*6757642687*

Thursday 12 January 2017 – MorningLEVEL 2 AWARD THINKING AND REASONING SKILLSB902/01 Unit 2 Thinking and Reasoning Skills Case Study

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes above. Please write

clearly and in capital letters.• Use black ink. HB pencil may be used for graphs and diagrams only.• Answer all the questions.• Read each question carefully. Make sure you know what you have to do before starting

your answer.• Write your answer to each question in the space provided. If additional space is required,

you should use the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question number(s) must be clearly shown.

• Do not write in the barcodes.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES• The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part

question.• The total number of marks for this paper is 60.• Quality of written communication will be assessed in questions 14 and 15b.• This document consists of 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

* B 9 0 2 0 1 *

OCR is an exempt CharityTurn over

© OCR 2017 [D/502/0968]DC (ST/FC) 140878/2

Candidates answer on the Question Paper.

OCR supplied materials:• Resource Booklet (B902/01/RB)

Other materials required:None

Duration: 1 hour

Oxford Cambridge and RSA

2

© OCR 2017

SECTION A – Thinking through the documents

You are advised to spend no more than 40 minutes on this section. It is worth 40 marks.

Answer all the questions in this section.

1 The following argument is taken from James Crockett in Document 7b:

There is clearly no truth in the stories about aliens crash landing at Roswell, because the government has given plausible explanations for the sightings and the debris, and it is so long ago now that we would know about it if it were true. So, people who believe in the existence of aliens should wake up and get real.

(a) Mark up the argument in the box above to show the different argument components:

(i) Circle the conclusion indicator word. [1]

(ii) Put brackets around one reason. [1]

(b) Which of the following best describes the structure of this argument? Tick (3) the correct response. [1]

A counter-argument, one reason and a conclusion

One reason and two conclusions

Two reasons and a conclusion

Two reasons and two conclusions

3

Turn over© OCR 2017

2 Document 7b contains some flawed arguments.

(a) Name and explain the flaw in the following argument:

Now that I’ve heard all the evidence I’m a believer… you either accept the ridiculous explanations about crash test dummies and weather balloons the government offered, or you believe that we were visited by aliens.

(i) Flaw .............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) Explanation .......................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Name and explain the flaw in the following argument:

It’s about time people started taking notice of the evidence for alien visitations, because otherwise people won’t know what to look out for when they visit again and before we know what’s happening our planet will be drained of its resources and aliens will infiltrate our homes and eat our hamsters and guinea pigs for afternoon tea.

(i) Flaw .............................................................................................................................. [1]

(ii) Explanation .......................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

3 In Document 7b, Robert Ewing compares two situations to make a point:

Going to Roswell and not doing a tour of the crash site would be like going to Egypt on holiday and not visiting the pyramids.

(a) What name is given to this type of comparison?

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) Give one relevant similarity between the two situations being compared.

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Give one relevant difference between the two situations being compared.

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

4

© OCR 2017

4 Document 2 describes what the ranch owner did with the crash debris before he reported it:

The weather balloon was found several days ago near the centre of New Mexico by Rancher W. W. Brazel. He said he didn’t think much about it until he went into Corona, New Mexico, last Saturday and heard the flying disc reports. He returned to his ranch, 85 miles northwest of Roswell, and recovered the wreckage of the balloon, which he had placed under some shrubs.

In Document 7b, Robert Ewing suggests that Brazel hid the debris from the crash because he knew that it was extra-terrestrial.

Give two alternative explanations for Brazel placing the debris under some shrubs.

Explanation 1 ...................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

Explanation 2 ...................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................[2]

5 Document 4 comments on the credibility of Major Marcel’s claims about the crash debris:

Marcel’s testimony cannot be dismissed, owing to his background in aviation: he had served as a bombardier, waist-gunner and pilot, had logged 468 hours of combat flying in B-24 aircraft, and was awarded five air medals for shooting down enemy aircraft in World War II.

Which two of the following criteria are being used here to strengthen the credibility of Marcel’s claims? Tick (3) the correct responses. [2]

Ability to see

Expertise

Neutrality

Reputation

5

Turn over© OCR 2017

6 In Document 7b, Tommy Magnum refers to his uncle’s claim to have been abducted by aliens:

My uncle Joe from England was abducted by aliens whilst he was at a music festival back in 1969, and has written a book about his experience, but you don’t see him selling silly tours of where it happened.

Identify and explain two ways in which the credibility of his uncle’s claim to have been abducted by aliens is weak.

Criterion 1 .........................................................................................................................................

Explanation ......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

Criterion 2 .........................................................................................................................................

Explanation .......................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................... [4]

7 In Document 1, Mr Wilmot’s claims of his UFO sighting at Roswell are reported:

Wilmot said that it appeared to him to be about 1,500 feet high and going fast. He estimated between 400 and 500 miles per hour. In appearance it looked oval in shape like two inverted saucers, faced mouth to mouth, or like two old type washbowls placed together in the same fashion. The entire body glowed as though light were showing through from inside, though not like it would be if a light were underneath.

Using the credibility criterion of ability to see, explain whether you think these claims are strong or weak.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................... [2]

6

© OCR 2017

8 In Document 6 the following evidence is given:

The desert work focused on the development of spy gear and high-altitude escape systems. Starting in 1950, for instance, balloons rising as high as 19 miles dropped dozens of lifelike dummies in order to perfect parachutes for pioneering pilots, including those in the X-15 rocket plane and the U-2 spy plane.

And the report notes that desert balloons between 1966 and 1972 lifted and dropped mock interplanetary probes. The program was designed to aid space agency research, but to the untrained eye the probes looked like flying saucers.

Explain one weakness in the use of this evidence to support the conclusion that there were no aliens found at Roswell.

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................... [2]

9 Document 4 contains a selection of accounts about what happened at Roswell.

In the diagram below, write the letter relating to each statement in the relevant space.

Barnett Marcel

Haut

A There were alien bodiesB Military personnel were told to keep quiet about what they had seenC The crashed aircraft was disc shapedD The materials from the crashed aircraft did not seem to be like any known earthly materialsE The military deliberately concocted a cover storyF The crash debris has been secretly stored since in a military hangar

[6]

7

Turn over© OCR 2017

10 Document 3 includes the following paragraph:

A military witness who claimed to know that the Roswell incident involved the crash of an alien spacecraft is Colonel Philip Corso, a former Pentagon official who claimed his job was to pass technology from the craft recovered at Roswell to American companies. He claimed that discoveries such as Kevlar body armour, stealth technology, night vision goggles, lasers and the integrated circuit chip all have their roots in alien technology from the Roswell crash. Corso died of a heart attack shortly after making these claims, prompting a fresh round of conspiracy theories.

Which of the following conclusions can be reliably drawn from the information given in the paragraph? Tick (3) the correct box for each conclusion stated below.

Can be drawn

Cannot be drawn

All military technology is based on items found in alien spacecraft

Corso’s death was suspicious

[2]

11 Document 7b reports the following:

I went along because my wife was curious about whether there is any truth in the stories about aliens at Roswell.

Which is the best description of this? Tick (3) the correct response. [1]

Argument

Explanation

List of information

Rant

12 In Document 5b, Georgia gives the following argument:

We can’t afford to waste time and effort, so it’s about time science turned its attention to more important projects, like global warming.

(a) Underline a conclusion. [1]

(b) Give one assumption that Georgia is making in her argument.

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

8

© OCR 2017

13 In Document 7b, Bart A Barrackus makes the following point:

It’s a massive injustice that the government has gone to such lengths to keep us from knowing the truth.

(a) Which of these statements best describes how he is using the word ‘injustice’? Tick (3) the correct response. [1]

Leaving a crime unpunished

Not conforming to rules or standards of fairness

Not rewarding people in relation to what they have earned

Treating people unequally

(b) Give two counterexamples that show situations in which it would be acceptable for a government to keep the public from knowing the truth about something.

Example 1 .................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

Example 2 .................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................[2]

(c) Give two developed reasons to support the view that it is wrong to keep the truth from the public.

Reason 1 ..................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

Reason 2 ..................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................[4]

9

Turn over© OCR 2017

SECTION B – Thinking to a conclusion based on reasons and evidence

Allow approximately 20 minutes for this section. It is worth 20 marks.

Answer all the questions in this section.

14 Present and develop an argument either for or against the claim that aliens crashed at Roswell. In your argument you must:

• clearly identify your main conclusion• provide reasons for your main conclusion• support at least one reason with relevant evidence or examples. [10]

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

10

© OCR 2017

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

15 Esme comments, in Document 5b, on her faith in scientific explanations:

When are people going to learn that there is a scientific explanation for everything, even if we don’t yet know what it is! Aliens, angels, gods… one day we will see how silly we were for thinking they exist.

(a) Give two developed reasons to support Esme’s claim that there is a scientific explanation for everything.

(i) Reason 1 ...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Reason 2 ...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................... [2]

11

© OCR 2017

(b) Develop a counter-argument to challenge Esme’s claim that it is silly to believe in things for which we have no scientific evidence.

Your counter-argument should include:

• at least one developed reason • an intermediate conclusion.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [6]

END OF QUESTION PAPER

12

© OCR 2017

ADDITIONAL ANSWER SPACE

If additional space is required, you should use the following lined page(s). The question number(s) must be clearly shown in the margin(s).

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................

Oxford Cambridge and RSA

Copyright Information

OCR is committed to seeking permission to reproduce all third-party content that it uses in its assessment materials. OCR has attempted to identify and contact all copyright holders whose work is used in this paper. To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced in the OCR Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download from our public website (www.ocr.org.uk) after the live examination series.

If OCR has unwittingly failed to correctly acknowledge or clear any third-party content in this assessment material, OCR will be happy to correct its mistake at the earliest possible opportunity.

For queries or further information please contact the Copyright Team, First Floor, 9 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1GE.

OCR is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group; Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.