Logical reasoning PrepTest 118 · Section 4 · Question 3

Question prompt

Nylon industry spokesperson: Even Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: E

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Question Type

Principle Questions / Strengthen Questions

Answer choices

  1. A
    A substance is unnatural Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. While the argument does state that cotton and nylon are used for similar purposes, it doesn't say what they are or whether they're natural. It also relies on the source of nylon's ingredients to justify its conclusion, not its purpose.
  2. B
    A substance is no Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Incorrect. The Spokesperson talks about the source of the components, not the process by which they're turned into nylon. She certainly doesn't suggest that these processes are natural.
  3. C
    A substance is no Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Incorrect. This answer sets an upper limit on how natural something is—it doesn't establish that something is natural based on its components.
  4. D
    One substance can be Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. The Spokesperson is trying to argue that nylon, like cotton, is natural—not that one substance is more natural than another.
  5. E
    A substance is natural Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E matches the stem
    Correct. Argument or Facts:
    Argument

    Valid or Flawed:
    Flawed

    Question Type:
    Principle (Strengthen)

    Stimulus Summary:
    Nylon's components all come from nature at some point in their past, so they're natural and thus so is nylon.

    Answer Anticipation:
    The Spokesperson is relying on going back pretty far in time to find the "natural source" for some of these components. That's not definitely justified, so the correct answer should establish a principle allowing it:

    If the main components for something came from nature at any point, then that thing is natural.

    Answer Explanation:
    The Spokesperson justifies her conclusion that nylon is natural based on the natural origins of the components of the substance. This answer choice justifies that argument, so it's correct.

    Key Takeaway:
    Principle (Strengthen) questions connect the premises to the conclusion. Especially when this question type shows up earlier in the section, don't overcomplicate it—find an answer that justifies the conclusion based on the premises present.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 2%
  2. B 2%
  3. C 1%
  4. D 1%
  5. E Credited 93%

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