Logical reasoning PrepTest 107 · Section 1 · Question 3

Question prompt

There should be a 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

Bizarro / Strengthen Questions

Stimulus Summary

Recommendation - Use more gasohol
Benefits - Higher octane rating; less carbon monoxide; no more carbon dioxide than plants remove

Answer Anticipation

This argument’s conclusion makes a recommendation - we should be using more gasohol. To back it up, it presents a few benefits of using gasohol.
Whenever an argument makes a recommendation, it needs to do two things. First, it needs to establish the criteria by which a recommendation will be made. Second, it needs to show that the recommended course of action will best meet those criteria.
Here, again, the argument brings up a few benefits of gasohol, but it never states the criteria by which we should decide what fuel to use. It also doesn’t compare these benefits to alternatives.
As such, anything that brings up other benefits of gasohol, downsides of alternatives, or criteria for use that matches what we know about gasohol will strengthen this argument.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Cars run less well Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer brings up a benefit of gasohol over gasoline, so it strengthens the argument for gasohol.
  2. B
    Since less gasoline is Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    This answer establishes a benefit of gasohol (less gasoline, and thus fewer energy shortages), strengthening an argument recommending its use.
  3. C
    Cars burn on the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    This answer brings up a relative downside of gasohol - more of it is needed, so emissions might end up not being less with its use. As such, it’s more in the weaken direction, and it is therefore the correct answer.
  4. D
    Gasohol is cheaper to Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Yet another benefit of gasohol, so yet another answer that strengthens the argument.
  5. E
    Burning gasoline adds more Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer doesn’t directly mention gasohol. However, the stimulus already established that gasohol adds no more carbon dioxide than plants remove. This answer allows us to compare gasoline to gasohol on this metric, and we see that gasohol comes out ahead, strengthening the argument for its use.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 7%
  2. B 1%
  3. C Credited 83%
  4. D 3%
  5. E 6%

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Discussion

  • Why B over D? 2 replies

    Started by MasonDees

  • Gasohol 1 reply

    Started by Anna20

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