PrepTest 133

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Sufficient Premise (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
P:
(1) Exemplary records ←→ Eligible for Mayor's commendation
(2) Eligible AND Exceeded reasonable expectations AND Saved a life → Should get Mayor's commendation

C: Franklin should get a Commendation, but Penn should not

Answer Anticipation:
First, let's understand the question stem. It's telling us that it's going to provide a principle and a conclusion, and we need to find the premises that would let the conclusion be drawn based on the principle. In other words, the principle and the correct answer should serve as the premises to make the conclusion valid. This is, therefore, a question that's asking us to justify a conclusion based on a given set of premises and a correct answer, so it's a Strengthen (Principle) question. And since it states that the conclusion will be "properly drawn" in light of the correct answer, it's a Strengthen with Sufficient Premise version.

Now, let's break this down to deal with the officers individually.

The correct answer has to justify giving Franklin the award. The second principle tells us when someone should get the award—anyone who is eligible, exceeded expectations, and saved a life. Eligibility requires an exemplary record. So we'll need an answer establishing that she is eligible/has an exemplary record, and saved a life by going beyond what is expected of an officer.

On the other hand, we have to justify not giving Penn a Commendation. The second rule only establishes conditions sufficient to reach a conclusion that someone should get the award, so that can't help us reach the opposite conclusion (that would be an illegal negation). So the first rule—the biconditional ("if . . . but not otherwise")—will have to be used to justify the conclusion about Penn. That rule establishes that someone without an exemplary record isn't eligible for the aware, and thus shouldn't be given one. So it'll need to be established in the correct answer that Penn's record isn't exemplary, even if he did go beyond expectations to save a life.

Answer Explanation:
This answer establishes that Penn shouldn't get an award despite his actions because he doesn't have an exemplary record, thus ensuring he's not eligible for the award. Franklin, on the other hand, is eligible because of her exemplary record and went beyond reasonable expectations, saving a life. The second principle establishes that as sufficient to deserve the award. Both parts of the conclusion are justified by this answer, so it's correct.

Key Takeaway:
Failing to meet the sufficient condition of a principle doesn't mean that one can't meet the necessary condition—there could be other sets of sufficient conditions that also lead to that outcome. This is why it's so important to focus on what conclusions can be drawn using conditionals—only the necessary condition can be drawn as the conclusion, not the sufficient, and not the negation of the necessary.

Incorrect. The only way to justify the conclusion that an officer shouldn't get the commendation is by showing that they don't have an exemplary record, which this answer fails to do for Penn. While failing to go beyond reasonable expectations means that you don't meet the sufficient condition laid out in the second principle to deserve the commendation, it doesn't guarantee you don't deserve it, as the principle leaves open the possibility that there are other conditions sufficient to deserve the award.

Incorrect. Anyone without an exemplary record is ineligible for the Commendation, so the first sentence here guarantees Franklin shouldn't be given the award. There's no need to read any further, as this answer is already wrong.

Incorrect. Without talking about their records, we don't know if either officer is eligible for the Mayor's Commendation, so this answer doesn't provide enough information.

Incorrect. Again, as soon as we see that Penn's record is exemplary, we won't be able to conclude that he shouldn't get the Mayor's Commendation. We don't need to read any further in this answer choice.