PrepTest 140

Incorrect. The argument is about the health benefits of alcohol, not the reason why people consume it. Something can have an effect that isn't related to the reasoning behind why people use it.

Incorrect. The argument is based on recent evidence (which is framed in scientific terms) with no indication that evidence is based on popular belief, so this answer doesn't describe the argument.

Incorrect. The argument doesn't recommend drinking alcohol, nor does it state that alcohol is the only or best method of killing harmful bacteria.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Errors in Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Alcohol has at least one beneficial effect, so it's overall beneficial.

Answer Anticipation:
There are two jumps in this argument. First, the conclusion is about alcohol consumption generally, whereas the premise is about the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. Second, the conclusion here is about the overall balance of the pros and cons for a given substance. However, it only discusses one benefit and no downsides, without establishing that there aren't any other benefits and downsides. Either flaw could be mentioned in a correct answer.

Answer Explanation:
The conclusion is about alcohol consumption; the premise is about recent evidence on moderate alcohol consumption. That jump represents a flaw in reasoning, so this is the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
While the argument didn't explicitly mention a study here, one was implied when the argument raised recent evidence established about alcohol consumption. Since there was an implied study, you should have thought of a sampling flaw—which occurs here since the evidence is about a potentially unrepresentative sample (moderate consumers of alcohol).

Incorrect. The premise is about how alcohol consumption affects certain illness-causing bacteria, not all bacteria. Note that this answer could have been correct if it brought up a negative effect of alcohol on beneficial bacteria, as that would have suggested there was a downside to overall health that could have balanced out the upsides.