PrepTest 107

Incorrect. The argument doesn't require that Astorga is incapable of carrying out her promises, just that she doesn't intend to carry them out.

Incorrect. What voters actually want is out of scope. Even if the polls are wrong, Astorga could still use them to make promises she doesn't intend to keep.

Incorrect. The argument is about promises and intent—what Astorga will do if she becomes mayor. As such, it's not about whether she actually will become mayor.

Incorrect. If anything, this undercuts the argument by suggesting that Astorga will just do what's popular, not what she wants—and therefore she very well might carry through with the promises of popular policies.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise

Stimulus Summary:
Astorga's promising what the polls tell her voters want, so she's not saying what she'd actually do as mayor.

Answer Anticipation:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise questions will frequently bring up new concepts in the conclusion. When this happens, you should see what concept from the premises the author believes is enough to justify that conclusion, and then find an answer connecting the new concept in the conclusion to the established one in the premises.

Here, the conclusion brings up a new concept—what Astorga will actually do as mayor. Specifically, it says that voters aren't being told what she'd actually do. The premises, however, talk about what she's promising to do—she's promising what the opinion polls say are popular.

That's assuming, then, that Astorga doesn't intend to do what the opinion polls are telling her is popular! She may very well govern the same way she campaigned—by letting opinion polls decide her opinions. Let's find an answer choice stating that she intends to do something different from the polls/her campaign promises.

Answer Explanation:
This answer disconnects the promises based on opinion polls from Astorga's actual intent—which is what the argument requires. If Astorga does intend to do what polls tell her to do and thus what she's promising in her campaign, then the voters are being told what she intends.

Key Takeaway:
Always be on the lookout for new concepts in the conclusion of Strengthen with Necessary Premise questions. Identifying one can focus you on one half of the missing connection in the argument.