Reading comp PrepTest 147 · Section 3 · Question 26

Incorrect. (Lines 15-17; Lines 48-50) Passage A argues that a flat tax can be progressive by tweaking a threshold and the tax rate above that threshold. Passage B says that "some" flat tax proposals include an exemption for a certain amount of income, and thus he believes that it's at least possible for a flat tax system to be progressive to a certain degree. This answer is therefore a point of agreement.

Correct. Question Type:
Point at Issue

Strategy Overview:
Review what we said about the relationship between the passages as far as differences between them are concerned

Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
Looking at what we said about the relationship between the two, the key difference comes down to the opinion on flat taxes and how it'll affect the tax burden of different levels of income.

In Passage A, the Author argues that a flat tax system sees the rich "pay about as much tax" as they do under the old system (Lines 26-29). Passage B, on the other hand, believes that the working poor and the rich are going to "pay less," and so the middle class are going to pay more (Lines 53-59).

Passage A discusses only the effect of a flat tax on what the rich pay, so the explicit disagreement is over that group. Passage A thinks they'd pay about the same, while Passage B thinks they'd pay less. Let's find an answer stating that.

Answer Explanation:
(Lines 26-29; Lines 53-59) The Author of Passage A says that it's "unsurprising" rich people pay about the same in taxes under a flat-tax system as under other systems, so she'd disagree with this answer. The Author of Passage B says that the rich are going to "pay less" under a flat tax system, so he'd agree with this answer. It is therefore correct.

Key Takeaway:
Point at Issue questions in RC require as much evidence as they do in LR. We can't kinda sorta infer that one speaker would have a certain opinion on an answer based on their overall tone—we want to find specific statements in the passages that line up with or against the answers.

Incorrect. (Lines 5-8; Lines 48-59) Passage A shows that this view is incorrect by highlighting real-world examples of it being put into practice. However, the Author of Passage B doesn't believe that it is fine in theory or couldn't be put into practice. He believes that a flat tax would unfairly burden the middle class, so it's not fine in theory; and in arguing about the practical effects of implementing it, he assumes that it could be implemented. The Authors of both passages disagree with this answer—not with each other over it!

Incorrect. (Lines 12-15; Lines 33-38) Both passages agree with this idea. Passage A states that progressive systems require high-income earners to forfeit a bigger share of their incomes. Passage B describes graduated progressive systems using more or less this language.

Incorrect. (Lines 17-19; Lines 41-45) In arguing for a flat tax, the Author of Passage A notes that they can include a threshold under which people wouldn't pay taxes, so she disagrees with this answer. And the Author of Passage B talks about how the working poor have all their income going to survival, and so they should have at least some income exempted from taxes. Since both passages disagree with this answer, it's incorrect.