PrepTest 143

Incorrect. This answer doesn't discuss fairness, so it can't justify the judgment in the conclusion.

Incorrect. Another answer that doesn't discuss fairness, so it can't justify the judgment in the conclusion.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen (Principle)

Stimulus Summary:
Someone filing a complaint was given the wrong form by the official staff. The subject of the complaint wants it dismissed because it's on the wrong form.
Conclusion Ð Dismissing the complaint would be unfair

Answer Anticipation:
Strengthen (Principle) questions generally task us with justifying a judgment in the conclusion based on the details in the premise. Especially when the premises are so long, it's important to home in on the detail that the argument is clearly setting up as the primary justification for doing so. And to do that, it's important to start with the conclusion to know what needs to be justified.

Here, the question stem tells us what the conclusion is that we need to justify—dismissing a complaint would be unfair. Reading through the details of the situation with an eye towards why the author of this argument believes it'd be unfair to do so despite Ms. McBride filling out the wrong form, one sticks out. She was given the wrong form by an official of the Bureau—in other words, it wasn't Louise's fault. The correct answer should establish that as sufficient to justify a conclusion that dismissing a complaint filed with the wrong form is unfair.

Answer Explanation:
This answer establishes a situation that would be unfair, so it can justify the conclusion of the stimulus. And it bases that judgment on a detail that aligns with the stimulus—the Bureau official gave Louise the wrong form (an incorrect action). This answer justifies the conclusion based on the details in the premise, so it's the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
For Strengthen (Principle) questions, there will frequently be a lot of details thrown at you to try to distract you from the one that the author is using to justify the conclusion. Start with the conclusion, identify the judgment being drawn, and work backwards to find the detail that most clearly justifies that conclusion.

Incorrect. Yet another answer that doesn't discuss fairness, so it can't justify the judgment in the conclusion.

Incorrect. This answer brings up justification for the complaint to be unfair, not the dismissal of it.