Logical reasoning PrepTest 104 · Section 1 · Question 16

Question prompt

Recent research shows that 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

Classical account of sound change - It’s gradual
Research - Sound change isn’t gradual
Conclusion - Sound-Change Theory must be discarded

Answer Anticipation

The conclusion of this argument has a key phrase in it - “in general.” By bringing up Sound-Change Theory in general, the conclusion opens itself up to a bad generalization flaw - a subset of Sampling flaw.
In order to throw out Sound-Change Theory generally, we’d need to establish something is wrong with that theory in general. Instead, however, the argument establishes only that the classical account of that theory should be discarded since it doesn’t match up with reality.
However, there’s no indication that the classical Sound-Change Theory being thrown out is sufficient to justify throwing the theory out in general. It’s possible that modern sound-change theories are quite different from the classical account. In other words, that classical account may not represent all theories, and so needing to throw out that classical account might not lead to throwing out the others.
Since we’re attempting to strengthen this argument, we should look for any answer that establishes the classical account is representative, or a key element, of the other Sound-Change Theories.

Answer choices

  1. A
    The data on which Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer plays into the discarding of the classical account, but it doesn’t address whether that warrants throwing out the theory in general. The modern accounts may be based on new data that is accurate.

  2. B
    The emergence of new Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The stimulus is silent as to whether any Sound-Change Theory believes sound changes to be random or not, so this answer is out of scope.

  3. C
    The meeting of linguistically Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    The argument in the stimulus revolves around the speed with which new sounds emerge, not how those sounds emerge or whether they’re predictable.

  4. D
    All theories of sound Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    If the classical theory serves as a strong basis for all Sound-Change theories, then that classical theory being discarded is a strong sign that all of the theories will also need to be discarded. This answer makes the classical account more representative of all theories, thus strengthening the generalization from it to all theories made in the conclusion.

  5. E
    For most languages, historical Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The theories in the stimulus are about new sounds emerging in a language, so there’s no need to have a complete record of the language throughout its history. Additionally, if anything, there being a lack of information in a given area will weaken a theory, not strengthen it.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 25%
  2. B 4%
  3. C 3%
  4. D Credited 67%
  5. E 0%

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