Logical reasoning PrepTest 127 · Section 1 · Question 4

Question prompt

Columnist: Donating items to Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

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

Errors in Reasoning Questions

Stimulus Summary

Most donors make donations only occasionally, so donors aren’t permanently generous.

Answer Anticipation

The Columnist makes a pretty cynical argument here - since donors aren’t constantly donating things (“intermittently”), they’re not permanently generous. What’s the assumption there? That someone can’t be generous unless they’re currently in the process of being generous (i.e., donating something). But there are plenty of characteristics that can describe someone even when they’re not actively doing it. For instance, someone doesn’t stop being nice just because they’re asleep.
Let’s find an answer that points this assumption out.

Answer choices

  1. A
    The argument takes for Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    The argument doesn’t seem to believe that there are many, if any, truly generous people. Also, while it describes generosity as a virtue, it doesn’t discuss other virtues, so this comparison (“most virtuous”) is out of scope.
  2. B
    The argument attacks the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    There’s no discussion, let alone an attack, of anyone with different values than the Columnist.
  3. C
    The argument takes for Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    This answer highlights the jump made by the Columnist. She concludes that people aren’t permanently generous because they aren’t donating things constantly - that’s assuming that a character trait (generosity) is only present when manifested (while donating).
  4. D
    The argument generalizes from Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    There’s no discussion of the sample size here (and there’s not really a “sample” - it talks about the group of donors as a whole, not a subset that was studied).
  5. E
    The argument takes for Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    The Columnist says that donations “may” be a sign of generosity, so she doesn’t assume that all donations are driven by generosity.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 4%
  2. B 2%
  3. C Credited 86%
  4. D 2%
  5. E 7%

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Discussion

  • Answer Choice E 0 replies

    Started by bihaoqing@gmail.com

  • Help 1 reply

    Started by TheFacu

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