Logical reasoning PrepTest 152 · Section 2 · Question 5

Incorrect. Increased police patrolling could explain a decrease in criminal activity such as vandalism, so this answer can be eliminated (since it's a Bizarro Weaken question).

Incorrect. This answer deals with the timeline raised in the stimulus. If it takes 5 months for bright lighting to be ordered and installed, then it couldn't have been the cause of the reduction in vandalism in this three-month period.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Bizarro Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
A store being vandalized stopped being vandalized over a three month period. Also, bright lighting is known to reduce vandalism. Therefore, bright lighting must have been installed.

Answer Anticipation:
The argument establishes that bright lighting might reduce vandalism, but it never establishes that it's the only thing that reduces vandalism. A primary way to weaken the conclusion that bright lighting was the cause of the reduced vandalism in this case is to bring up alternative explanations/causes for that reduction.

Stopping there wouldn't be a big deal, but there's another feature of the stimulus that commonly plays a role in answers that, if you noted, might help—the timeline. The stimulus specifically notes that the reduction in vandalism happened over a 3-month period, so answers might deal with things that would take longer than that to work.

Answer Explanation:
If anything, this answer strengthens the argument. By stating that the reduction in vandalism was limited to adjacent buildings, this answer provides evidence that the cause of the change was something that was attached to the location and its perimeter—such as lighting. By ruling out alternatives for which that isn't true (e.g., (A)'s increased police presence), the friend's explanation is strengthened.

Key Takeaway:
Arguments that propose a single cause or explanation for a phenomenon are always affected by answer choices that talk about alternative causes/explanations. Also, when a stimulus raises a timeline, note it, as it'll likely play a role in answer choice analysis (that 3-month time period being key to eliminating answer choice (B)).

Incorrect. If the store couldn't afford bright lights, that definitely raises questions as to whether they were installed.

Incorrect. This answer highlights an alternative cause of the reduction in vandalism, so it weakens the argument.