Logical reasoning PrepTest 112 · Section 4 · Question 23

Question prompt

When investigators discovered that 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

Principle Questions / Strengthen Questions / Sufficient & Necessary Questions

Stimulus Summary

Judgment - The journalists are as much to blame as the director for inflating numbers
Reasoning - They accepted and reported the numbers from the director without investigating

Answer Anticipation

Principle (Strengthen) questions generally present a judgment that is backed up by the information in the premises. Our job is to find a generalization that connects the two.
Here, it’s important to focus on the right part of the stimulus. The question stem tells us to focus on the investigators’ claim, and that doesn’t start until after the director is discussed. In short, we shouldn’t look for an answer that justifies blaming the director - and any answer supporting that is a trap answer.
Instead, we need an answer that justifies blaming the journalists as much as the director. Why do the investigators claim that the journalists deserve as much blame? Because they reported numbers provided to them by the director without looking into them. So we should look for an answer that assigns blame to journalists who simply report as fact something they were told without verifying it independently.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Anyone who works for Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This answer addresses the director (“works for a charitable organization”), not the journalists, so it doesn’t address the investigators’ claims about the journalists.
  2. B
    Anyone who knowingly aids Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The argument is about blame, not who’s a liar, so this answer is out of scope. Additionally, there’s no indication that the journalists’ actions were meant to “knowingly” aid the director.
  3. C
    Anyone who presents as Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    The journalists presented as true the director’s numbers. They didn’t try to verify those numbers. This answer, then, guarantees that they’re no less responsible than the director - justifying the conclusion that they’re “as much to blame.” This answer connects the rationale to the judgment, so it’s the correct answer.
  4. D
    Anyone who lies in Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    First, this answer is about different levels of blame, whereas the argument is about the same amount of blame. Second, the latter half of this answer is about the journalists, and there’s no indication that they lied - that would require motive, and they may have just been careless. Finally, there’s also no indication that the journalists were trying to promote a good cause. Three reasons this answer is incorrect.
  5. E
    Anyone who accepts responsibility Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    No one in the stimulus is accused of concealing their wrongdoing.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 5%
  2. B 3%
  3. C Credited 90%
  4. D 1%
  5. E 0%

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Discussion

  • why E? 2 replies

    Started by Tehran20

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