Logical reasoning PrepTest 152 · Section 4 · Question 21

This is a premise supporting the intermediate conclusion (wood-pellet stoves being more environmentally friendly).

The intermediate conclusion! Not only should you avoid this answer, but you should have also anticipated it as a trap answer.

Whether you viewed this as another intermediate conclusion, or as a premise of the argument, it's not the main point since it's used to support both the last sentence and, therefore, the main point.

This is a premise that allows for the comparison to be made between regular wood stoves and wood-pellet stoves.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Main Point

Stimulus Summary:
Since they use waste wood, wood-pellet stoves don't cause trees to be killed; regular wood stoves do cause trees to be killed. So wood-pellet stoves are better for the environment, and if you use a wood stove, it should be a wood-pellet one.

Answer Anticipation:
The first statement in this argument has "should" in it, suggesting it's a conclusion. The final statement starts with "So", also suggesting it's a conclusion. The trick here is to figure out which is the main point and which is a subsidiary conclusion.

To do so, we need to see which one supports the other. Does the recommendation that you should use a wood-pellet stove support that it's better for the environment? Does the wood-pellet stove being better for the environment support the recommendation to use one over a normal stove? The latter makes more sense—a reason to do something supports that course of action—so the first statement is the main point, and what we should look for in the answers.

Note—If you said that there was another intermediate conclusion here (that wood-pellet stoves don't cause additional trees to be killed), you'd be correct! It's supported by the initial clause in that sentence.

Answer Explanation:
Here we go! The comparison between the types of stoves leads to the intermediate conclusion that one is more environmentally friendly than the other, building to this main point about which people should use.

Key Takeaway:
When there is an intermediate conclusion (or conclusions, in this case!), be sure to see which supports the other. When a reason is given for a recommendation, the recommendation is almost always the main point, supported by the reason for doing it.