LISTENING Listen to what is being said.

. Don not let the talk flow over and past you like water over the stone. o!us on the ideas" fo!us sharply. Listen a!tively. Let yourself rea!t to what is being said. Think about it. ell about it. Show your rea!tion. Nod" s#ile. Don$t be a %ellyfish flowing passively with the tide. Try to listen so well that you will be able to tell afterwards fairly a!!urately what was said. &eep your eye on the ball" on the topi! or the aspe!t on t that is being dis!ussed now.

'!tive Listener ( )bserver *

The answer of every +uestion lies in the +uestion itself.

There is #u!h #argin to respond effe!tively if listener !arefully.

Every word" senten!e" talk and situation should be !riti!ally post#orte#. ind %ustifi!ation. ,ours*others Distinguish fa!t and opinion -e#otions.. Never give feelings pre!eden!e over reason.

Good arguments contains The !on!lusion and pre#ises are !lear and !o#plete. The !on!lusion and pre#ise are free of e0!essive subtle persuasion. The pre#ises are !redible and reasonable. The pre#ises are suffi!ient and substantive. The argu#ents !onsiders the other side 1 devil$s advo!ate.

CURRENT statistics show that 15 % of children are obese. Childhood obesity increases the risk for developing high blood press re! Type " diabetes! and coronary heart disease. #n fact! $%% of children diagnosed with Type " diabetes are overweight. &eing obese also lowers children's self(estee) and affects their relationships with their peers. This growing epide)ic can be attrib ted to several factors* genetics! lack of physical activity + children are spending )ore and )ore ti)e in front of the television and the co)p ter + and lack of n tritional ed cation. #f children were ed cated abo t n trition and e,ercise! then obesity rates wo ld decline significantly. That's why we ) st pass a law that re- ires that n trition and e,ercise ed cation be part of the school c rric l ) for all the st dents in grades k( 1". Unfort nately! it is too late for )y 1"(year(old brother. he is already been diagnosed with Type " diabetes. & t we ) st take )eas res to i)prove the health and well(being of f t re generations to co)e. irst identify the !on!lusion in this passage. 3hat is the overall !lai# or point that the passage is trying to prove4 It is5 We must pass a law that requires that nutrition and exercise education be part of the school curriculum for all student in grades k-12. The arguer$s e0perien!e offers and i#portant !lue here about here !redibility. 6e!ause of what happened to her brother" is she likely to be biased on the issue4 'bsolutely. 7owever" does this rule her out as a !redible arguer4 Not ne!essarily. 8han!es are that if her brother was diagnosed with diabetes due to poor nutritional habits" she knows #ore about the issue than the average person. In other words" he e0perien!e indi!ates that she has so#e level of e0pertise in the area. Thus" though there$s eviden!e of so#e bias" there$s also eviden!e of so#e e0pertise. 6e!ause there is both bias and e0pertise" the argu#ent needs to be e0a#ined further before you !an deter#ine whether or not to a!!ept it. Is the arguer$s e0perien!e !redible4 3ell" it !an be assu#ed that she$s telling the truth about her brother being diagnosed. Is her opinion !redible4 That depends on her own !redibility" whi!h is still in +uestion" and the reasonableness of that opinion" whi!h is !overed in the ne0t se!tion. The ne0t step is to !onsider the !redibility of pre#ises provided by the outside sour!es9 that is" the statisti!s offered about !hildhood obesity. Noti!e that here the arguer doesn$t give a sour!e for the figures that she provides. This should auto#ati!ally raise a red flag. 6e!ause nu#bers !an so easily be #anipulated and #isleading" it$s !ru!ial to know the sour!e of any figures offered in support of an argu#ent.

If !hildren were edu!ated about nutrition and e0er!ise" then obesity rates would de!line signifi!antly.

If !hildren were edu!ated about nutrition and e0er!ise" then obesity rates would de!line signifi!antly. /or e,a)ple! in Toledo! 0hio! all schools in 1111 i)ple)ented n trition and e,ercise ed cation progra)s into the c rric l ) for grades 2(1". 3s a res lt! obesity rates in children ages 4(11 dropped fro) 15% in 1111 to 1%% in "%%5.

,ou ask a !oworker about the restaurant that re!ently opened down the street. 7e tells you" ;The Hot Tamale Caf? Dont eat there. The service is lousy. < 7as he given you a good argu#ent4 3ell" the !on!lusion" ; Dont eat there,< is !lear and !o#plete. The pre#ise that supports the !on!lusion" ;The service is lousy"< is also !lear and !o#plete. The pre#ise and !on!lusion are free fro# subtle persuasion. The pre#ise is reasonable" and we don$t have any reason to doubt !redibility he$s given good re!o##endations about pla!es to eat before. 6ut is this a good argu#ent4 Not really. Though all of the other !riteria !he!k out" this argu#ent has a very i#portant weakness5 it si#ply doesn$t offer enough eviden!e. Not enough reasons are given to a!!ept the !on!lusion. So" the servi!e is lousy. But may e the good, the am iance, and the !rices are e"cellent. #hen there are so many other reasons for going to a restaurant, $ust one !remise to su!!ort that conclusion is not enough. 7ere$s #u!h better argu#ent. The 7ot Ta#ale 8af=4 Don$t eat there. The servi!e is lousy. 6on't eat at that resta rant. The service is lo sy. They )essed p o r orders and we had to wait 15 )in tes even tho gh there were e)pty tables. The food is overpriced! too. 3 plain ha)b rger is 7 1".5%8 the place is dirty + we had to wipe o r table down twice with napkins! and # saw a dead cockroach in the corner. 3nd there is no d9cor to speak of + : st bright bl e walls and a poster of ;awaii in the corner! even tho gh it's a <e,ican resta rant.

Conclusion% &a$or !remise% >inor pre#ise5 >inor pre#ise5 &a$or !remise% >inor pre#ise5 &a$or !remise% >inor pre#ise5 &a$or !remise%

Don$t$ eat at that restaurant. The servi!e is lousy. They #essed up our orders. 3e had to wait /? #inutes even though there were e#pty tables. The food is overpri!ed. ' plain ha#burger is @ /2.?AB The pla!e is dirty. I saw a dead !o!kroa!h in the !orner. There is no d=!or.

>inor pre#ise5

Dust bright blue walls and a poster of 7awaii in the !orner" even though it$s a >e0i!an restaurant.

Counterarguments ' 't the beginning of this lesion" your friend tried to talk you out of taking that %ob offer. Did he provide a good argu#ent based on the !riteria we$ve dis!ussed so far4 7ere$s his argu#ent again to refresh your #e#ory5 =The pay is lo sy! the ho rs are terrible! and there are no benefits!> he says. =6on't do it>.

3ell" his argu#ent is reasonable" !redible" free of subtle persuasion" and he offer three different reasons" though they !ould be supported with spe!ifi! !riterion of a good argu#ent9 it does not !onsider !ounterargu#ents.
8ounterargu#ents are those argu#ents that #ight be offered by so#eone arguing for the other side. That is" if you are arguing that its better to live in the city than in the country" you need to keep in #ind what so#eone arguing that living in the country is better than living in the city #ight think. 6y !onsidering !ounterargu#ents" you show your !riti!al thinking skills whatever your opinion" you have !onsidered all sides of the issue. 'nd this helps de#onstrate your !redibility" too9 it shows that you$ve done your ho#ework" that you obviously know so#ething about the issue. or e0a#ple" when you hear your friend$s argu#ent" what thoughts #ight go through your #ind4 ,ou #ight !o#e up with the following reasons to take the %ob rather than re%e!t it5 ?o ?o ?o ?o #t's really need the )oney. can advance - ickly. ' ll have benefits after si, )onths. can switch to a different shift after si, )onths. a lot closer to ho)e than yo r previo s :ob.

If your friend really wants to !onvin!e you not to take the %ob" he$ll not only support his !on!lusion with !redible" reasonable" and a#ple eviden!e" he$ll also show that he knows why you #ight want to say yes and why his reasons for saying no are better. )ne way to help you develop a better argu#ent is to play devils advocate. 3hen you$re getting ready to #ake an argu#ent" write down your !on!lusions and your pre#ises" and then do the sa#e for the opposite position. ,ou #ight want to pretend you are in !ourt and you are both the prose!ution and the defense. This will help you anti!ipate what the other side will say and therefore you !an !o#e up with a pre#ise to counter that argu#ent. 7ere$s how you friend #ight revise his argu#ent if he !onsidered the other side5 ;The pay is lousy" the hours are terrible" and there are no benefits"< he says. ;Don$t do it.< 6on't take that :ob. # know yo really need the )oney! b t the pay is lo sy. #t's a f ll three dollars less per ho r than yo r last :ob. ?o can probably )ove thro gh the ranks - ickly! b t beca se yo 'd be starting at a lower pay scale! yo 'd have to take several steps : st to get back p to yo r old salary. 3nd yo have to wait si, )onths before yo can switch shifts and get benefits. @hat if so)ething happens in the )eanti)eA Tr e! yo 'll

save ti)e and gas beca se it's closer! b t is that e,tra thirty )in tes a day worth itA Noti!e two things that your friend does here. irst" he syste#ati!ally and !arefully a!knowledges ea!h of your !on!erns. Se!ond" he !ounters ea!h of those !on!erns with a reasonable pre#ise. urther #ore" he i#proved his argu#ent by adding spe!ifi! #inor pre#ises" like that fa!t that the pay is three dollars less per hour.

B blic school st dents sho ld wear nifor)s : st like private school st dents do. /or one thing! uniforms will create a stronger sense of community. #t's i)portant for children to feel like they belong! and nifor)s are a powerf l physical and psychological way to create that sense of belonging. Uniforms also improve discipline. 3ccording to the 6epart)ent of Ed cation! private schools across the co ntry have fewer discipline proble)s than p blic schools! and the handf l of p blic schools that have e,peri)ented with nifor)s have fo nd that their discipline proble)s decreased sharply. / rther)ore! uniforms can help increase the self-esteem of children from low-income families. #f everyone wears the sa)e clothes! they don't have to co)e to school asha)ed of their hand()e(downs or second(hand clothing.

?o r co nter arg )ents )ight look so)ething like the following* a. Unifor)s won't create a stronger sense of co)) nity. they'll create a c lt re of confor)ity. Unifor)s alone won't decrease discipline proble)s. The proble) goes deeper than that. Ct dents fro) low( inco)e fa)ilies will still have less e,pensive shows! coats! etc. Unifor)s alone can't hide their socio econo)ic stat s.

b.

c.

B blic school st dents sho ld wear nifor)s : st like private school st dents do. /or one thing! nifor)s will create a stronger sense of co)) nity . #t's i)portant for children to feel like they belong! and nifor)s are a powerf l physical and psychological way to create that sense of belonging. While some worry that uniforms encourage conformity, a sense of belonging helps give students the self esteem they need to find their individuality. Unifor)s also i)prove discipline. 3ccording to the 6epart)ent of Ed cation! private schools across the co ntry have fewer discipline proble)s than p blic schools! and the handf l of p blic schools that have e,peri)ented with nifor)s have fo nd that their discipline proble)s decreased sharply. This demonstrates that uniforms alone can have a profound affect on discipline. / rther)ore! nifor)s can help increase the self(estee) of children fro) low( inco)e fa)ilies. #f everyone wears the sa)e clothes! they don't have to co)e to school asha)ed of their hand()e( downs or second(hand clothing. Though uniforms wont change their socioeconomic status, and though they still wont be able to afford the kinds of shows and accessories that wealthier children sport, uniforms will enable them to feel significantly more comfortable among their peers.

()*GHT+,*,G (-.TT+)/ ,ou$re a good !itiHen. ,ou !are about the future. That$s why we know we !an !ount on you to reele!t Senator 7ouse#an. Noti!e how this argu#ent doesn$t give you any logi!al reasons for reele!ting Senator 7ouse#an. Instead" it flatters you9 you like hearing that you$re a good !itiHen and so#eone who !ares about the future. 3hile this #ay be true about you" is that any reason to reele!t the senator. Not without eviden!e that he$s done a good %ob during his first ter#. This argu#ent doesn$t give any eviden!e of his %ob perfor#an!e. Irofessor 3ilkins" this is the best !lass I$ve ever taken. I$# learning so #u!h fro# youB Thank you. 6y the way" I know that I #issed an e0a# last week and that you nor#ally don$t let students #ake up #issed e0a#s. 7owever" sin!e you are su!h an e0!ellent tea!her" I thought you$d allow #e to #ake up the test. 7ere" the student doesn$t give the tea!her any reason to #ake an e0!eption to her no*#ake*up poli!y. She #ay indeed be an e0!ellent tea!her and the student #ay indeed be learning a lot fro# her" but he$s not giving her any good reasons9 he$s %ust buttering her up to get her to say yes. Tea!her to !lass5 ;This has been the best !lass I$ve ever taught. ,ou$re always so prepared and eager to learnB Thank you all so #u!h. Now" I have these end*of*the*se#ester evaluations I need you to fill out. I know you$ll all be honest and fill the# out !arefully. Thank you.< ;8laire" I know you don$t #ind a little e0tra work you$re su!h a good sportB So I$d like you to handle this typing pro%e!t. ,ou$re the best. 6y the way" that$s a terrifi! outfit.< Support Governor 3ilson" or your !hildren will re!eive a poor publi! s!hool edu!ation. I really think it$d be a good idea to do whatever she asks. She$s a pretty powerful person. I really think it$s a good idea to do whatever he asks. I$ve seen hi# fire people who say no hi#.

0++) 0)+112)+ ;8$ >)N" Sally. Stay. Everyone else is.< ;3e$re all voting no" Doe. ,ou should" too.< 3e all think that the death penalty is the only way to !ure so!iety of ra#pant !ri#e. Don$t you4

 0*T/

8o#e on" we$re all voting for the De#o!rat again" %ust like the last ti#e.

>s. Kiviera" an eighth*grade history tea!her" finds one of her students wandering the halls when she should be in !lass. The student tells the tea!her ;I$# sorry" >s. Kiviera. I didn$t realiHe I was out here so long. I$# %ust really upset about #y #ath e0a#. I studied really hard for it and I only got a D on it. That #eans I$# going to be ki!ked off the tennis tea#B<

3hat should >s. Kiviera Do< a. b. !. d. Suspend the student. She should know better than this. Send the student to the prin!ipal$s offi!e. Take the student ba!k to !lass and %ust give her a warning. 8all the student$s parents and then e0pel the student.

8learly" option a and are unreasonable. 6ut should >s Kiviera give the student a break -!hoi!e c. %ust be!ause she is upset4 Is that a good enough reason for >s. Kiviera not to follow appropriate pro!edures" when the student !learly broke s!hool rules4 3hether or not the student is telling the truth -and that$s so#ething >s Kiviera will have to deter#ine." she has appealed to another one of the #ost powerful e#otions the sense of pity and !o#passion for others. No one wants to be seen as heartless or un!aring. 'nd that$s why the appeal to pity" another logi!al falla!y" often works. Think of all the people who !an$t afford health!are. I#agine the physi!al and e#otional anguish they endure" knowing that having insuran!e !overage is all that it would take to alleviate their illness or disease. Support health!are refor# for their sake.

Noti!e that this argu#ent asks the listener to support a !ause purely for e#otional reasons. It appeals to the sense of !o#passion for those without health!are. 3hile this #ay be a !o#pelling argu#ent after all" these people do deserve !o#passion it is not a logical one. It doesn$t dire!tly address why health!are refor# is a reasonable poli!y. )f !ourse" you will have to %udge ea!h situation individual. 6ut %ust as with the other appeals to e#otion" it$s i#portant to have so#e logi!al reasons to balan!e the e#otional. Lnfortunately" if de!isions are #ade based purely on pity" they often !o#e ba!k to haunt you. There are so#e people in the world who will take advantage of your sense of !o#passion" so think !arefully before you a!t on pity alone. 6ut you !an$t fire #e" >r. 3atts. I have seven #ouths to feedB 6ut you !an$t fire #e" >r. 3atts. I a# the only one who knows how to repair the #a!hine. 6esides" I have seven #ouths to feedB I know I don$t have any e0perien!e" but I really need this %ob. >y #o# is si!k and I$# the only !hild old enough to work.

+*TH+)-3) -No in*betweens. I#agine that a husband and wife are planning a va!ation to 7awaii. The husband says to his wife ;Either we stay for a whole week or we don$t go at all.<

/A

7e gives no good reason for the seven*day #ini#u# he is i#posing" and it$s obvious that he$s using the no in*betweens ta!ti!. 6y presenting his wife with only these two e0tre#es" he for!es her into the de!ision he wants. 7ow !ould so#eone say no to a week in 7awaii when the alternative is no ti#e at all in 7awaii4 The logi! behind this falla!y is that if you think there are only two !hoi!es" then you won$t stop to !onsider other possibilities. The arguer hopes that you will therefore be #ore likely to a!!ept his or her !on!lusion. Either you$re a Kepubli!an or a De#o!rat. Either you #a%or in engineering or in pre#ed. Nothing else will lead to a good !areer. Either we raise ta0es by /AM or we drown ourselves in a budget defi!it. Either you want to preserve our rainforests or you don$t. you !an$t have it both ways. Love it or leave it. Either you$re with us" or you$re against us. Get better grades or you will never go to !ollege. Iri!e supports on agri!ultural produ!tion are part of the so!ialist agenda. >y opponent in this ra!e !onsistently votes for pri!e supports on dairy and toba!!o produ!ts. It is ti#e to stop ele!ting so!ialists to 8ongress. Should you vote for #y opponent" who wants to lead our !ountry on the path toward so!ialis#" or should you vote for #e" and restore de#o!ra!y4 ,our grades are lousy. Either study #ore" or drop out of s!hool. 3e have a big ga#e tonight. Either we will win and be eligible for the tourna#ent" or we will lose and our season will be over. -not either*or but a fa!t. Stop driving like a #ania!B Either slow down" or take the bus. I !an$t believe you didn$t vote to raise the #ini#u# wage. Either you #issed the vote" or you %ust don$t !are about the working poorB

*(4TH+, -slippery slope. It argues that if N happens" then , will follow. 7owever" 0 doesn$t ne!essarily lead to ,. If s!ientists are allowed to e0peri#ent with !loning hu#ans" ne0t thing you know" they$ll be #ass produ!ing people on asse#bly lines.

If s!ientists were to e0peri#ent with !loning hu#an beings" for e0a#ple" does that necessarily #ean that hu#ans would be #ass produ!ed on produ!tion lines4 Definitely not. irst of all" it #ay prove i#possible to !lone hu#ans. Se!ond" if it is possible" it$s a long way fro# the produ!tion of a single !lone to asse#bly line produ!tion of !lones. 'nd third" if asse#bly line !loning is possible" it #ay even be forbidden. So" though the thought of #ass produ!ed hu#an beings is frightening" it$s not logi!al to restri!t e0peri#ents be!ause we$re afraid of !onse+uen!es that #ay not happen. >ore logi!al reasons need to be presented to %ustify li#iting that kind of e0peri#entation. If we raise the legal driving age to eighteen" then there will be less !are a!!idents on the roads. Ieople will feel safer on the road" and !ar insuran!e rates for everyone will de!rease signifi!antly.

//

If all e#ployers re+uire their e#ployees to take a flu shot" then less people would take si!k days. This would result in in!reased produ!tivity for the nation as a whole. 3e have to stop the tuition in!reaseB Today" it$s @?A"AAA9 to#orrow" they will be !harging @CA"AAA a se#esterB O Note that there are #any possible steps between even* '" the tuition in!rease" and event*6" the !harging of @CA"AAA a se#ester. 'n in!rease !ould o!!ur every year for ten years or #ore before there was a %u#p fro# five to forty thousand dollars. IN addition" tuition #ight never ra!h @CA"AAA. This is a slippery slope be!ause one tuition hike to @?"AAA does not inevitably lead to a !harge of @CA"AAA.

O Don$t let hi# help you with that. The ne0t thing you know" he will be running your life. Oyou !an never give anyone a break. If you do" they will walk all over you. OThis week" you want to stay out past your !urfew. If I let you stay out" ne0t week you$ll be gone all nightB C*)C2-.) )+.13,*,G I know he$s telling the truth be!ause he$s not lying. 7e should have a break. 7e deserves it. 3e believe this is the best !hoi!e be!ause it$s the right thing to do. ;I told you to !lean your roo#B< 3hy4 ;6e!ause I said so<. ;3hy do you think the ,ankees are the best tea# in baseball4 ;6e!ause they are.< I like the 6rewers be!ause they$re #y favourite tea#. 8hosts e0ist be!ause I saw so#ething on!e that !ould only have been a ghost. The Seafood Sha!k is the best restaurant in town be!ause it$s so #u!h better than all the others.

&*GHT ' &./B+ -Two wrongs #ake a right. Go ahead" tell your boss what you saw Edgar do. ,ou know he$d report you in a se!ond if he ever saw you do so#ething like that. Dohn wants the %ob as badly as I do" so he$ll probably start ru#ors about #e to ruin #y reputation. I$d better ruin his first.

+52*63C.T*3, >y history professor said everyone who wrote a ter# paper favoring the separatists in the Ihilippines is si!k. I guess if I$# si!k" I !an skip !lass today. o The word Psi!k$ is used in the argu#ent twi!e" ea!h with a different #eaning. The professor #eant #entally disturbed" and the student thought he #eant physi!ally ill. 7ot dogs are better than nothing. Nothing is better than steak. Therefore" hot dogs are better than steak. ;>y house is by the lake. 3hy don$t you drop in4< o Two #eanings of the word Pdrop$ !ould be right. It #ight #ean" P why dont you stop by my house"$ or it !ould #ean P why dont you fall into the lake.$ ;Save soap and waste paper<.

/2

The word Pwaste$ !ould #ean either the nourn Pgarbage$ or the verb Pto use thoughlessly$ The sign said Pfine for parking here$" and sin!e it was fine" I parked there. The IKS allows a dedu!tion for every dependent in a household. >y dog is dependent on #e" so I !an !lai# a dedu!tion for hi#. If all #en are !reated e+ual" then why are geniuses so s#art4 Everything that runs has feet. The refrigerator runs" so the refrigerator has feet. o

.D H3&*,+& -atta!k the person instead of his !lai#. )f !ourse he$s wrong. So#eone who dresses like that obviously doesn$t have a !lue about anything. Don$t listen to what 6ob says about invest#ents. That guy is the #ost #oney* grubbing !reep I$ve ever #et. Len says" ;I agree with ri!h. 'fter all" he$s a Lithuanian" too.< 3ell" if that$s what 7arvey said" then it #ust be true. 7e$s good" but he$s %ust not right for the %ob. 'fter all" he$s a Dets fan. ,our professor #ay have given a great le!ture on the e0pansion of the universe" but the word around !a#pus is that he is an unfair grader. She is giving you sto!k tips4 I would not listen to her advi!e9 %ust look at that horrible outfit she is wearing. Kepresentative >urray$s spee!h about getting rid of the estate ta0 is ridi!ulous. )bviously" he is going to benefit fro# itB Don$t pay attention to what the power !o#pany is saying9 they get their funding fro# the nu!lear energy industry. 3hy should I listen to you4 ,ou tell #e to stop buying lottery ti!kets" but you go to 'tlanti! 8ity and ga#ble away thousands in %ust one nightB 7is spee!h about the new prison refor#s was pretty !onvin!ing" if you !an forget that he is an e0*!on. 7ow !an you believe that study on s#oking4 The toba!!o industry funded itB -!ir!u#stantial. In the last vote" you went against the gun !ontrol bill" saying it did not go far enough. Now you are voting for it" so I guess you were wrong about it not going far enough. I know she won$t !o#e with us to the gangster #ovie. She is not a guy she only likes !hi!k fli!ks. -!ir!u#stantial. 7ow !an you belive that guy$s views on environ#ental poli!y4 Look at hi# he is su!h a weirdo.

)+D H+))*,G -detra!ting or throw dogs off the tra!k of ani#al !hasing. >aking English the offi!ial language of this !ountry is wrong" and that$s part of the proble# here. ' !ountry !an$t !lai# to be a ;#elting pot< when it doesn$t try to rea!h out to all nationalities. Senator 3olf5 ,es" I support So!ial Se!urity refor#. I know that Senator o0 is against it" but he$s %ust trying to get the liberal vote. ,es" I believe that it is ti#e for rent laws to !hange and here$s why. It$s very hard to pay #y rent sin!e #y in!o#e is so low. 7ow would you feel if you worked forty hours a week and !ould barely #ake ends #eet4 It$s ti#e for a !hangeB

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Do you want to know why there are so#e people without health!are4 It$s be!ause too #any politi!ians don$t want to raise ta0es be!ause they are afraid they will lose votes. Nu!lear power is a ne!essity" even though it has the potential to be dangerous. ,ou know what is really dangerous" though4 6athtubs. >ore people die in a!!idents in their bathtubs every year than you !an i#agine. )ur new boss does see# to be getting the %ob done. 6ut" how about those longer hours4 're you happy about your new work s!hedule4 ,ou have less ti#e with your fa#ily and you are not #aking any #ore #oney than before.

1T).# &., -oversi#plifies" e0aggerate or #isrepresent. The people who support ta0 refor# are only out to get a break in their own !apital gains ta0es. The folks who oppose ta0 refor# si#ply don$t want to go to the trouble of restru!turing the IKS. Those environ#entalistsB They$re all trying to #ake us spend #ore #oney on ele!tri! auto#obiles instead of letting us !ontinue to drive gas powered ones. ' !ouple is having an argu#ent about spending habits. The wife is upset be!ause her husband has been !harging e0pensive ite#s to their !harge !ard that they !annot afford. ;you need to e more careful 7ith our money,< she tells hi#. 7er husband retorts. ;why should I listen to you4 ,ou do not want #e to spend a pennyB< where is the straw #an4 It is the husband$s reponse to a reasonable !lai# about his overspending. Instead of a!knowledging the issue his wife has brought up" he distorts it by e0aggeration. )f !ourse it is ridi!ulous to e0pe!t that so#eone never spends a penny" and by !hanging his wife$s !lai# to so#ething ridi!ulous" he dis#isses it. Ke#e#ber that his wife did not say that he should spend nothing -an e0tre#e view." but rather that he should be #ore !areful. Note that the straw #an falla!y atta!ks a position that is not a!tually held by his opponent. In an argu#ent that uses the falla!y" a !on!lusion is drawn that denies the straw #an but ignores the real issue. There #ay be nothing wrong with the !on!lusion or its pre#ises9 they #ake snese as an argu#ent against the starw #an. 6ut the person arguing effe!tively against the straw #an has bypassed the real issue. In the previous e0a#ple" the point is not that the wife does not want her husband to spend even a penny. 6y !reating a new and unreasonable position for his wife" the husband dis#isses her real argu#ent" whi!h is that he should be #ore !areful with their #oney. 3e are al being asked to take a pay !ut until the e!ono#y pi!ks up. I !annot believe they e0pe!t us to live on nothingB ,ou want #e to va!uu# the fa#ily roo#4 I %ust !leaned I up two days ago. I !annot spend #y life !leaning" you know. 8ongress is voting on redu!ing #ilitary spending. 3hat do they want us to do" defend ourselves with paper airplanes4 >y #ath tea!her assigns too #u!h work. She e0pe!ts us to do ho#ework all night. 8an you believe they want to end the ta0 !uts4 To#orrow" they will be asking us to send ba!k our ta0 refund !he!ksB The ,ankees are in the playoffs again. It is all about #oney. Give #e #illions of dollars" and I !ould put a winning tea# together" too.

,our best bet is to be as infor#ed and edu!ated as possible and you !an do that by reading and listening as #u!h as possible. 3at!h the news" read the papers" listen to the radio" read

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#agaHines pay attention to things like politi!s and so!ial issues. The #ore infor#ed you are" the better you$ll be able to see if and when so#eone is trying to Ppull the wool over your eyes$ with a straw #an. H.1T/ G+,+).-*8.T*3,1 6randon is a %o!k" and he$s a lousy student. 'll %o!ks are lousy students. SuHie is blonde" and she has a lot of fun. So I guess it$s true that blondes have #ore fun. The new +uarterba!k threw two inter!eptions and only !o#pleted two passes in the first ga#e. Looks like we$re in for a losing season. ,ou know" I tried the !offee at the new deli this #orning" and it is lousy. 3hat a sha#e" the new deli stinks. I asked eight of #y !oworkers what they thought of the new #anufa!turing rules" and they all thought they are a bad idea. The new rules are generally unpopular. That new poli!e dra#a is a really well done show. 'll poli!e dra#as are great shows. )#ar threw the ball fro# left field to the se!ond base#an" and he #ade an in!redible double play. 3henever )#ar gets the ball" he should throw it to the se!ond base#an. Sven is visiting the Sven has based his Lnited States on va!ation. 7e goes into a !on!lusion5 ;banking is faster in bank to e0!hange #oney" and is '#eri!a< on one e0perien!e in one bank. surprised to find he is the only one on IN order to turn this hasty generaliHation line. That night" he e*#ails his fa#ily" into a strong argu#ent" he would need to ;6anking is so #u!h faster in '#eri!a. in!rease his sa#ple siHe. 7e !ould do ,ou !an go into any bank and never that by visiting #any #ore banks have to wait in line.< hi#self" or finding a reliable study of #any banks that !o#es to the sa#e !on!lusion.

B*.1+D G+,+).-*8.T*3,1 ,our friend says5 ;Irofessor Denkins4B She is terrible. I got an in her !lass. 'll of #y friends say fraternities are a waste of ti#e. So I guess you should not bother trying to %oin one if you don$t want to waste your ti#e. The !urrent ad#inistration does not !are at all about edu!ational refor#" and it$s the #ost i#portant issue fa!ing our nation today. That !o#pany is terrible pla!e to work. They laid #e off.

,3, 1+52*T2) -!on!lusion does not follow its pre#ises. Dohnson is a good fa#ily #an. Therefore" he will be a good politi!ian. Ieople who su!!eed always have !lear goals9 Sandra has !lear goals" so she$ll su!!eed. Iaula got straight as in her s!ien!e !lasses. She$ll #ake a great do!tor. Kasheed is a good a!!ountant and he didn$t even like #ath in s!hool. ,ou don$t like #ath" so you$d #ake a good a!!ountant" too.

C3&031*T*3, So#eone #ight argue that be!ause every individual part of a large #a!hine is lightweight" the #a!hine itself is lightweight.

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,ou love #eatloaf" applesau!e" i!e !rea#" and pi!kles. So" you will love what we are having for dinner tonightB I #ade a #eatloaf" appleasau!e" i!e !rea#" and pi!kle !asserole. The hu#an body is #ade of up of ato#s" whi!h are invisible. Therefore" the hu#an body is invisible. Every player on their tea# is e0!ellent. So their tea# #ust e0!ellent" too. ?AM of #arriages end in divor!e. >y husband and I are ?AM #arried. >y friend Eugenio Eugenio has wants to get #arried. 7is ideal wife !o##itted !o#position falla!y by would be so#eone who is intelligent" assu#ing that be!ause the whole is #ade attra!tive" and interested in fine dining. up of all the right parts" the whole will be 'nother friend wants to set hi# up on a right as well. In fa!t" the !hef !ould have date with a !hef who put herself through a terrible te#per" never want to have ,ale Lniversity on beauty pageant !hildren" and be !on!ealing a s!holarships. Eugenio said he does not dependen!y proble#. Dust be!ause need to date her he wants to !all and Eugenio likes !ertain aspe!ts of the propose instead. wo#an" does not #ean" as a whole person" she is right for hi#. -339*,G (3) D*((+)+,C+ Every day for the past three #onths" you$ve been getting !offee fro# Lou$s Deli" right around the !orner fro# your offi!e. )ne day" however" Lou$s is !losed" so you de!ide to try >oe$s Deli a!ross the street. ,ou get your !offee and go to work. 'n hour later" you have a terrible sto#a!ha!he. The ne0t day" Lou$s is open again and you get your usual !offee. ,ou feel fine the rest of the day. ;It #ust$ve been >oe$s !offee that gave #e that sto#a!ha!he yesterday"< you !on!lude. ,ou have a s#all dog" and you de!ide to take her to the new dog run in your neighborhood on >onday #orning. )n >onday evening" your friend" who has %ust gotten a new puppy asks if she !an bring the puppy to your house to play with your dog. )n Tuesday #orning" you noti!e that you have several flea bites on your ankles. ,ou !on!lude5 -a. your dog pi!ked up fleas at the dog run. -b.your dog pi!ked up fleas fro# your friend$s puppy.

-339*,G (3) 1.&+ -!o##on Deno#inator. Dason has been having trouble sleeping a few nights a week. )n the nights when he !an$t sleep" he noti!es that the neighbor$s dog is always barking and howling. Dason !on!ludes that his trouble sleeping is due to the dog. 031T H3C, +)G3 0)30T+) H3C -after this" therefore be!ause of this. I had no idea that what I wore to work !ould #ake su!h a differen!e. Dust !hanging #y wardrobe finally got #e that pro#otion I$d been waiting forB 'fter the 8itiHens irst 6ill was passed" !ri#e in this area skyro!keted. unny how the bill that was supposed to redu!e !ri#e a!tually in!reased itB 'fter we got our new va!uu# !leaner" our ele!tri! bills skyro!keted. That thing #ight as well su!k the #oney right out of our po!ketsB >andy started feeding her two*year*old an e0tra fortified oat#eal for breakfast" and as a result" he$s grown two in!hes in the last two #onthsB Every ti#e 'h#ed tries to open a video progra# on his !o#puter" it !rashes. 7e !on!ludes that the progra# is !ausing the !o#puter to !rash. 7owever" !o#puters are !o#ple0 #a!hines" and there !ould be #any other !auses for the !rashes. The fa!t that the opening of one progra# always pre!edes the !rash is a good

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possibility for !ause" but it !annot be #aintained as the one and only !ause until a stronger link is #ade. If I don$t strike the #at!h" it will not !at!h on fire. Se!ond" be !ertain there is no other !ause that !ould result in the effe!t. 're there any sour!es of fla#e near the #at!h4 Do #at!hes spontaneously !at!h fire4 Is there anything else that !ould !ause it to !at!h fire4 I took three E!hina!ea tablets every day when #y !old started. 3ithine a week" #y !old was gone" thanks to the E!hina!ea. I wanted to do well on the test" so I used #y lu!ky pen. It worked againB I got an '. Last night I had a drea# that there was a !ar a!!ident in #y town. 3hen I read the paper this #orning" I found out a !ar a!!ident did happen last night. >y drea#s predi!t the future. I thought #y tea# would lose the ga#e" and they did. If I want the# to win ne0t ti#e" I need to think #ore positively. Dason did not have ti#e to brush his teeth before his dentist appoint#ent. 6ut the dentist told hi# he had no !avities. So Dason has de!ided he does not need to brush his teeth any#ore. During the solar e!lipse" we perfor#ed an an!ient !hant that asks the sun to return. It workedB

TH+ CH*C9+, 3) TH+ +GG 3e are living in a fast pa!ed so!iety be!ause people have su!h short attention spans today. Ieople don$t have fa#ily values any#ore. That$s be!ause so #any people get divor!ed these days. Lu!y feels #ore !onfident be!ause she a!ed her last two e0a#s. There are so #any !o#puter #anufa!turers be!ause the !ost of !o#puter te!hnology is so low. >any people who have lung !an!er are s#okers. 7aving lung !an!er !auses people to s#oke. If you keep speeding" you will be!o#e a bad driver. Last night I had a fever. This #orning" I have a !old and a fever. The fever !aused the !old. Dohnny 8ash was fa#ous. 7e was also on television fre+uently. Dohnny 8ash was fa#ous be!ause he was on television fre+uently. >y boss really liked the work I did on #y latest pro%e!t. I did not work as hard on the pro%e!t as I usually do. Inn order to #ake #y boss happy" I should not work as hard as I usually do. ,our grades went down this se#ester. ,ou %oined a study group this se#ester. ,our grades went down be!ause you %oined the study group.

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