Logical reasoning PrepTest 113 · Section 4 · Question 23

Question prompt

Robert: Speed limits on 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/Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed/Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen with Necessary Premise Questions

Stimulus Summary

R: Problem - Drivers ignore speed limits and endanger pedestrians, and there aren’t enough police to enforce the limits
Solution - Install speed bumps in areas where there are pedestrians
S: Hitting a speed bump at too high a speed is dangerous, so that’s a bad idea

Answer Anticipation

A presupposition is just a fancy word for an assumption, so this is a Strengthen with Necessary Premise question, focused on Sheila’s response.
She argues that speed bumps are a bad idea to solve the speeding problem because hitting speed bumps at high speeds is dangerous - it can cause someone to lose control of their car. That is pretty dangerous!
However, she’s assuming that some drivers won’t change their driving habits with the speed bumps installed. If everyone slows down once the speed bumps and warning signs are installed, then the danger she cites won’t come to pass. Let’s find an answer establishing that at least some drivers will keep speeding.

Answer choices

  1. A
    problems of the kind Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    There’s no discussion of other cities, or of relative danger compared to elsewhere, so this answer is out of scope.
  2. B
    Robert's proposal is intended Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Robert wants the streets to be safer for pedestrians. Drivers losing control of their vehicles pose a threat to pedestrians. Sheila brings up an issue directly related to the problem that Robert brings up.
  3. C
    with speed bumps and Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    This answer matches the anticipation we formed. If, after the speed bumps/signs are in place, there would be no drivers who would not slow down to a safe speed (i.e., if all drivers slow down), then Sheila’s worries of drivers driving too fast and losing control would be unfounded. This answer is therefore a necessary premise for her argument.
  4. D
    most of the people Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    While Sheila’s argument does rely on there being a danger to pedestrians from the installation of speed bumps, it doesn’t need that to rise to the level of “most” of them being endangered.
  5. E
    problems of the kind Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Sheila addresses Robert’s solution, not the problem he brings up, so it doesn’t matter to her argument if the problem is limited to residential streets or not.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 4%
  2. B 2%
  3. C Credited 88%
  4. D 6%
  5. E 0%

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