English Comprehension: Eng101
Spring 2015
Assignment No. 02
Total Marks: 15
Lesson No. 10-18
Objective
To assess the students’ understanding of the
concepts of ‘Reading Comprehension’ and ‘Different Types of Fallacies’
Instructions
- The assignments sent after the Due Date will not be accepted.
- The corrupt files will be marked zero.
- The assignments should be zoomed in at
100%.
- Plagiarism
will NOT be tolerated. Plagiarism means taking credit for someone else’s
work by presenting it as your own.
- No marks will be awarded for copied
assignments and the case may be referred to the discipline committee for a
suitable action.
- No
assignment will be accepted through e-mail.
- The font color should be
preferably black and font size should be 12 Times New Roman.
Q1. Read
the following passage and answer the questions given below:
(Marks:
2*5=10)
English
Ivy betrays its poor reputation as a nuisance by its unparalleled ability to
provide shade. By seamlessly covering the exterior of a building, it works as a
natural insulator, blocking the sun and decreasing air conditioning costs. This
means big savings for both building tenants and homeowners alike. It can happen
quickly, too. Under the proper conditions, established English Ivy can grow to
cover an area of roughly 500 square feet per year. Given that most homes have a
roof measuring roughly 2000 square feet, ivy-friendly homeowners can rest
assured that their roofs will be completely covered in about four years. When
considering growth rates of newly planted ivy, just remember the old adage:
First year, it sleeps. Second year, it creeps. Third year, it leaps! For
English Ivy, this is especially true.
Now, detractors may take this
opportunity to remind readers about how invasive English Ivy can be. For what
ivy enthusiast hasn’t been cautioned about its ability to burrow holes,
fracture windows, and even deteriorate brick? But be warned. Oftentimes, this
suggestion is taken to the comical extreme. Naysayers take a strange pleasure
in spinning yarns about a particularly malevolent strand of ivy—one that slips
in through the cracks on a hot summer night, silently strangling homeowners in
their sleep. Admittedly, this can be a funny story to tell. But are we to
believe such a tale? The intelligent gardener will quickly dismiss such rubbish
for what it is.
Questions
1) The primary purpose of the
passage is to
A. highlight the reasons why English Ivy’s fast growth rate is
beneficial
B. argue that English Ivy is an essential plant for homeowners
C. educate readers about how to use English Ivy to insulate their
homes
D. belittle detractors of English Ivy
E. defend the reputation of English Ivy
2) As used in paragraph 1,
which is the best definition for ‘betrays’?
A. Defend
B. Bluff
C. Reveals
D. Keep secret
E. Highlights
3) In paragraph 1, the author
states, “Given that most homes have a roof measuring roughly 2000 square feet,
ivy-friendly homeowners can rest assured that their roofs will be completely
covered in about four years.” Which of the following logical mistakes does the
author make in drawing this conclusion?
I. English Ivy will not cover the area of most roofs in 4 years if
it only grows 500 square feet per year.
II. Most
homes may not have the proper conditions necessary for English Ivy to grow at
the specified rate.
III. Newly planted ivy does
not grow as fast as established ivy.
A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III
4) As used in paragraph 2,
which is the best definition for ‘deteriorate’?
A. Disintegrate
B. Shield
C. Get better
D. Develop
E. Strengthen
5) As used in paragraph 2,
which is the best antonym for ‘malevolent’?
A. Wary
B. Vindictive
C. Amiable
D. Injured
E. Rancorous
Q2. Read
the following statements carefully, decide the correct type of fallacy from the
below options and mention it in the given blank against each statement. (5 marks)
·
Hasty
Generalization
·
False
Comparison
·
False
Cause
·
Either-Or
1. She looks good in pink, so I will also buy
a pink dress. ____________
2. My father smoked four packs of cigarettes a
day since age fourteen and lived until age sixty-nine. Therefore, smoking really can never be that
bad for you. ____________
3. Every day, I eat cereal for breakfast. One
time, I had a muffin instead, and there was a major earthquake in my city. I've
eaten cereal ever since. ____________
4. Pointing to a fancy chart, Roger shows how
temperatures have been rising over the past few centuries, whilst at the same
time the numbers of pirates have been decreasing; thus pirates cool the world
and global warming is a hoax. ____________
5. Hashim decides to attend graduate school at
Ohio State University. He has never been to the US before. The day after he
arrives, he is walking back from an orientation session and sees two white (albino)
squirrels chasing each other around a tree. In his next letter home, he tells
his family that all American squirrels are white. ____________
