Logical reasoning PrepTest 117 · Section 4 · Question 4

Question prompt

Statistics indicating a sudden Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: A

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

Illustration Questions / Principle Questions

Stimulus Summary

Statistics showing a spike in a problem could be because of better awareness or monitoring, so we should be wary of radical solutions based on such a spike.

Answer Anticipation

Always remember that the conclusion is what determines the scope of the argument, and it should therefore be what you focus on first in all question types based on arguments. This is especially true in Principle (Strengthen) questions, where the correct answer will justify the judgment made in the conclusion based on the details in the premises.
Here, the judgment in the conclusion is that “we should be wary” of crazy solutions to spikes in problems based on new statistical data. It’s not that we should wait to solve them, or that we should be wary of conservative solutions to these problems; it’s that we should be “wary” of “radical” solutions.
Why? Because this data might not reflect an actual increase in the problem itself. It could be that we’re doing a better job monitoring the problem, or that we’re paying attention more than we used to.

Answer choices

  1. A
    A better cognizance of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A matches the stem
    This answer connects the premises to the conclusion. The stimulus notes that new data showing a sudden increase in a problem may just reflect a new focus on that problem, or better monitoring - both of which would count as a “better cognizance.” If this isn’t enough to justify a radical solution to address the problem, then the conclusion - that it’s right to be wary of such a solution - is supported.
  2. B
    Attempts to stop the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    This answer justifies a conclusion of wariness, but of the existence of the problem. There’s no doubt in the stimulus that a problem exists - it’s the scale/increase of that problem that might be skewed by perception.
  3. C
    Proposals for radical solutions Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    The conclusion is about being wary of radical solutions based on statistical data, so the argument is actually relying on context as well as statistical data.
  4. D
    Statistical data should not Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    There’s no indication that this data was “manipulated” - just that there might be a newfound focus on it, or better ways to capture the actual data.
  5. E
    Radical solutions to problems Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer justifies being wary of radical solutions, but not based on new statistical data specifically, so this answer doesn’t reflect the argument.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A Credited 78%
  2. B 10%
  3. C 3%
  4. D 6%
  5. E 3%

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