Logical reasoning PrepTest 102 · Section 3 · Question 8

Question prompt

Ornithologist: The curvature of Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Methods of Reasoning Questions

Stimulus Summary

O: Modern tree-dwelling birds have claws that let them perch, and so did Archaeopteryx, so Archaeopteryx must have been tree-dwelling. P: Chickens perch in trees but are ground-dwelling, so the ability to perch isn’t good evidence of being tree-dwelling.

Answer Anticipation

Whenever a Methods of Reasoning question features a second speaker, we should start with a couple considerations: Does the second speaker agree or disagree with the first speaker’s conclusion? If she disagrees, does she think it’s wrong or unsupported? Does the second speaker agree or disagree with the first speaker’s premises? Logic/assumptions? Does she bring up a new consideration? Here, the Paleontologist disagrees with the Ornithologist’s argument. However, she doesn’t claim that he was wrong - just that the evidence he cites isn’t good proof of his conclusion (“is not good evidence”). What does she use to support that conclusion? A chicken. Seriously. What role does the chicken serve here? It’s a counterexample. The Ornithologist uses similarities with modern tree-dwelling birds to argue that the Archaeopteryx was also tree-dwelling. The Paleontologist uses a modern bird that has a similarity but isn’t tree-dwelling to show that a certain similarity (perching in trees) isn’t good evidence of another (being tree-dwelling). Let’s find an answer reflecting that method of reasoning.

Answer choices

  1. A
    questions the qualifications of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    There’s no challenge to the Ornithologist’s credentials.
  2. B
    denies the truth of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The Ornithologist’s claims are that the Archaeopteryx had similar curvature to modern tree-dwelling birds, and the Paleontologist doesn’t question that similarity. Rather, she introduces another bird that muddies the water.
  3. C
    uses a parallel case Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    The Paleontologist uses the parallel (i.e., similar) case of the chicken to show that not all birds that can perch in trees are tree-dwelling. This answer therefore describes the Paleontologist’s response, so it’s the correct answer.
  4. D
    shows that the hypothesis Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    There’s no accusation of a contradiction in the Paleontologist’s response. Instead, she brings in new evidence.
  5. E
    provides additional evidence to Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The Paleontologist starts her argument with, “No,” making it exceedingly unlikely that she’s offering evidence to support that argument.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 5%
  2. B 4%
  3. C Credited 87%
  4. D 4%
  5. E 0%

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