Reading comp PrepTest 137 · Section 1 · Question 13

Incorrect. While the stimulus does note that the second group uses papercrete primarily for small-scale projects, it also notes that they believe "otherwise" to the first group. Since that group believes papercrete isn't appropriate for large-scale projects, the second group is committed to believing that it is appropriate for large-scale projects. Therefore, the argument doesn't make the jump stated in this answer.

Incorrect. The argument sides with the minority of builders, not the "most" who consider papercrete not to be a promising material for large-scale projects.

Incorrect. In both cases, "promising" is meant to convey a judgment about whether the material will end up being good to use for those projects, so there's no equivocation.

Incorrect. The argument sides with those who "regularly work" with papercrete, so it doesn't fail to consider their opinion.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Most builders - Papercrete isn't promising for large-scale projects
Regular papercrete users (primarily small-scale projects) - Papercrete is promising for large-scale projects
Regular users are familiar with papercrete's properties
Conclusion - Papercrete is promising for large-scale projects

Answer Anticipation:
This argument features dueling experts—it pits most builders against those who regularly use papercrete in their projects. The former group believes it isn't promising for large-scale projects, whereas the latter believes that it is ("think otherwise"). In the end, the argument concludes that the latter group is right—it is promising for large-scale projects.

Why is the opinion of the latter group prioritized? Because they're presumably familiar with papercrete's properties. Fair enough, but there's a big problem with that—it doesn't establish that that's a difference between the two groups! It's possible that, while the group that uses papercrete is familiar with its properties, the group that doesn't use it is also familiar with those properties, and they've decided not to use it because they believe it isn't appropriate for their projects.

This argument prioritizes one group's opinion over another based on a criteria, but it establishes only that the group meets the criteria, not that the other group doesn't or meets it to a lesser extent. The correct answer should highlight that.

Answer Explanation:
This answer highlights the failure of the argument to relate the familiarity of the builders who don't use papercrete of its properties. While those who use it are familiar with its properties, those who don't might also be and they might not use it precisely because they're familiar with it and don't think it'd work.

Key Takeaway:
This argument was comparative, deciding that the group that used papercrete regularly was better able to assess its promise. This was based on a certain criteria—familiarity with papercrete's properties. When an argument is comparative, make sure that it establishes the criteria for the comparison (it does that here) and it discusses that criteria for everything being compared (it doesn't here). Short of that, the comparison is flawed.