BCAT Critical Thinking 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating an argument in a BCAT passage, the term 'assumption' refers to:
- A claim the argument relies on but does not explicitly state (Correct answer)
- A stated premise supporting the conclusion
- A counterargument offered by the opponent
- A factual error in the passage
Correct answer: A claim the argument relies on but does not explicitly state
Assumptions are unstated beliefs that the argument depends upon; identifying them is a core BCAT critical thinking skill.
Question 2: Which of the following is the strongest evidence that an argument contains circular reasoning?
- The conclusion is used as one of the premises (Correct answer)
- The argument has more than two premises
- The conclusion is surprising or counterintuitive
- The premises rely on expert testimony
Correct answer: The conclusion is used as one of the premises
Circular reasoning (begging the question) occurs when the conclusion is embedded in or identical to one of the premises.
Question 3: In a BCAT-style argument, an 'inference' is best defined as:
- A conclusion drawn from available evidence (Correct answer)
- A premise stated at the start
- A definition provided in the passage
- An emotional appeal to the reader
Correct answer: A conclusion drawn from available evidence
An inference is a logical step taken from evidence or premises to arrive at a conclusion.
Question 4: Which option correctly identifies the conclusion in the following argument? 'Crime rates fell after the law changed. The law must have caused the drop.'
- The law must have caused the drop (Correct answer)
- Crime rates fell
- The law changed
- None of the above
Correct answer: The law must have caused the drop
The conclusion is the claim being argued for; here it is the causal claim about the law.
Question 5: A BCAT question asks you to 'weaken the argument.' This means you must find a statement that:
- Makes the conclusion less likely to be true (Correct answer)
- Supports one of the premises
- Introduces a new but unrelated topic
- Defines a key term differently
Correct answer: Makes the conclusion less likely to be true
Weakening an argument means providing a reason to doubt the conclusion or undermine a key premise.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of the 'slippery slope' fallacy?
- If we allow one exception to this rule, society will eventually collapse into lawlessness (Correct answer)
- The defendant was seen near the scene, so he is guilty
- All lawyers passed the bar; she is a lawyer, so she passed the bar
- We should trust this expert because she has a law degree
Correct answer: If we allow one exception to this rule, society will eventually collapse into lawlessness
A slippery slope fallacy claims that one step will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without justifying the chain of events.
BCAT Critical Thinking 2
When evaluating an argument in a BCAT passage, the term 'assumption' refers to: