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Reductio Ad Absurdum Quiz (Level C1-C2) - Writing Practice

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Reductio Ad Absurdum Quiz (Level C1-C2) - Writing Practice

15questions

7:30minutes

+22XP on pass

Work towards mastering Reductio Ad Absurdum with this focused set of 15 exercises. Designed for Level C1-C2 learners, the questions test recognition, application, and common pitfalls. Earn XP, track your score, and come back until you can get them all right.

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⏱ You have 07:30 to answer 15 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

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Questions 15

Q1 15

07:30

Q1 15

Question 1: Read the following exchange:Speaker A: 'I think employees should always be allowed to work from home.' Speaker B: 'So you're saying that surgeons, firefighters, and airline pilots should all stay home too?'Which rhetorical technique does Speaker B employ?

Question 1 options

A Reductio ad absurdum

B Ad hominem

C Straw man fallacy

D Appeal to authority

Speaker B takes Speaker A's universal claim ('always') and extends it to absurd cases (surgeons, firefighters, pilots working from home) to expose the flaw in the generalisation. This is the classic technique of reductio ad absurdum.

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Q2 15

Question 2: In persuasive writing, reductio ad absurdum works by accepting a premise and then demonstrating that it leads to a(n) ___ conclusion, thereby undermining the original claim.

Question 2 options

A analogous

B ambiguous

C absurd

D abstract

Reductio ad absurdum operates by showing that the logical consequences of a premise are absurd or contradictory, which disproves the original proposition. The correct word is 'absurd.'

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Q3 15

Question 3: Reductio ad absurdum can only be used to attack an opponent's argument; it can never be used constructively to prove that a proposition is true.

Question 3 options

A True

B False

This is false. In formal logic and mathematical proof, reductio ad absurdum (also called proof by contradiction) is regularly used constructively: by assuming the negation of a proposition and deriving a contradiction, one proves the original proposition is true.

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Q4 15

Question 4: Which of the following correctly demonstrates reductio ad absurdum in a written argument?

Question 4 options

A Thousands of viewers agree with my position on media coverage, so my argument must be correct.

B You claim that every opinion deserves equal airtime on the news. By that logic, we should give flat-earth theorists the same broadcast time as astrophysicists, which is patently absurd.

C Your argument about media bias is wrong because you are not a qualified journalist and therefore cannot speak on this topic.

D Media outlets have always been biased, so there is no point in trying to reform them.

The correct option takes the opponent's claim that all opinions deserve equal airtime and extends it to its logical extreme — giving flat-earth theorists equal time with astrophysicists — to expose the absurdity of the universal claim. The other options illustrate different fallacies or rhetorical strategies.

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Q5 15

Question 5: Match each term related to reductio ad absurdum with its correct definition or description.

Question 5 options

Reductio ad absurdum

Apagogical argument

Negation introduction

Appeal to extremes

Assumes a statement to derive a logical contradiction

Another name for an indirect proof by contradiction

Disproves a claim by showing it leads to absurdity

Pushes a claim to its most extreme consequence

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Reductio ad absurdum reduces a claim to absurdity; apagogical argument is its synonym meaning indirect proof; negation introduction assumes a statement's truth to derive a contradiction; appeal to extremes is the informal name for pushing a claim to its most extreme consequence.

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Q6 15

Question 6: Which of the following sentences contains an error in the written presentation of a reductio ad absurdum argument?(A) If we accept that no regulation is ever beneficial, then we must also accept that traffic lights, food safety standards, and building codes are all harmful — a clearly absurd proposition.(B) Assuming that technology is always detrimental to society, we would have to conclude that medical imaging, prosthetic limbs, and water purification systems have damaged human welfare; therefore, the premise is untenable.(C) You argue that cutting funding to all arts programmes will improve education, by that logic, eliminating literature from the curriculum would produce better writers.(D) If we follow your reasoning that competition is inherently destructive, we must conclude that every sporting event, academic contest, and business innovation has harmed civilisation — an absurd outcome that invalidates your claim.

Question 6 options

A Sentence A

B Sentence B

C Sentence D

D Sentence C

This option contains a comma splice: two independent clauses ('You argue that cutting funding to all arts programmes will improve education' and 'by that logic, eliminating literature from the curriculum would produce better writers') are joined only by a comma. A semicolon or period is required.

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Q7 15

Question 7: Complete the following paragraph from an academic essay:'The senator's proposal rests on the assumption that lowering taxes will invariably stimulate growth. ___ if we extend this logic to its ultimate conclusion, we would have to believe that abolishing taxation entirely would produce infinite prosperity — a manifestly absurd outcome that exposes the flaw in the original premise.'

Question 7 options

A Nevertheless,

B However,

C Furthermore,

D Similarly,

The transitional word 'However' is the best choice because it signals a contrast between the senator's assumption and the absurd conclusion that follows. 'Furthermore' and 'Similarly' incorrectly suggest continuation or agreement, and 'Nevertheless' implies concession rather than direct counter-argument in this context.

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Q8 15

Question 8: The following sentence contains an error:'The philosopher employed reductio ad absurdum, to demonstrate that if the governments' policy were universally applied, society would collapse into chaos.'Which option correctly fixes the error?

Question 8 options

A The philosopher employed reductio ad absurdum, to demonstrate that if the governments policy were universally applied, society would collapse into chaos.

B The philosopher employed reductio ad absurdum, to demonstrate that if the government's policy were universally applied, society would collapse into chaos.

C The philosopher employed reductio ad absurdum to demonstrate that if the government's policy were universally applied, society would collapse into chaos.

D The philosopher employed reductio ad absurdum to demonstrate that if the governments' policy were universally applied, society would collapse into chaos.

There are two errors in the original: an unnecessary comma after 'absurdum' (separating the verb from its infinitive complement) and the incorrect possessive 'governments'' (which implies multiple governments when only one is referenced). The correct version removes the comma and uses 'government's' for the singular possessive.

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Q9 15

Question 9: Arrange the parts of a reductio ad absurdum argument in the correct structural order:

Question 9 options

State the opponent's original premise clearly.
Demonstrate that the premise, taken to its logical extreme, leads to an absurd or contradictory conclusion.
Provisionally accept the premise as true for the sake of argument.
Conclude that the original premise is therefore untenable.

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

A well-structured reductio ad absurdum argument first states the opponent's premise, then accepts it provisionally, next extends it to reveal an absurd or contradictory consequence, and finally concludes that the original premise must be flawed.

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Q10 15

Question 10: You are writing a formal academic essay critiquing a colleague's thesis that standardised testing always improves educational outcomes. Which of the following reductio ad absurdum arguments is most appropriate for this context?

Question 10 options

A Anyone who thinks standardised testing always works clearly has never been a student, so their opinion should not be taken seriously in academic discourse.

B If standardised testing always improved outcomes, then subjecting students to daily examinations across every discipline would logically produce the most educated populace in history — a proposition that contradicts extensive pedagogical research on testing fatigue and diminishing returns.

C Standardised testing is obviously useless because I personally failed several exams and still became successful, which proves the whole system is broken.

D Testing is bad. If we tested kids all day every day, they'd go crazy. That's basically what you're arguing for, which is dumb.

The correct option maintains formal academic register, follows the logical structure of reductio ad absurdum (accepting the premise and extending it to an absurd conclusion), and uses hedged, scholarly language. The other options are either too informal, rely on personal anecdote, or employ ad hominem attacks rather than logical refutation.

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Q11 15

Question 11: What is the key distinction between reductio ad absurdum and a straw man fallacy when used in persuasive writing?

Question 11 options

A Reductio ad absurdum follows the opponent's actual premise to an absurd conclusion, while a straw man distorts the original argument before refuting it.

B There is no meaningful difference; both terms describe the same rhetorical technique applied in different contexts.

C Reductio ad absurdum relies on emotional appeals, while a straw man relies on logical evidence.

D Reductio ad absurdum attacks the person making the argument, while a straw man attacks the argument itself.

Reductio ad absurdum works with the opponent's actual premise and follows its logical implications to an absurd conclusion, whereas a straw man fallacy distorts or misrepresents the original argument before attacking the weakened version. The critical difference lies in whether the original claim is faithfully represented.

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Q12 15

Question 12: In a formal debate transcript, a speaker writes: 'If we truly believe that personal freedom should never be curtailed under any circumstances, then we must also accept that individuals should be free to drive at any speed through school zones.'Which best describes the register and rhetorical effect of this sentence?

Question 12 options

A Formal register; it employs reductio ad absurdum to force reconsideration of an absolutist claim through a disturbing logical consequence.

B Colloquial register; it uses sarcasm to mock the opposing speaker's intelligence.

C Informal register; it uses hyperbole to entertain the audience rather than persuade them.

D Neutral register; it presents a factual observation without any persuasive intent.

The sentence employs formal, measured language appropriate for academic debate and uses reductio ad absurdum to create a stark, unsettling image (speeding through school zones) that compels the audience to reconsider the absolutist claim about personal freedom.

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Q13 15

Question 13: In academic writing, reductio ad absurdum is only effective when the original claim contains universal quantifiers such as 'always,' 'never,' or 'everyone.'

Question 13 options

A True

B False

This is false. While universal quantifiers make claims particularly susceptible to reductio ad absurdum because they are easy to extend to absurd extremes, the technique can also be applied to non-universal claims — any premise whose logical extension leads to a contradiction or absurdity can be challenged this way.

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Q14 15

Question 14: Read the following passage:'Suppose we accept your argument that economic growth should be prioritised above all environmental concerns. Carried to its logical terminus, this would entail permitting the unrestricted dumping of toxic waste into drinking water supplies, provided doing so increased GDP.'What is the primary effect of the reductio ad absurdum in this passage?

Question 14 options

A It compels the reader to reject the premise by confronting its most disturbing logical consequence.

B It establishes the writer's credibility by demonstrating expertise in environmental policy.

C It introduces a new argument in favour of unrestricted economic growth.

D It creates an emotional digression that distracts from the central argument.

The writer uses reductio ad absurdum to make the reader viscerally confront the dangerous real-world consequences (toxic waste in drinking water) that follow from the premise, thereby compelling them to reject the absolutist prioritisation of economic growth over the environment.

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Q15 15

Question 15: The following sentence is weak in its use of reductio ad absurdum:'If we let students use calculators, then they'll basically forget everything about maths and stuff, which is bad.'Which revision best improves its clarity, logic, and register for an academic essay?

Question 15 options

A If we permit calculator use in classrooms, taken to its logical extreme, we would eventually eliminate all mental arithmetic instruction — an outcome that would demonstrably impair students' numerical reasoning and thus undermine the very educational goals the policy seeks to advance.

B Calculator usage is harmful to education because many teachers and parents have expressed concern about declining numeracy standards in recent years.

C Letting kids use calculators means they won't know any maths at all, which would be totally ridiculous and proves the idea is wrong.

D If students use calculators, some might become less proficient at mental arithmetic, although others might benefit from the additional time saved.

The best revision maintains formal academic register, constructs a precise logical chain from the premise to its absurd conclusion, and explicitly identifies the outcome as evidence against the original claim — all hallmarks of effective reductio ad absurdum in scholarly writing.

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