Reading comp PrepTest 147 · Section 3 · Question 24

Incorrect. (Lines 53-55; Lines 26-29) Passage B's argument about the burden falling on the middle class assumes the goal of raising the "same total amount of tax" would be a part of a flat tax proposal, so this answer lines up with his argument. However, Passage A also says that high-income earners would pay about the same in taxes, which lines up with the overall amount raised being equivalent. This answer lines up with both arguments, so it doesn't support one over the other.

Incorrect. (Lines 24-26) Passage B doesn't talk about the complexity of the tax code, and Passage A argues that the complexity of current systems leads to the ability to game the tax system, implying that the same isn't true for flat tax regimes. As such, this answer supports the argument in Passage A while not affecting the one in Passage B.

Incorrect. Neither passage cares about what the high-income earners believe about their taxes—just whether those taxes are comparatively fair.

Correct. Question Type:
Strengthen/Weaken

Strategy Overview:
Review the debate between Passages A and B as we highlighted in the Relationship Between Passages section, then find an answer that lines up with B over A

Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
Finally, a question about the differences between the passages! In asking us to find an answer that supports Passage B over Passage A, we're looking for an answer that strengthens the former while weakening the latter.

Since we're asked to find an answer that sides with one passage over the other, we should start by reviewing what we said was the key difference in their arguments. Passage A argued that a flat tax system could be progressive, requiring the rich to pay about the same in taxes, representing a higher proportion of their income in taxes than lower earners. Passage B, on the other hand, argued that this isn't the case, and a flat tax system will result in the poor and rich paying less in taxes, causing the middle class to make up the difference.

Since we're tasked with supporting Passage B over Passage A, we should look for an answer that suggests a flat tax system won't be fairly distributed across income groups and will result in the rich paying less in taxes comparatively. And since it's asking specifically for an answer reflecting something true of the countries that have switched, let's look for one stating that, in these countries, the taxes on the middle class went up, which is the outcome Passage B predicts but Passage A says wouldn't happen.

Answer Explanation:
(Lines 19-21; Lines 26-29; Lines 56-58) Passage A argues that a flat tax is a progressive system, and that high income earners pay about as much under them as in current systems. If middle-income taxes go up while high-income taxes don't in countries with a flat tax, then that undercuts the argument that it's a progressive tax. Passage B, on the other hand, argues that the middle class will "naturally" end up paying more to make up for the lower taxes paid by the poor and rich, and this answer supports that view by showing that countries adopting a flat tax see middle class taxes go up. This answer is therefore correct.

Key Takeaway:
When dealing with a Strengthen or Weaken question in a comparative passage, be sure to be very precise with what it's asking you to do. It could ask you to strengthen/weaken the argument made in either passage individually, which leaves open the possibility that the right answer wouldn't affect the other passage. Or, as we saw here, it could ask about both passages simultaneously, in which case you have to keep the arguments from both in mind.

Incorrect. Both passages argue about the merits of a flat tax system, so it doesn't matter what legislation favors—it matters what the impacts of that legislation are.