Logical reasoning PrepTest 157 · Section 3 · Question 6

Question prompt

Winchester Township cannot afford Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

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:
Shows possible alternate cause Shows cause without effect Shows effect without cause Shows the cause and effect are reversed
If not causal argument, anticipate ways to worsen problem with argument
Use anticipations to select the answer choice that, if true, would weaken argument

Answer Anticipation

Our ultimate goal is to find the answer choice that weakens the argument. However, it's much easier to do that if we first break down the argument and identify its flaws. Then, weakening the argument is only a matter of finding the answer choice that exploits that flaw. After breaking down this argument, an experienced test-taker will immediately note that this conclusion introduces a new idea — "meet its residents' needs." Whenever the author introduces a new term in the conclusion — one that the premises do not discuss — the author likely commits a "concept switch" (also known as an "equivocation"). The author assumes that a concept in the premise is the same as the new idea in the conclusion, even though those two things could be quite different. In this case, the author assumes that a large library with a broader selection of current titles will better "meet its residents' needs." After all, the author assumes that closing smaller libraries and opening one centralized library with a broader and more current selection of books is sufficient to better meet Winchesters' needs. We can weaken this concept switch by showing that a better selection is not sufficient to meet residents' needs. So, the correct answer will provide a reason why opening one large library with a wider selection of current books won't address Winchesters' needs. It could show that most people at Winchester would find it inconvenient to get to the new library or show that Winchester residents don't really care about new books. Note that this conclusion also makes a selection — a single library "would better meet" Winchester residents' needs. Conclusions that select one option over the other usually don't weigh enough evidence to make that selection concinvingly. In this case, the argument selects one single library as the more profitable option but only bases that decision on the selection of books it could offer. There are definitely other factors to consider — like convenience and the selection of older titles. The correct answer could provide information on these topics by, for instance, asserting that people care more about convenience than selection. (Notice how conceptualizing the flaw as a selection flaw led us to a very similar anticipation as conceptualizing it as a "concept switch." Remember, the flaws are just a tool we use to make an anticipation. We don't have to agree on which flaw the argument commits to make the same, helpful anticipation!) That said, many things could feasibly weaken this argument, so we should keep an open mind as we progress through the answer choices. We can start by asking whether each answer choice shows why a single, central library may not better meet the needs of Winchester residents.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Many Winchester residents never Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited

    This answer choice could either strengthen or weaken the author’s argument. This answer choice shows that the residents can't take advantage of the smaller branch libraries' current hours. If the centralized library fixes this issue and expands the hours, the new library could better meet residents' needs. More people would be able to visit the library and conduct their library-related business. On the other hand, if the centralized library keeps the same hours as the branch libraries, this answer choice would weaken the argument. This would be one reason the new library doesn't do a better job meeting Winchester residents' needs. If an answer choice has an ambiguous effect on the argument — if it could strengthen or weaken the argument based on additional information — it can't be said to truly weaken the argument.

  2. B
    Most Winchester residents have Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited

    This strengthens the argument by showing that residents at least care about the selection of books at the branch libraries. This gives us reason to believe that a centralized library with a broader selection of books would satisfy Winchester residents' bibliographic needs.

  3. C
    The only possible site Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem

    This definitely weakens the argument. As we anticipated, it brings up another factor germane to Winchester residents' needs: convenience and accessibility. If the centralized library can only be built in an inaccessible location, then the library's vast and up-to-date collection won't matter to most Winchester residents. These residents won't be able to access that collection. This makes the argument's conclusion much less convincing, making (C) the correct answer. We can select it and give the remaining choices an, at most, cursory read.

  4. D
    It would cost Winchester Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited

    This is irrelevant to the argument. The argument's conclusion didn't assert that the new library was the right policy choice for the Winchester government. The argument's conclusion only predicted that a new library would better meet residents' needs. So, the argument isn't concerned with the cost the library poses — it's only concerned with whether an improved selection would meet residents' needs. And even if the library would cost a lot of money to construct, that doesn't necessarily mean that the library wouldn't be able to afford to carry a broader and more current collection of books. After all, the centralized library eliminates the need to buy multiple books for the various branch libraries.

  5. E
    Each of Winchester's branch Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited

    This is irrelevant to the argument. Even if the smaller branch libraries try to cater to the entire township's tastes, that doesn't mean that the libraries succeed in doing so. Winchester residents might still desire a broader and more up-to-date selection of books. Moreover, regardless of what the smaller branch libraries try to stock, it would still be easier for a single, centralized library to cater to the entire town's tastes. After all, the centralized library eliminates the need to buy multiple books for the various branch libraries. So, the centralized library could stock a much broader variety of titles, ensuring that it satisfies the tastes of any Winchester resident.

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 6%
  2. B 1%
  3. C Credited 78%
  4. D 6%
  5. E 8%

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