Logical reasoning PrepTest 143 · Section 3 · Question 8

Incorrect. This information is part background, part opposing point—it sets up the poor judgment of the local news media.

Incorrect. This information is more background. It directly supports the main point of the argument, as it's followed up with, "This demonstrates . . . " showing that it's a premise supporting the following statement.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Main Point

Stimulus Summary:
The media loved Clemens, but he was caught up in a scandal that even the editor of the paper admits should have been discovered earlier. This proves the local media defers to public figures too much.

Answer Anticipation:
The stimulus starts by describing a situation which is almost certainly the background for the author's argument. After that situation is described, the argument uses a phrase that introduces a conclusion—"This demonstrates how . . . " Whenever a phrase shows that the preceding statement demonstrates, proves, suggests, or supports an idea, the conclusion is being introduced—after all, those phrases say that the preceding statement is a premise in support of the following statement. This statement, on top of the introductory phrase, is also an opinion of an opposing viewpoint in a way, and those tend to be conclusions.

With that noted, a conclusion of this argument is that the local media shows too much defence toward public figures. Now, we need to determine if the following statement is the main point with this as an intermediate conclusion. However, that next statement is more support for the idea that the local media defers to public figures too much, and so it's another premise. Therefore, the conclusion of the argument is that third sentence about the local media showing too much deference.

Answer Explanation:
This is the main point of the argument. It's an opinion about an opposing viewpoint that's introduced by a conclusion indicator phrase.

Key Takeaway:
Any phrase that indicates a statement has support in another statement from the stimulus is introducing a conclusion (and the statement it refers back to is a premise). When you see one, you have a conclusion, and the only thing left to do to figure out if it's the main point is to see if there's another conclusion it supports.

Incorrect. This is an additional premise that supports the conclusion about the media's deference to public figures.

Incorrect. This answer isn't stated in the argument—it's an assumption underlying it.