Day 1 Thinking Skills Homework

1.Light from the sun is crucial for human health and well-being. The health benefits of sunlight include the generation of vitamin D, the improvement of bone health, the reduction of blood pressure, and the enhancement of mental health. About 15 minutes in the sun a day is adequate if one is fair-skinned.  And because Vitamin D helps the body keep calcium and prevents brittle, thin, or deformed bones, it is essential to one’s health. More time spent under the sun increases vitamin D levels.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

2.  A properly built drainage system is vital for removing excess water from the residence and preventing water-related damage. During the construction phase, it is also vital to ensure that obstructed water does not hinder the progress of the work. It is essential to have well-designed drains to prevent clogs and blockages that could cause floods.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

3.  At the beginning of the 1600s, Japan’s rulers feared the growth of Christianity. In response, they completely sealed off the islands from the rest of the world in 1603, banning Japanese citizens from leaving and admitting few foreigners. This time became known as the Edo period, and the borders remained closed until 1868, over three centuries later.

Which of the following best expresses the point of the argument?

4. Trees play a very important role in the world. They provide oxygen, store carbon, stabilise the soil, and sustain the planet’s wildlife. People are encouraged to plant more trees not just to promote physical activity among people but, most importantly, to improve the overall condition of the air that people are currently inhaling.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

5.  A laptop is increasingly seen as necessary because it allows you to take notes, conduct research, and compose essays and reports from a single spot. Typing notes can also be faster than transcribing by hand, allowing you to retain more information for future study and reference. Nowadays, having a laptop is required, especially for students.

Which of the following situations best strengthens the above argument?

6.  Orange juice is abundant in antioxidants, minerals, and potassium. Regular consumption improves heart health, reduces inflammation, and lowers kidney stone risk. Drinking three to five glasses of orange juice per day can improve a person’s health and ensure that they are free from any kind and type of illness.

Which of the following statements best weakens the above argument?

7. The Wolverine Academy is hiring new martial arts coaches until the end of the month. Anyone who is interested to apply for the job needs to meet all of the following conditions to be qualified:

1. Must be 19 years old or above.
2. Must have at least 3 years of martial arts experience.
3. Must have a height of 5’6 or above

Kervin wants to apply for the  job and so he assessed his chances of getting accepted.

Kervin: “I know I will land the job in no time. I have already been training in martial arts for 6 years, reaching 6’2 in height, and also turning 19 in two months.”

Which of the following sentences shows the mistake Kervin has made?

8.  Video games are entertaining and have numerous advantages, including the enhancement of manual dexterity. Manual dexterity is the competent and coordinated use of one’s hands to grab and manipulate items and execute small, precise movements. A person’s manual dexterity would be at its optimum after eight hours of video game play.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

9.   Students gain practical memories and experience from educational trips. One of the greatest benefits of field trips is that they offer students realistic memories and experiences of the topic. These are considerably easier to recollect than plain reviewing notes and textbook passages. Students need at least one to two educational trips each academic year.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

10. Justin: “My friend keeps going to the study area every time we have exams coming up. He was heading toward the study area when I noticed him this morning. It definitely means we have an upcoming test.”

Which of the following best describes the flaw in the above argument?

11. There are many significant advantages to acquiring driving skills. There are circumstances where your health, privacy, safety, and independence are at stake. Teaching young teens to learn how to drive would give them more experience in the field of driving and would, later on, lead them to become good drivers.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

12.  Cynthia was reading the newspaper late Sunday evening. 

She read that, according  to a large-scale scientific experiment conducted in Australia, people who live in big cities but don’t own a car are five times less likely to develop stress than people who live in big cities and own at least one car.

Cynthia: “If you live in a big city and don’t want to experience any stress, you shouldn’t buy a car.”

Which one of the following options exposes the flaw in the argument above?

13.  Rapid and widespread adoption of electric vehicles (e-vehicles)  will be necessary for the United States to accomplish its climate objectives. And the proposed law wants to encourage people to swap in their gasoline-powered automobiles for electrics by granting a tax credit of up to $7,500 for new electric vehicles and up to $4,000 for used electric vehicles until 2032.

Which of the following best expresses the point of the argument?

14.   Independence is essential because it fosters self-assurance, confidence, motivation, and persistence. One method of teaching youngsters independence is by instructing them on household chores. So, teaching a youngster how to clean the house is essential not only because it prevents the spread of germs, but also because it educates a child to be organised and independent.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

15.  Watching television can bring a lot of benefits to a child. A child can get informed, have time for family bonding, learn new things, and keep themselves free from any harm compared to playing outside. Letting children watch TV all day every day would ensure that they are safe and healthy.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

16.  High-sugar foods release endorphins, making a person feel better. Because young people’s brains are still developing, endorphin release is stronger, making junk food addiction a stronger vice. Allowing a child to eat a lot of junk food would not really affect his health because a child would be able to cope with the different food intakes, making him or her still healthy and free from diseases. 

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

17. It is recommended to use bath bombs once or twice a week. Bath bombs are generally good for the skin as they are just single-use, circular mixtures of scented extracts and oils. Sodium bicarbonate and citric acid mix in water to create the fizzing effect. Once this reaction occurs, the bath bomb melts and breaks apart, revealing all the wonderful stuff inside exquisite scents and skin-smoothing moisturisers.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

18.  Good grades are significant since they can lead to admission into higher universities and more scholarship opportunities. Consequently, they can also lead to better jobs and higher lifetime earnings. Children should constantly strive for a perfect score, even if it means jeopardising their health.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

19.  It is recommended to have a person’s teeth checked twice every year. Regular dental examinations are essential because they allow the dentist to detect cavities and other mouth and gum diseases early on. The dentist checks the teeth to detect cavities and other gum and mouth diseases because they are less expensive to treat the sooner they are diagnosed.

Which of the following situations, best strengthens the above argument?

20.  Busy individuals are discouraged from maintaining any kind of plant. Plants are essential to the health of the planet and all living creatures. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen through their leaves, which humans and other creatures need to breathe, but maintaining them is difficult and time-consuming, particularly for those with full-time jobs.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

21.  The framework for achieving a better, more sustainable future for everybody is found in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They deal with issues like poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. Countries all around the world are now called to follow the SDGs in making laws and implementing projects to attain prosperity around the world by 2030. 

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the argument?

22.  Experiences are part of living. These experiences are things we have done or solely witnessed, which stick with us in memory. When faced with challenges and problems, we look back at our previous experiences and see how much of that can be applied in our current situation. These past experiences give us ideas on how to act and what to do in certain scenarios.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the argument?

23.  The higher the risk a person takes, the higher the reward they get. Now, most people are willing to risk their life, financial stability, and temporary comfort for long-term achievements. An example can be  businessmen who put their money on the line to bet on a business that may or may not be profitable in the future. With that, we are encouraged to take risks to find fulfilment and satisfaction. 

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the argument?

24.  Students are supposed to follow their dreams in the future. When it comes to assessing the careers they want to take as they grow up, they must choose an occupation that they enjoy doing, regardless of its profitability. They shouldn’t choose an occupation that pays well but they are not passionate about. Doing so will put them at risk of being dissatisfied with life.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the argument?

25.  Millions of people all around the world are suffering under the poverty line, with inadequate resources to sustain their daily living. Fortunately, international organisations and government agencies are now taking the initiative to distribute financial aid to the overwhelming number of lower-class individuals. This is a stepping stone to improving the financial stability of poor people in the long term.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the argument?

26.  Authoritative leadership creates an environment filled with strict rules, rigorous protocols, and commands that everyone in the group must follow in unison. These ought to be done without question or hesitation. When mistakes are made, punishments are immediately sent out to teach them a lesson. It is believed by many that this method of leadership produces well-disciplined and obedient people.

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the argument?

27. Failures are often disappointing for most people. Being unable to accomplish aspirations or accolades that one craves brings sadness and despair to them. It has often led them to a phase of self-doubt and questioning. However, these painful experiences enable us to evaluate ourselves as to where we went wrong and think of what we could do better the next time we try to achieve our goals.

Which of the following best states the main conclusion of the passage?

28. Jestian is the current proprietor of Camel Air Conditioners Company. Due to a sharp decline in sales during the previous year, his business was in danger of closing. During their company meeting, Jestian proposed a course of action moving forward.

Jestian: “If we want to save this business, we must fire a quarter of our employees as soon as possible.”

Which among the following best expresses the flaw in Jestian’s argument?

29. During the graduation ceremony of Scholarly University, Sam delivered her valedictorian speech in front of her batchmates. Anthony, who was one of the graduates in the same ceremony, had something to say about Sam’s speech.

Anthony:  “Sam said that students should be resilient at all times. I don’t believe her because her sister gave up on school last year and dropped out.”

Which of the following best expresses the flaw in Anthony’s argument?

30. While the Springfield Fashion Show was ongoing, Janice was strolling around the event hall. She met her friend Bea and talked about jewellery.

Christine: “Michael has been collecting Kardashian branded jewellery. He once revealed to me that Bella Hadid, a well-known Instagram influencer, had a similar jewellery collection as Michael. It would imply that the bracelets and necklaces by the Kardashian brand would fetch a greater price. We definitely need to begin collecting them as well.

Which among the following best expresses the flaw in Christine’s argument?

31. Red Pine is the most popular form of wood used in the construction of houses intended to last for more than a century. However, in recent years, a considerable number of houses planned to last more than a century have only lasted 76 years.

Sam: “ There is only one reason for this. The type of wood used in houses that only lasted for 76 years could not have been Red Pine.”

Which of the following best describes the flaw in the above argument?

32.  It has been observed that educational quality in homeschooling is significantly higher than in traditional schools. Homeschooled children tend to pick up things more easily than children in traditional schools because they receive more personal care and grooming. They are more interested in studies that are tailored to them than in school-based courses.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?

33. Lee is a travel blogger who visits different hotels and gives them a rating based on their service quality. For today’s blog, he checked out Geovero Hotel since he heard this place had great service. The said hotel is one of the many hotels on Arkley Street. It is known for its delicious food and warm accommodation. Unfortunately, the pandemic has caused some things to be changed including their menu, staff, and service costs.

Lee: “I went to Geovero’s yesterday and their service was horrible. I’m never going back to that area because I can tell that all other hotels in Arkley Street are just as underwhelming.”

Which among the options best describes the flaw in Lee’s statement?

34.  Less garbage ends up in landfills and incineration plants when people recycle more. People can save money and energy by reusing aluminium, paper, glass, plastics, and other household materials, as well as lessen the negative effects of material extraction and processing on the environment. That is why Cherbourg, a town in Queensland, is requiring people to recycle their garbage and if they fail to do so, they will be penalised. But the people do not agree with this because not everyone knows how to recycle and has the time to recycle their garbage. 

Which of the following statements, if true, best weakens the above argument?

35.  Children need to learn how to share in order to be able to make and keep friends, play cooperatively, take turns, negotiate, and cope with disappointment. Therefore, learning how to share is important for children. The act of sharing instils in kids an appreciation for cooperation as well as a sense of justice. They come to understand that it is possible to receive some of what one desires if one is willing to sacrifice some of it in order to help others.

What is the main conclusion of the passage?

36.  Martha was browsing the internet when she found out that various cities started showing a divide in the implementation of their mask mandates post-covid. There are those who still require their citizens to wear masks while others have loosely allowed masks to become an optional tool in public. After scrolling further, Martha saw a post from the Department of Health reminding them that medical practitioners still encourage people to wear masks in public places.

Martha: “Most people in my city have stopped wearing masks in public. I, too, shall do the same because I don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb.”

Which among the options best describes the flaw in Martha’s statement?

37.  Passion should be lived. When you aren’t living the life that you’re passionate about, you’re living the life that you think will be acceptable to other people. When you give in to the pressures that society, your friends, and your family are putting on you, your confidence will take a hit. This is primarily due to the fact that you are pressuring yourself to engage in activities that are not particularly interesting to you.

What is the main conclusion of the passage?

38.  Humans cannot continuously rely on robots to do all the tasks needed to be done in their workplaces. Robots are limited only to how they are programmed and will not operate further beyond their purpose. Due to this, they also do not have emotions, unlike humans. Thus, they could never feel any emotion that would allow them to empathise with, or relate to other people since human emotions are difficult to program.

Assuming the above argument is true, which among the statements below best strengthens the argument?

39.  Andrew was studying his science subject and learned about storms and their creation. Turns out that heavy humidity is sometimes felt before and after the arrival of strong storms. These are known as “pop-up” storms or “Air-Mass” thunderstorms. Strange enough, a recent storm passed by their city, but it was not humid at all.

Andrew: “The weather forecast station referred to the recent weather condition as a ‘storm’, but it wasn’t humid before and after its wake. They were wrong and shouldn’t have called it a storm.”

Which among the options best describes the flaw in Andrew’s statement?

40.  Solar panels collect energy from the sun for human consumption. Solar panels are divided into two types: those that gather heat (thermal) and those that generate power (electrical) (photovoltaic). In regions of Asia, solar panels have become far less expensive to use than oil, petrol, and liquefied natural gas. Solar energy will soon overtake fossil fuels as the primary source of energy, which is a good thing because solar electricity is a far more efficient resource.

Which of the following statements, if true, best strengthens the above argument?