Logical reasoning PrepTest 121 · Section 4 · Question 20

Incorrect. This establishes that the cars have one of the two noted safety features, but that doesn't weaken the argument since it's the combination of these two safety features that only the CC has that the Ad uses to justify the conclusion.

Incorrect. The Ad isn't weakened if the company that makes the CC is comparing that car to its other models on safety. This answer would be correct if the Ad concluded that a safety-conscious person should buy a car from the company, not specifying the CC, but it doesn't do that.

Incorrect. This answer establishes that the antilock braking system provides some measure of safety, but it doesn't address the comparative conclusion by suggesting that other cars with such a system are at least as safe as a car that has it plus another safety feature.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
Antilock braking system - Stops wheels from locking during hard braking
TrackAid - Stops your rear wheels from spinning on slippery surfaces
The Country Classic is the only car with both, so if you care about safety, the Country Classic is your car.

Answer Anticipation:
Let's start with the question stem—why is this a Weaken question? It's asking us to find an answer that suggests the advertisement is misleading. So the ad makes a claim, and we're looking for an answer that provides evidence the claim isn't 100% valid. That answer would weaken the claim in the argument.

This argument is comparing the Country Classic to other cars and determining that it's better for a certain group of customers, so we should analyze that comparison and soft recommendation to see if it's supported.

Whenever an argument makes a recommendation or concludes that one option is better than another, it has to establish a principle that states the criteria by which that comparison will be made. Here, the argument does establish that—"if you are a safety-conscious person" tells us that the criteria are safety features.

So does the argument establish that the Country Classic has better safety features than other cars? Well, it does establish that the CC has 2 safety features, and no other cars have both of these features, but it never establishes that this makes it safer overall. Anything that suggests the other cars in the CC's class are just as safe or safer will weaken this argument.

Answer Explanation:
This answer suggests that these other cars might be as safe as the CC, thus undermining the Ad's conclusion. If the safety features of the CC are replicated in other cars, just by a different name/method, then there's no reason to pick the CC over these other cars if safety is your main concern.

Key Takeaway:
Whenever an argument makes a recommendation in the conclusion, or comes to the conclusion that one option is better than another, check to see if the criteria for that comparison is established—it usually won't be. When it is, as it was here, check to see if the things being compared both have that criteria analyzed—they usually won't.

Incorrect. The conclusion establishes that the CC is the right car for someone who cares about safety, not money. This answer is therefore out of scope.