Logical reasoning PrepTest 155 · Section 4 · Question 13

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Principle (Strengthen)

Stimulus Summary:
The city will charge a fair price and benefit all city residents, so the city has the right to require homeowners connect to the city water services.

Answer Anticipation:
The first important step here is to rephrase the conclusion. When the author of an argument concludes that the opposing point is wrong, rephrase it to state what the author is actually arguing—here, that the city has a certain right.

For this question type, we need to connect the facts as laid out by the Mayor to the judgment made in the conclusion—anything that connects charging a fair price or benefiting all citizens to the city having a right to do an action will work.

Answer Explanation:
This answer might sound like it just restates the stimulus, and it largely does mirror the language. However, it connects the premise to the conclusion, which is what the answer in a Principle (Strengthen) question needs to do, and that piece was missing from the stimulus, so this is our answer.

Key Takeaway:
For Principle (Strengthen) questions, the correct answer will frequently sound repetitive of the stimulus because it connects the premise to the conclusion. Don't use that as a reason to eliminate an answer in this question type!

Incorrect. This answer states what the city "should" do, not what it has a right to do as the argument concludes. Additionally, this answer sets up a requirement ("only if") for the city to do something, not something sufficient to give it that right, so it's a reversal.

Incorrect. This answer is a negation of the correct answer. The correct answer will state what's sufficient to give the city a right to do something, not state a sufficient condition to negating that right.

Incorrect. This answer choice is out of scope because it talks about what residents have a right to complain about. The Mayor's conclusion is about whether the city has the right to do something, not whether the residents have a right to complain.

Incorrect. This answer is about what the city can do, not what it has a right to do. Additionally, it's a reversal of the argument.