PrepTest 132

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise

Stimulus Summary:
UP: Our decline in applications could be because we charge too little, leading people to believe our quality is low. Therefore, we must raise our tuition!

Answer Anticipation:
Yes, University President—the answer to your problems is always to raise tuition . . .

The conclusion here makes a very definitive recommendation—we "need to" raise tuition and fees. Why? Because one explanation for their decline in applicants is that their low tuition and fees makes people believe the quality of education at the school is low.

Note, however, that extreme shift in degree. "One possible explanation" is used to justify something that they "need to" do. But what if that explanation is wrong? In that case, there might be no need to raise tuition/fees, and another course of action addressing the actual problem should be taken.

Whenever you note a premise that talks about possibility—"possible"; "can"; "might"—check to see if the conclusion is stronger than it. Frequently, this week language is used to set up a shift in certainty.

Since we're looking for an assumption the argument requires, we need an answer that takes this possible explanation and makes it certain.

Answer Explanation:
This answer establishes that the "[o]ne possible" explanation for the decline in applicants is the actual reason. If that's the case, then the solution proposed to address that seems like a good idea. If it's not the case, then that solution isn't the right move. This answer is required for the argument to hold, so it's correct.

Key Takeaway:
Note weak language in the premises or strong language in the conclusion. Both suggest a potential shift in the degree/strength of the argument. In the real world, we tend to use these possibility words as filler to highlight our own uncertainty with what we're saying, so they're easy to skim over and miss while reading!

Incorrect. The argument requires that people's perception of quality is influenced by tuition, not that the quality is actually dependent on it.

Incorrect. The President sets up raising tuition as something necessary to increase the application pool ("we need to"), but this answer establishes it as sufficient, so it's incorrect.

Incorrect. There could be an additional explanation that would also be addressed through raising tuition/fees, or the problem could be multipronged, with each prong needing to be addressed. In either case, the argument could still work, so this answer isn't necessary.

Incorrect. If the tuition increased but not to a level that made people believe the education was of high quality, the argument could still work.