Logical reasoning PrepTest 104 · Section 1 · Question 5

Question prompt

During the 1980's Japanese 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

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen Questions

Stimulus Summary

Phenomenon - Japanese collectors bought a lot of 19th century European Impressionist paintings
Explanation - These collectors like the aesthetics of these paintings

Answer Anticipation

The fact that this question stem asks about an explanation suggests that we can view the stimulus as falling into the Phenomenon/Explanation pattern - and that pans out. The phenomenon is the purchase of certain art by a certain group of collectors, and the explanation is that the collectors liked the aesthetics of these paintings.
When we’re dealing with a Phenomenon/Explanation argument in a Strengthen question, we should anticipate one of two answers.
First, a correct answer might explain how that connection works. Here, that would mean explaining what about the aesthetics the collectors liked.
Second, a correct answer might rule out an alternative explanation. An example of that here would be ruling out that the paintings were purchased purely because of the expectation that the pricing would go up.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Impressionist paintings first became Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    First, this answer talks about European art collectors, not Japanese ones. Second, it doesn’t discuss why they became popular, so this answer isn’t tied to aesthetics.

  2. B
    During the 1980s, the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    This answer might explain how Japanese art collectors ended up with the money to buy these paintings, but it doesn’t do anything to explain why they picked these particular ones - let alone address whether it was due to aesthetics.

  3. C
    Several nineteenth–century Impressionist painters Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    This answer relates the aesthetics (“techniques and visual effects”) of the European Impressionist paintings to paintings that are enjoyed in Japan. As such, it connects the aesthetics to the preferences of the collectors (even if only indirectly), strengthening that explanation.

  4. D
    During the 1960s and Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    This answer doesn’t connect to the Japanese collectors, nor to the aesthetics of the paintings, so it’s out of scope.

  5. E
    During the 1980s, collectors Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer is about Japanese artists, not European Impressionists, so it’s out of scope.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 8%
  2. B 2%
  3. C Credited 87%
  4. D 3%
  5. E 1%

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