Logical reasoning PrepTest 157 · Section 3 · Question 4

Question prompt

Principle: It is unethical Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Strategy Overview

Argument or facts? Always argument, so identify premises and conclusions of argument Anticipate why the premises are not enough to show that the conclusion is true
Causal argument? Look for answer choice that:
Rules out possible alternate cause Shows same cause, same effect Shows no cause, no effect Shows the cause and effect are not reversed
If not causal argument, anticipate ways to fix problem with argument
Use anticipations to select the answer choice that, if true, would strengthen argument

Answer Anticipation

This is a Strengthen question ("most justifies"), but because the passage features a "Principle" and "Application," we'll approach it a bit differently than usual. Principles are usually "if-then" statements, so diagramming the principle and comparing it to the application will often help us anticipate how to strengthen the argument.
This principle doesn't use any "if" or "then" keywords, but it's expressed as a universality. We could reasonably say, "It is unethical for every person who has bought an item to return it to the store after getting all the use from it that he or she ever intended to get." "Universals" are "if" conditions. Since this argument applies universally to those who have "bought an item" and returned it "after getting all the use from it" they intended, we can diagram this as: P: Buy item and return after using completely → Return unethical
The application almost always features a factual premise and a factual conclusion. This application's factual premise tells us that James bought a camera and returned it two weeks later. It concludes that James's return is unethical. So, what's missing from that factual premise? Well, we don't know that James returned the camera after "using it completely" — or getting all the use out of it that he intended to. So, the correct answer will tell us that. Let's jump into the answer choices now.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Before returning the camera, Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited

    We're looking for an answer choice that says that James got all the use out of the camera that he intended, and this answer choice doesn't quite say that. James may have used the camera to record his family acting funny, but that doesn't mean that this was his sole intention or that he was done filming his family. If James intended to film more family antics, he could have returned the camera before he got all the use from it that he intended.

  2. B
    James bought the camera Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem

    We're looking for an answer choice that says that James got all the use out of the camera that he intended, and this answer choice says just that! If James bought the camera to avoid hiring a professional videographer for his sister's party and returned it immediately after the party, it certainly seems like recording the party was the only reason he wanted to use the camera. That would mean James would have bought the camera, got all the use out of it he intended, and then returned the camera. According to the principle, James's return would be unethical. Therefore, we can select this answer choice and give the remaining a quick once-over.

  3. C
    James used the camera Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited

    We're looking for an answer choice that says that James got all the use out of the camera that he intended, and this answer choice doesn't say that. In fact, it sounds like James is trying to return the camera because he broke it. The principle doesn't consider whether it's unethical to return a product you break, so this doesn't strengthen the application of the principle.

  4. D
    James returned the camera Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited

    We're looking for an answer choice that says that James got all the use out of the camera that he intended, and this answer choice doesn't say that. Instead, James is returning the camera because he found a better deal. This answer choice doesn't say whether he's used the camera at all. The principle doesn't consider whether it's unethical to return a product to save some money, so this doesn't strengthen the application of the principle.

  5. E
    James used the camera Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited

    We're looking for an answer choice that says that James got all the use out of the camera that he intended, and this answer choice doesn't quite say that. James may have used the camera "in the manner for which he bought it," but that doesn't mean that he got all the use out of it that he intended. In fact, it sounds like James wants to use a camera more since he wants a different one that "might work better with his new computer."

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 10%
  2. B Credited 82%
  3. C 2%
  4. D 3%
  5. E 3%

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