Logical reasoning PrepTest 142 · Section 2 · Question 19

Incorrect. If readers cancel their subscriptions when they read an open challenge to their views, then that would provide a reason for journalists (or at least their editors/publisher) to shy away from openly challenging any views for fear of risking readership.

Incorrect. If the journalists don't feel as if they have the requisite expertise to challenge the statements competently, then that would explain why they're doing so less frequently. This answer also explains a difference between the past and the present—the areas of knowledge are growing more esoteric—thus providing another layer to the explanation.

Incorrect. People—including journalists—are less likely to openly challenge something they agree with. If newsmakers are seeking out friendly journalists who already agree with their viewpoints, then there would be fewer challenges to those viewpoints.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Bizarro Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
Journalists use quotes when they think a newsmaker is lying or wrong. They're just as likely to do so now as in the past, but they're less likely to challenge those claims.

Answer Anticipation:
This stimulus is comparing journalists today to those in the past. In one way, they're similar—they just as often use quotes to report unsupported or false claims. However, they're also different—today, journalists are less likely to openly challenge these claims. In order to explain this difference, we need to know what's changed that has made journalists shy away from openly challenging the truthfulness of statements they report on. Since this is a Bizarro question, there are going to be a variety of answers, so instead of anticipating anything specifically, we should go into the answer choices with that general anticipation.

Answer Explanation:
This answer makes the paradox worse. If debate over controversial issues attracts readers, then journalists should be challenging these views openly more frequently, not less. Since this answer doesn't explain the trend, instead exacerbating the weirdness of it, it's correct in this Bizarro question.

Key Takeaway:
Paradox questions frequently trade in differences. Here, a similarity was noted, but the paradox was why a certain practice had changed over time. To explain a difference/change, other changes or differences are generally highlighted.

Additionally, in Bizarro Paradox questions, there are many (at least 4) ways of explaining the paradox, so have a general anticipation but don't get too hung up on trying to predict every angle that the incorrect answers will take.

Incorrect. If journalists are being accused of being bad journalists for challenging claims, then that would explain why they would shy away from doing so.