Logical reasoning PrepTest 119 · Section 2 · Question 4

Question prompt

Chapin: Commentators have noted 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

Strengthen with Sufficient Premise Questions

Stimulus Summary

Extremists have won only pluralities, and only when moderates are fighting, so their recent wins aren’t a threat to democracy.

Answer Anticipation

Strengthen with Sufficient Premise questions frequently introduce new concepts in the conclusion that need to be connected to some idea from the premises in the correct answer.
Here, the premises don’t discuss what constitutes a threat to democracy and what doesn’t, so that’s a new concept that will need to be attached to a premise.
What does Chapin believe justifies such a conclusion? She brings up two facts - these extremist parties are winning only pluralities, not majories; and they are only winning because the moderates are fighting with each other. So the correct answer should connect either (or both) of these details with these parties not posing a threat to democracy.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Parties that win pluralities Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A matches the stem
    This answer connects the first detail about extremists to a complete inability to have any effect on political arrangements. While it doesn’t directly connect to a threat to democracy, if these parties can’t actually have any effect, then they can’t pose a threat. This answer connects a detail in the premises to something that guarantees the conclusion, and it is thus correct.
  2. B
    Multiparty political systems are Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    The countries in question are all multi-party systems since they have at least one extremist party and at least two moderate parties fighting with each other. As such, this answer establishes that they’re more democratic than two-party countries, which doesn’t speak to whether the extremist parties are a threat to that democracy.
  3. C
    Countries in which extremist Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    This answer talks about the strength of the democratic government, not whether that strength is threatened by the victory of the extremists.
  4. D
    Members of moderate parties Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    This answer doesn’t guarantee that the moderate parties will be successful in this - especially since they only do it sometimes. Additionally, if a group has to do something to counter a threat, then that thing is a threat, undercutting the conclusion.
  5. E
    People are not always Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    This answer doesn’t speak to the threat posed by these groups since they could prove a threat despite the people voting for them not wanting an extremist government.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A Credited 76%
  2. B 1%
  3. C 7%
  4. D 8%
  5. E 7%

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