Rewritten:
Examining the following argument:
"The existence of mentally ill offenders in our prisons is a shameful reality. Punishment serves its purpose of deterrence, but this requires a rational person, one who comprehends the consequences of their actions. By definition, mentally ill individuals lack complete rationality, making deterrence ineffective, and therefore raising questions about their incarceration."
1. Which of the following assumptions is implicit in the argument?
(a) There are many mentally ill people who are incarcerated.
(b) Incarceration of the mentally ill is deplorable.
(c) Imprisonment is a type of punishment.
(d) A reasonable person understands their actions’ probable outcomes.
(e) If one cannot be deterred, they should not be incarcerated.
2. What is the flaw in the argument?
(a) There is no explanation provided about the definition of mental illness employed.
(b) The argument presumes that prison is shameful.
(c) The argument suggests a complex review of the use of prisons as a punitive measure.
(d) The argument does not allow for the possibility of inmates contracting mental illness while incarcerated.
(e) The argument relies heavily on statistical data.
3. Which of the following best represents the author’s beliefs in the argument?
(a) Imprisonment should be used as a last resort.
(b) Mental illness is a medical issue and requires treatment, not incarceration.
(c) Imprisonment is the only punishment for non-mentally ill offenders.
(d) All actions have consequences.
(e) Punishment’s purpose is not to rehabilitate.
Examining the following passage:
"As a child grows, the idea of submitting their conscience to an adult’s mind appears less reasonable. However, unless there is a deficiency in moral development, one-sided obedience typically develops into mutual respect and cooperation, which represents the equilibrium state of affairs. Our contemporary society relies on cooperation as a standard, and a child’s moral development accelerates with good examples."
4. Which of the following summarizes the passage’s primary point?
(a) Children who do not learn from good moral models remain developmentally stunted.
(b) Adults should not rely solely on their authority in parenting older children.
(c) Society can only function based on collaboration.
(d) Modern society’s normative values accelerate a child’s moral growth.
(e) Young children lack reverence for people or values.
5. Which of the following claims does the author make?
(a) Cooperation is the natural method of interaction between adults.
(b) Yielding to someone’s authority is disrespectful.
(c) Young children learn cooperation from the moral guidance of adults.
(d) Adults in modern society always have mutual respect.
(e) Children develop in a range of ways.
