Logical reasoning PrepTest 118 · Section 4 · Question 13

Incorrect. If anything, this answer undermines the argument by suggesting that valuable isn't the sole indicator of what they're going to steal, and so museums might want to take those other factors into account when distributing security resources.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise

Stimulus Summary:
Art thieves steal what their private clients want to buy, so museums should protect their most valuable pieces.

Answer Anticipation:
The conclusion talks about the most valuable pieces of artwork, but the premise supporting it is about the theft of the works that the private clients most want to buy. While those might be the most valuable works, they may also be other works—the most famous, or those of a particular obscure artist. The argument assumes that the private clients want the most valuable works, so the correct answer should establish that connection (or rule out another motivator behind what works they want to buy).

Answer Explanation:
This answer connects value to demand from the private collectors who buy the stolen artwork. If non-valuable artwork is in demand with these collectors, then thieves will steal those non-valuable works and the museums should focus security on them.

Key Takeaway:
Term shifts are the most difficult when the jump makes sense and plays off of common assumptions. Here, most people would probably assume that collectors of art are most interested in the most valuable works. However, that's not inherently true, and so it needs to be established in an argument that relies on that connection.

Incorrect. The conclusion is that any given museum should focus more of their security on particular works, which can apply even to museums that don't spend much on security.

Incorrect. The argument concludes that more should be spent on security of valuable art, but that doesn't require that the same amount be currently spent on valuable and less valuable work. Even if the split is 80-20, it could be moved in the direction of the more valuable pieces.

Incorrect. What the private collectors do once they own the art is out of scope about an argument dealing with the thieves who steal the art in the first place. Even if every client of the thieves holds on to the work after they buy it, the conclusion could still hold.