Logical reasoning PrepTest 107 · Section 1 · Question 12

Question prompt

It is well known 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

Methods of Reasoning Questions

Stimulus Summary

Common knowledge - Species adapt to their environment
Assumption - Only highly evolved species adapt their environment
Pivot - This characteristic is quite common
Example - Plankton

Answer Anticipation

The argument starts with something that is “well known” - anything that is well known (not believed) is going to serve as background. It then pivots (“but”) to an assumption from this common knowledge, which must serve as an opposing point.
That’s backed up by the following statement pivoting (“However”) to an opinion of that assumption - the characteristic believed to be rare is actually quite common. An Author’s opinion of an opposing point is almost always the main point of the argument.
From there, it goes into an example of an organism with that characteristic - plankton. Since examples serve to support a main point, it’s looking like the second pivot is the main point.
So the Author uses an example to show that a characteristic assumed to be relatively rare is actually much more widespread than believed. As such, let’s find an answer stating that the Author uses a counterexample to disprove a widely held assumption.

Answer choices

  1. A
    A general principle is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    A particular case is used to justify a general claim - so this answer reverses the method of reasoning.
  2. B
    An explanation of how Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The phenomenon itself isn’t controversial. At most, how widespread it is is controversial.
  3. C
    A generalization about the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    The argument doesn’t conclude a generalization about the conditions under which a certain process can occur.
  4. D
    A counterexample to a Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem
    This answer highlights the Author’s use of plankton to show that the common belief that only the most highly evolved species alter the environment to help their survival is wrong. Since it correctly describes the method of reasoning, it’s the correct answer.
  5. E
    A detailed example is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    A detailed example is used, but not to illustrate the advantage of one strategy over another. The conclusion doesn’t compare two strategies, so the example backing it up can’t be meant to do so.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 16%
  2. B 3%
  3. C 11%
  4. D Credited 69%
  5. E 1%

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