal oversimplification
- Appeal to questionable authorities

 Evidence: sources of the figures, percentages and analysts are not provided
 Rival causes: How well the students do depend on many factors, not only on
coverage of the curriculum
 Omitted information:

+ How were the US students’ and their counterparts’ ability in math are compared?
Were their scores at school compared?

+ If their scores at school were compared, then we need to ask whether the
students only differed in terms of scores and also we need to be cautious about the
typicality of the samplings.

End-of-Test

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