Logical reasoning PrepTest 104 · Section 1 · Question 22

Question prompt

Some people believe 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

Facts

Valid or Flawed

NA

Question Type

Must Be True Questions

Stimulus Summary

Some people - All hierarchical organizations operate the same way
Bureaucratically controlled organization → Hierarchical
Public Works Department - Bureaucratically controlled; operates different than other bureaucratically controlled organizations

Answer Anticipation

First, note that this stimulus features an opposing point, despite being a Must be True question. When this happens, we need to accept as true that the opposing viewpoint believes what they say, but we don’t accept it as true. As such, we can usually start by focusing on the pivot away from that viewpoint.
Here, the inflection point is the conditions in the second sentence, establishing that all bureaucratically controlled organizations are hierarchical. We then learn that the Public Works Department is such an organization, so we can conclude that it’s hierarchical - a potential answer. Additionally, the Public Works Department operates quite differently than other bureaucratically controlled organizations, so we can say that not all hierarchical organizations operate in the same manner - another potential answer.
This contradicts the opposing point, so yet another potential answer is that those people who believe the opening line are incorrect.
Let’s find any of these potential answers in the answer choice!

Answer choices

  1. A
    The Public Works Department Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    The stimulus never discusses nonbureaucratically controlled organizations, so this comparison is unwarranted. The PWD may operate differently than other bureaucratically controlled organizations, but it may still operate more similarly to them than to nonbureaucratically controlled ones.

  2. B
    Any organization that is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    This answer is a reversal of the second statement, so it’s unsupported.

  3. C
    Form the fact that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    While the PWD operates “quite differently than” other bureaucratically controlled organizations, that doesn’t mean that no similarities can be determined - maybe there is something in common. (Also, note the shift between hierarchical and bureaucratically controlled - while all of the latter are the former, not all of the former are the latter.)

  4. D
    Not all hierarchical organizations Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    The PWD is a bureaucratically controlled organization that operates differently than most other bureaucratically controlled organizations, and all bureaucratically controlled organizations are hierarchical. As such, the PWD is a hierarchical organization that operates differently than other hierarchical organizations, supporting this answer.

  5. E
    Whether or not an Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Similar to (C), this answer goes too far in stating that there is no relationship between a bureaucracy and how an organization operates. While it may not tell you everything you need to know, and some may operate differently, it could be that there are a few things they all have in common.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 10%
  2. B 4%
  3. C 11%
  4. D Credited 67%
  5. E 9%

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