Logical reasoning PrepTest 130 · Section 4 · Question 3

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Main Point

Stimulus Summary:
The first sound you hear is your mom's heartbeat in the womb, and so birth takes this comfort away, making it natural to be drawn to this type of sound later in life, and therefore music with this type of rhythm is appealing because of this reminder of the womb.

Answer Anticipation:
Wow, that's a lot of conclusions! The first sentence starts with, "The reason . . . " and explanations tend to be conclusions. The next sentence starts with "After all," a phrase which generally introduces a premise supporting the preceding statement, but the next sentence starts with "So" and the last one with "Thus," giving us two more conclusions. We need to unpack this to figure out which one is the main point!

Let's start with the last two sentences, because that determination is easy. When a statement is followed by another that starts with, "Thus," that first statement, structurally, must be supporting the following statement. So between those two statements, the penultimate sentence is subsidiary to the last one.

All of this was kicked off with an "After all," which highlights a premise supporting the preceding statement. Since all of these conclusions build off of that supporting premise, they must themselves be supporting that first sentence. Checking to make sure that they logically build to that first sentence, we can see that they do—it being natural to seek out recurring rhythmic sounds supports the conclusion that music with this type of rhythm is appealing is because it reminds us of the womb.

Answer Explanation:
This answer is a paraphrase of the first sentence, which is then supported by the argument chain that follows (as indicated by that chain starting with, "After all").

Key Takeaway:
Structural indicator words in arguments are there to help guide you through an argument. Especially when an argument has as convoluted a structure as this one—three conclusions!—those indicator words can help you make sense of the logic.

Incorrect. This is a premise, introduced by, "After all."

Incorrect. This answer is an intermediate conclusion, supported by the preceding statement and going on to support the following statement.

Incorrect. This answer is a bit of that final sentence—an intermediate conclusion—with a bit of the preceding statement that backs it up thrown in.

Incorrect. This answer is a premise underlying the argument.