Logical reasoning PrepTest 137 · Section 3 · Question 8

Incorrect. The argument doesn't discuss factors/necessary conditions for playwrights to be critically acclaimed, but rather for a playwright's plays to be considered for performance at the community theater.

Incorrect. Even if we treat critical acclaim as the "cause" of the play being put on by the community theater, there's no other effects that could be produced that would be relevant to the logic of the argument.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Critical acclaim is a factor in deciding what plays our community theater will perform. Michaela's play will be performed. Thus, she must be critically acclaimed.

Answer Anticipation:
In concluding that Michaela must be critically acclaimed because the community theater is putting on her play, Clark is treating critical acclaim as a necessary factor in being performed there (essentially, he's assuming Performed at community theater → Critically acclaimed). However, the premise establishes critical acclaim only as a "main factor[] considered"—certainly important, but short of necessary. So in a bit of a shift from a normal argument (where sufficient and necessary are confused), this argument confuses a main factor with a necessary factor.

Answer Explanation:
This answer matches our anticipation. The playwright being critically acclaimed is established as a "main factor[]" that's considered when the community theater is deciding on plays. However, in concluding that Michaela is critically acclaimed just because her play is being put on by the community theater, Clark is treating that performance as sufficient to establish she's critically acclaimed—and if something's sufficient to establish it, then it's being treated as a necessary condition (Performed at community theater → Playwright critically acclaimed).

Key Takeaway:
This question is interesting in that it has a conditional assumption, and understanding that is key to getting the question correct. In general, whenever an argument treats a premise as establishing a conclusion, that argument is treating the ideas in the premise as sufficient to establish the ideas in the conclusion.

Incorrect. The only source mentioned is the production director, and there's no reason to believe that she's unreliable as far as the factors used to determine which plays are performed at the community theater.

Incorrect. Since the production designer notes that critical acclaim is a factor in them selecting a play to perform, there is evidence that the critical acclaim isn't the result of the play being performed.