Ujian Tengah Semester

Program S1 Universitas Prasetiya Mulya

Semester Genap tahun akademik 2021/2022

Mata Kuliah : Critical Thinking and Research Skills

Tanggal : 27 April 2022
Waktu : 10:00 – 12:00 (120 minutes)

Dengan ini saya menyatakan siap dan bersedia mengikuti ujian ini dengan sebaik-baiknya sesuai
dengan kemampuan diri sendiri dan dengan menjunjung tinggi nilai-nilai CHAIN Universitas
Prasetiya Mulya. Sekiranya saya terbukti melanggar nilai-nilai tersebut dengan melakukan
kecurangan/plagiarisme dalam bentuk apapun, saya bersedia menerima segala konsekuensi
akademik yang berlaku.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS
1. This mid-semester exam consists of 2 (two) sections.
2. Answer all questions concisely in English.
3. Type your answer below each question.
4. Upload your answers to LMS in one docx (Ms-Word) file named in this format:
YourNIM_YourFirstName_YourLastName_YourClassCode
(for example: 123420100569_Khabib_Nurmagomedov_BUS1X).
5. You have 120 minutes to finish the test.
6. The total score is 100 (one hundred) points.
A. CRITICAL READING [40 pts]

New Anti-Aging Pill Claims to Keep Body Young Forever by Keeping Cells Healthy

We all want to stay young for as long as we can – nobody wants to experience old age and the
troubles that come along with it. However, what if I told you science has found a way to make
this happen?
Researchers at Elysium Health have developed a supplement called Basis that basically prevents
our body from ageing, sort of. It slows down the effects of ageing by boosting up NAD+ levels in
our body. NAD or Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide is a compound that helps the cells in our
body stay healthy and new.
NAD+ is also responsible for managing our circadian rhythm as well as strengthening our DNA.
So, it isn’t surprising that these levels over time get exhausted trying to run the show.
However, that’s where a supplement like Basis can be truly helpful, theoretically. Now you might
be wondering it would work like one of those fairy-tale Elixirs of Life, where it would make you
young instantly -- you’re wrong.
It would gradually aid the existing NAD+ levels in your body and help the cells to stay healthy.
Eventually, it is this cell health that counts in helping our body parts stay young and give us a
healthy life for years to come. This just extends that process.
And this was also seen in a clinical trial from people of age groups 60-80 that was conducted by
Elysium, where the participants witnessed a spike of 40 percent in NAD+ levels that was
constant throughout the study period.
Not just that, the pills are also completely vegan-friendly and are completely free of allergic nuts
and gluten, so it would be perfect for all kinds of dietary preferences.

Source:
https://www.indiatimes.com/technology/science-and-future/stop-growing-old-pill-elysium-heal
th-basis-506922.html

Questions:
1. What is the main idea of this article? [5 pts]
Answer :
 Anti-aging pills maintain youth by gradually aid the existing NAD+ levels in your body and
help the cells to stay healthy.

2. What is the purpose of the research? Write down the exact statement which describes
what Elysium Health was testing? [5 pts]
Answer :
Aims to develop the discovery of a supplement called Basis that can prevent the body
from aging by boosting up NAD+ levels in our body. Elysium Health conducted a clinical
trial of anti-aging pills on a group of people aged 60-80 years, each of whom
experienced a constant 40% increase in NAD+ throughout the difficulty.

3. What is the research result? [4 pts]

Answer :
The results from the Elysium Health study showed that this Basis supplement increases
gradually and helps NAD+ in keeping cells healthy.

4. What argument(s) can we find in this article?

Write the premise(s) and conclusion(s). [5 pts]
Answer :
Argumen : A s supplement called Basis that basically prevents body from aging, by
Premise : It slows down the effects of aging by boosting up NAD+ levels in our body.
Conclusion : By boosting up NAD+ levels in our body the suplement prevents body from
aging.

5. In your opinion, how strong is the argument(s)?

a) Explain and support your answer. [4 pts]
Answer :
In my point of view this argument is strong. It is because the argument is not only
backed up by science theory but also with deep research in the specific group of people.

b) Is there any way to make it stronger? Explain your answer.

Answer :
NAD+ levels in your body and help the cells to stay healthy. It is cell health that counts in
helping our body parts stay young and give us a healthy life for years to come. [3 pts]

6. Do you find any logical fallacies in the article? Explain your answer. [5 pts]
Answer :
"Eventually, it is this cell health that counts in helping our body parts stay young and give
us a healthy life for years to come."
 This statement is an example of logical fallacies because it only gives one alternative
possibly causing someone death which is the unhealthy cell. This statement didn't
mention the other alternative that can be a cause of someone's death.

7. Do you find any barriers to critical thinking due to language use in the article?
Quote the words/phrases/sentences and explain.
Answer :
“We all want to stay young for as long as we can – nobody wants to experience old age
and the troubles that come along with it. ”
This statement contains of Unwarranted Assumptions and that come from streotype a
bunch of people by common sense or just the sample of people because they generalize
the assumptions. we can see from “We all want to stay young for as long as we can” they
generalize the opinion. In additon it contains of Relativistic Thinking “nobody wants to
experience old age and the troubles that come along with it” this is come from
subjective point of view by saying nobody wants to experience old age not objectively.

8. Based on your analysis, are the claims made in this article accurate? Explain your answer.
[4 pts]
Answer :
Yes, it is because this article comes from scientific data, and it has been researched by
conducting a clinical trial.

B. CATEGORIZING AND SYNTHESIZING INFORMATION [60 pts]

Directions: Categorize these 4 articles and write a synthesis paragraph, complete with the
citations and reference list. Your synthesis should consist of a topic sentence, the
comparison/contrast/combination part, and the new perspective you gain from the information.
Direction: Use IEEE format to write the citations and reference.
https://ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/wp-content/uploads/IEEE-Reference-Guide.pdf

Source 1 Source 2
● Author: Watson ● Author: Lui
● Title: The Role of English ● Title: English and Technology
● Year: 2011 ● Year: 2010
● Publisher: University Press ● Publisher: University Press
● City: London ● City: NY

Source 3 Source 4
● Author: Hannan ● Author: Dowd
● Title: International Language ● Title: Language in History
● Date: 4 Dec 2009 ● Year: 6 March 2011
● Name of journal: Science Direct ● Name of journal: Linguistic Society
● Vol. 8, issue 6, pg. 39-52 ● Vol. 4, pg. 61-70
● http://sciencedirect.com/international ● http://linguisticsociety.com/language
-language -in-history
Direction: Use this table to help you categorize the texts. Feel free to modify the table based on
your need.

Evidence Digital Media use of english in use of English in decrease in the

Company life various aspects use of the
English language

Watseon, University Press English as an International

(2011) International language for
language. business.
The Role of
English

Lui, (2010) University Press Used in

worldwide
English and
technology.
Technology
International
Languages in
Education

Hannan, Science Direct small number of Importance of More people

(2009, 4 Dec) speakers English linked to speak chinese
worldwide US power, i.e worldwide
International
“Political”.
Language

Dowd, (2011, Linguistic Society Chinese

6 March) dominant
especially in
Language in
future
History
English will
decline in future

YOUR SYNTHESIS:
English is the language of the whole world. According to Watson, the use of English
instruction in international forums such as the United Nations [4]. Apart from being a developed
country and the oldest language globally, the development of English has a speedy vocabulary
 development. Communication using English is also used in the business world [4], technology
and education [3], and political power [2]. Therefore, cross-border communication encourages
an effort to create a language that can be understood and used by all people worldwide.
However, in some countries, the role of English is not needed. Chinese is more widely used and
will play a significant role in the future [1,2]. It can happen because the Chinese population is
the largest globally, so the spread of the language is very rapid. However, English has become
the world's language because we need a language that is easy for everyone to use.

References :

[1] Dowd, Ed., “Language in History Vol. 4 6 March 2011” in Linguistic Society, Mar. 2011.
[Online]. Available: http://linguisticsociety.com/language-in-history
[2] Hannan, Ed., “International Language Vol. 8 Issue 6” in Science Direct, Dec. 2009. [Online].
Available: http://sciencedirect.com/international-language
[3] Lui. (2010). English and Technology. New York: University Press
[4] Watson. (2011). The Role of English. London: University Press

SCORE RUBRIC
No. CRITERIA 5 4 3 2 1
1 Expresses the No clear topicAble to Fails to Wrong
Content topic limitation limitation (nocombine the synthesize understandi
in the topic topic information ideas. Only ng of the
sentence, sentence) BUT BUT the topic listing each information
successfully successfullychosen is idea into
synthesizes the synthesizes theeither too one
ideas AND owns ideas AND simple or too passage OR
a new idea as owns a new broad, the idea
the conclusion. idea as the making it generated is
conclusion. hard to irrelevant to
generate an the
idea. information
2 Uses Missing/misus Missing/misu Wrong use Wrong use
Organizatio appropriate ed sed of of
n conjunctions conjunctions & conjunctions conjunction conjunction
(coherence and signal signal words & signal s & signal s and signal
&
words. Idea make the idea words but words, words
cohesion)
causing a causing
 logically & flows flow less not causing little much
smoothly. smoothly. confusion. confusion. confusion.

3 Uses a wide range Uses a wide Uses an Uses an Too short

Vocabulary of vocabs that range of vocabs, adequate adequate synthesis.
convey precise but with 1-2 range of range of Not enough
meanings, inaccuracies in vocabs, but vocabs, but to score
including the use word choice.
with 3-5 with 3-5
of Limited use of
inaccuracies inaccuracies
reporting verbs. reporting verbs.
in word in word
choice. choice. No
Limited use reporting
of reporting verbs used
verbs. at all.
4 In-text All sources are All citations & Not applying Some No citation
citations & correctly cited & reference exist the correct citations /no
reference referenced using but some IEEE format. /sources are reference at
(IEEE numerical IEEE information is missing. all.
format) format. missing / with
wrong order of
numbers