Logical reasoning PrepTest 113 · Section 3 · Question 23

Question prompt

Town councillor: The only Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

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

Parallel Reasoning Questions

Stimulus Summary

Goal - Protect children from danger
Skateboarding in River Park is dangerous
~Skateboard in River Park → Skateboard in street
Skateboarding in the street is more dangerous than skateboarding in River Park
Therefore/Approach - We shouldn’t ban skateboarding in River Park

Answer Anticipation

This argument features some conditional logic, but it doesn’t dominate the structure or logic of the passage. Rather, it’s the comparison that’s key here, directly supporting the recommendation in the conclusion.
Looking through the argument, it starts by establishing a goal - protecting kids from danger. It then discusses a potential approach to that goal - banning skateboarding in River Park, since skateboarding there is dangerous. However, it then says that this approach will lead to something else - kids skateboarding in the streets - that’s more dangerous, thus frustrating the initial goal. Finally, it concludes that the approach isn’t a good one - skateboarding shouldn’t be banned in River Park.
So to strip away the specifics of this argument, we can say the structure is:
A goal is established along with a potential approach to reaching it. That approach is shown to have an unexpected effect that hurts the goal more than not doing the approach would, and so the approach is ruled out.

Answer choices

  1. A
    The reason for requiring Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    This argument does establish a goal (protecting the environment) and a potential approach (environmental reviews). However, the conclusion is that these reviews should be done, not that they shouldn’t. The argument also features a timeline element (“Currently...in the long run”) which is missing from the stimulus.
  2. B
    Insecticides are designed to Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    This argument establishes a goal (protect crops from insects) and an approach (insecticides). It then establishes that this approach will have an unexpected outcome that hurts the goal (killing wasps, who control some pests) compared to not using the pesticides (and letting aphids damage the crops), and so the approach is ruled out. This answer has the same logic as the stimulus, so it’s the correct answer.
  3. C
    The purpose of compulsory Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    This argument establishes a goal (protect children and community against smallpox) and an approach (vaccinations). However, it rules out continuing to vaccinate against smallpox not because the downsides outweigh the upsides, but because there’s no longer a problem with smallpox.
  4. D
    The function of a Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    This argument establishes a goal (slow down weathering on wood siding) and an approach (applying a sealer). It recommends against using that approach, but only in one situation, and only because it’s not necessary, not because there’s a downside that frustrates the goal.
  5. E
    Traffic patterns that involve Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This argument establishes a goal (accelerate traffic in congested areas) and an approach (one-way streets). However, in the specific case noted, it’s shown that the goal is inappropriate, not that the approach’s downsides outweigh the upsides.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 6%
  2. B Credited 75%
  3. C 3%
  4. D 3%
  5. E 13%

Deeper help

Ask follow-ups on any step

Optional AI tutor mode will let you interrogate assumptions, compare answers, and drill weak patterns without leaving the page.

Human-written explanations stay primary; AI is an add-on when you want it.

Discussion

  • ? 2 replies

    Started by hallerae

View all discussions Start a discussion