Logical reasoning PrepTest 103 · Section 3 · Question 3

Question prompt

Even though trading in Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: D

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

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen Questions

Stimulus Summary

Problem - The ivory trade is killing off elephants
Solution - Synthetic ivory for piano keys, which concert pianists are fine with
Problem with solution - Piano makers don’t use a lot of ivory
Conclusion - The solution probably won’t work

Answer Anticipation

This argument falls into a specific pattern - the Problem/Solution argument. Specifically, it’s a Problem/Solution passage that then goes on to highlight a likely fatal problem with the solution.
Specifically, the argument brings up the problem of the ivory trade threatening elephants. The solution is shifting piano manufacture to synthetic ivory, but that is said to be unlikely to work since pianos use very little of the overall ivory.
However, that doesn’t mean the synthetic ivory wouldn’t also be an acceptable substitute in the other, more prevalent places that ivory is used! To strengthen the argument that the synthetic ivory won’t make a dent in the problem, then, we should look for any answer talking about another common use of ivory not finding synthetic ivory as an acceptable substitute.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Most people who play Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer doesn’t state which ivory they prefer, so this answer doesn’t provide enough information to analyze the impact on the argument. Even outside of that, we already know that the piano market isn’t large enough to make much of an impact even if it switches to synthetic ivory.

  2. B
    The new synthetic ivory Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    If anything, this answer suggests that the ivory may end up an acceptable substitute for any uses of ivory, which would undermine the argument.

  3. C
    Other natural products such Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    This answer is still addressing pianos, which we know don’t make up enough of the ivory market to turn things around for the elephants.

  4. D
    The most common use Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    This answer brings up the most common use for ivory and establishes that synthetic ivory wouldn’t be an acceptable substitute there since the authenticity of materials is a reason people buy them. In showing that synthetic ivory won’t replace the most common use of ivory, this answer strengthens the conclusion that synthetic ivory probably won’t help the elephants.

  5. E
    It costs significantly less Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    There’s no indication that the cost of synthetic ivory factors in here, but, if anything, it being cost-effective might suggest that it would be used in other places, thus cutting against the argument.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 11%
  2. B 5%
  3. C 3%
  4. D Credited 77%
  5. E 3%

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