CLEP College Composition Practice Test

Explanation

The correct revision is to explicitly state the flaw in the counterargument, as this strengthens the refutation by clearly addressing the opposing viewpoint. The underlined sentence currently only presents the counterargument without critiquing it. Option A is incorrect because acknowledging the counterargument is a crucial step in refutation. Option C is incorrect because conceding the potential drawbacks of the policy would weaken the argument, rather than strengthening it. Option D is incorrect because introducing a new topic would disrupt the flow of the argument and distract from the main point. This question requires the application of rhetorical analysis skills, specifically the ability to analyze and improve the effectiveness of a refutation in an argumentative passage.

Explanation

The correct answer is B) Statistical evidence. The underlined portion of the passage cites a specific statistic (75% of residents) from a survey, which is a form of statistical evidence. This type of evidence is effective in supporting the author's claim because it provides a quantitative measure of the community's opposition to the policy. The other options are incorrect because anecdotal evidence (A) would involve personal stories or experiences, expert testimony (C) would involve opinions from specialists, and analogical evidence (D) would involve comparisons between similar situations. The use of statistical evidence in this passage demonstrates a strong application of critical thinking and evidence evaluation skills.

Explanation

The underlined sentence commits the logical fallacy of Slippery Slope, which involves assuming that a particular action will inevitably lead to a series of negative consequences without providing evidence for this claim. This fallacy is incorrect because it oversimplifies the complexity of the issue and fails to provide a nuanced analysis of the potential outcomes. In contrast, Ad Hominem (A) involves attacking the character of a person making an argument, Appeal to Authority (C) involves citing an expert's opinion as evidence without considering other perspectives, and Appeal to Ignorance (D) involves arguing that a claim is true simply because it has not been proven false. The correct answer, Slippery Slope (B), requires the test-taker to apply their knowledge of logical fallacies to a specific argument and identify the incorrect reasoning.

Explanation

The underlined sentence serves as a warrant for the claim that the policy is unjust. A warrant is a statement that connects a claim to the evidence provided, explaining why the evidence supports the claim. In this case, the underlined sentence explains why the policy's implementation without public input is a problem, thereby supporting the claim that the policy is unjust. Option A is incorrect because the sentence does not provide evidence for the policy's effectiveness. Option B is incorrect because the sentence does not acknowledge a counterargument. Option D is incorrect because the sentence does not introduce a new topic, but rather provides a justification for the claim made earlier.

Explanation

The correct answer is A) Remove the underlined sentence as it is redundant. The underlined sentence can be removed because it does not provide any new information that is not already implied in the first sentence. The first sentence states that the policy has been met with widespread criticism, which implies that many people, including experts, are criticizing the policy. By removing the underlined sentence, the paragraph becomes more concise and easier to read. Distractor B targets the misconception that more information is always better, distractor C targets the misconception that a counterargument is needed in this context, and distractor D targets the misconception that the underlined sentence provides essential information.

Explanation

The correct revision improves clarity by eliminating unnecessary words and phrases, such as 'due to the fact that', which can make the sentence wordy and confusing. This revision is in line with the principle of concision, which states that writers should use the fewest words necessary to convey their meaning. The other options are incorrect because they either introduce new phrases that reduce clarity (B), use a more passive construction (C), or retain the wordy phrase 'the fact that' (D).

Explanation

The correct answer, C) which is located in the heart of the city, is a must-see attraction, is the best revision because it uses a comma to set off the nonessential clause 'which is located in the heart of the city' from the rest of the sentence. This is in accordance with the grammatical rule that nonessential clauses should be set off with commas. Option A uses a semicolon, which is incorrect because semicolons are used to separate two independent clauses. Option B uses a dash, which is also incorrect because dashes are used to indicate a break in thought or to set off a parenthetical remark. Option D uses a colon, which is incorrect because colons are used to introduce a list or a quotation.

Explanation

The correct revision is 'was' because the subject of the sentence is 'The new employee', which is a singular noun. According to the subject-verb agreement rule, a singular subject takes a singular verb. In this case, 'was' is the correct singular verb to use with the subject 'The new employee'. Distractor B targets the misconception that the plural verb 'are' can be used with a singular subject. Distractor C targets the misconception that the present perfect tense 'has been' is necessary in this context. Distractor D targets the misconception that the original verb 'were' is correct because it agrees with the plural noun 'team', but it does not agree with the singular subject 'The new employee'.

Explanation

The correct answer is A) Remove the phrase 'the reason for this is' to make the sentence more concise. The phrase 'the reason for this is' is unnecessary and makes the sentence wordy. By removing it, the sentence becomes more direct and clear. The revised sentence would be 'The policy was not well thought out.' This revision improves clarity by eliminating unnecessary words and phrases, making the sentence more concise and effective. Distractor B targets the misconception that using more formal language always improves clarity, distractor C targets the misconception that adding more details always makes a sentence more effective, and distractor D targets the misconception that passive voice is always more objective.

Explanation

The correct answer, B, is the best choice because the primary purpose of an annotated bibliography is to provide a brief summary of each source and evaluate its credibility. The underlined sentence, which includes a brief description of the source's main argument, is used to help the reader understand the relevance of the source and its contribution to the research. This requires the application of research integration skills, as the researcher needs to summarize and evaluate the source's main argument. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the purpose of the underlined sentence in an annotated bibliography. Option A is incorrect because the underlined sentence is not used to provide a quote from the source. Option C is incorrect because the underlined sentence is not used to list the source's publication information. Option D is incorrect because the underlined sentence is not used to discuss the researcher's methodology. The misconceptions tested in this question include the idea that an annotated bibliography is only used to list sources, or that it is only used to provide quotes from sources.