PrepTest 127

Incorrect. This answer provides another example of someone who worked their way up the chain from unskilled worker to senior member of Acme, so this, if anything, strengthens the argument.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
Acme's president started as an unskilled assembly line worker, so Acme must offer unskilled workers advancement opportunities.

Answer Anticipation:
The argument draws a conclusion about unskilled workers at Acme generally based on a single example—Ms. Garon, the current president. While there's no reason presented in the stimulus to believe that she's unrepresentative, there's also no reason to believe that she is just an average, unskilled worker who managed to work her way up to president. Any answer choice that calls into question the ability of unskilled workers generally to follow in her footsteps—in other words, any reason that she may be different than other unskilled workers—will undermine this argument.

Answer Explanation:
While this answer doesn't address Ms. Garon specifically, it does highlight that managers all worked in unskilled positions as part of Acme's onboarding process. If that's the case, then using managers who worked at unskilled jobs as examples to show what's possible for any unskilled worker is unjustified, as those managers have something that makes them unrepresentative of the opportunities for unskilled workers (they have top MBAs).

Key Takeaway:
Whenever an argument generalizes from a single example, there's a good chance that that example is unrepresentative. Weaken an argument by highlighting a relevant difference between the given example and others.

Incorrect. If anything, this answer lends credence to the opportunities for advancement at Acme. While it doesn't specifically note unskilled workers and thus doesn't strengthen the argument, it, if anything, is more aligned with the argument than against it.

Incorrect. The amount of time that a promotion to the top took doesn't affect the argument as long as other opportunities for advancement are generally available to other workers. Presumably, Ms. Garon didn't go straight from the assembly line to the presidency!

Incorrect. Starting salaries are unrelated to advancement opportunities.