D.E.A.R.!

Warm Up 11/30/11The answer to the following

question is “D”....In your journals, explain WHY:The Autobahn is Germany’s huge system of

highways. Though many people think that there is no speed limit on the Autobahn, this is not true. Some parts have legal limits, and some have suggested limits. Which of the following can be concluded from the passage?

A.The Autobahn is the largest system of highways in Europe.

B.The speed limits on the Autobahn are all suggested limits.

C.The roads in Germany have either legal speed limits or suggested speed limits.

D. Some people do not understand how Germany’s highway system works.

Critical

ThinkingWhat is it?

“The process or method of

thinking that questions

assumptions”

What does that mean?

Critical Thinking...Humans are an extremely intelligent

species. We can think creatively and solve difficult problems. We have the ability to cure diseases, send spaceships to other planets, and instantly talk to people who are thousands of miles away. In spite of all this, our brains still make mistakes -- in fact, they make a lot of mistakes, a lot of the time! It is actually quite easy to fool the human brain. So, what can we do about this? Well, knowing the problem is half the battle. By knowing and understanding the common mistakes that we make when we think, we can start to recognize those mistakes and start to take steps to avoid making them again and again.

Mistake #1:

We notice the evidence that supports what we want to believe and ignore the evidence that

goes against it.

In other words...We see what we want to see!

Mistake #2:

We believe stories instead of finding out the facts

As humans, we tend to believe stories because, for thousands of

years, stories were the main method used for passing on information.

But how do we know that the stories we hear are true?

Mistake #3:

We forget that many things happen by chance.

Mistake #4:We trust our senses.

Mistake #5:

We take mental short-cuts.

When we make too many assumptions about people on a daily basis, it can be

very dangerous. It is called stereotyping or generalizing.

Mistake #6:We trust our memories.

Every time we remember an event, we have to reconstruct it from pieces of our

memory. And every time we reconstruct it, the memory changes slightly. This is

because we are often influenced by new events, new understandings, changed

circumstances and especially other people's memories or suggestions.

Critical

ThinkingHow does this apply to test-

taking?

1.) The Ring of Fire is an area of unusually high volcano activity. It includes the Andes Mountains, parts of North America, and Japan. About 70% of all recorded active volcanoes occur in the Ring of Fire.What is most likely true based on the information above?

A.The biggest volcano in the world is in the Ring of Fire.

B.All of the active volcanoes that have ever existed are in the Ring of Fire.

C.The Andes, North America, and Japan have about the same number of active volcanoes.

D.Some parts of North America are not in the Ring of Fire.

2.) Amelia Earhart was the first woman, and second person, to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. She was also the first woman passenger to fly across the Atlantic. Based on the information above, which of the following is true?

A. Amelia Earhart was the first person to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean.

B. Amelia Earhart did not fly across the Pacific Ocean alone.

C. The first person to fly across the Atlantic alone was a man.

D. Amelia Earhart was a passenger on the first flight across the Atlantic.

.

3.) In England, there are two types of lawyers. Barristers argue in front of a high court, while solicitors help barristers prepare and argue in front of lower courts. Canadian lawyers are both barristers and solicitors.Which of the following choices can be concluded from the information in the passage?

A. All Canadian lawyers can argue in front of a high court.

B. Barristers do not help each other prepare.

C.. Barristers are more important than solicitors.

D. England has more lawyers than Canada does.

.

In your own words, what is

CRITICAL THINKING?

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