PrepTest 142

Incorrect. This doesn't seem like something Ming would disagree with. However, neither speaker is arguing that desserts with trans fats are healthy, so this answer doesn't really highlight a misinterpretation.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument/Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed/Flawed

Question Type:
Misinterpretation

Stimulus Summary:
M: Trans fats are really bad for you, so it's good that many cookie companies no longer use it.

C: That makes no sense. Desserts are still bad for you.

Answer Anticipation:
Misinterpretation questions generally fall into two camps. Either it asks you about a single word that the second speaker is misinterpreting, or the second speaker has a much broader misinterpretation of the opposing point's argument overall. This question falls into the latter.

When that's the case, it can be helpful to forget for a second about what the first speaker argued and focus on what the second speaker is saying. What viewpoint would their counterargument rebut? That's likely what they misinterpreted the first speaker to be saying.

Here, Carol rebuts that even without the particularly unhealthy trans fat, desserts are not healthy foods. That must suggest she believes Ming concluded that they are healthy foods. Since Ming only argued that they're healthier in that they no longer have trans fats, that's a misinterpretation.

Answer Explanation:
Carol rebuts Ming's argument by saying that desserts—even without trans fats—are unhealthy. For her to believe that rebuts Ming's argument, she must believe that Ming said desserts without trans fats are healthy, as this answer choice says.

Key Takeaway:
When a Misinterpretation question features the second speaker misinterpreting more than a single word in the first speaker's argument, forget the first speaker and think about what argument the second speaker would successfully rebut with her comments. That's going to reflect the misinterpretation.

Incorrect. While "not healthy" and "unhealthy" are different concepts, there's no confusion over that point here.

Incorrect. Ming does seem to believe that a cookie with any trans fat in it is unhealthy—she's celebrating many cookie companies completely eliminating it from their product.

Incorrect. While not directly established in Ming's argument, this doesn't disagree with her viewpoint, so it's not a misinterpretation.