PrepTest 145

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Flawed Parallel Reasoning

Stimulus Summary:
Personality and genes are linked. Genes can't chance, so neither can personality.

Answer Anticipation:
This stimulus relies on comparisons, so we should understand how they work in order to find an answer that relies on this type of logic in the same way.

This argument starts by establishing that two things are linked—in other words, they're similar in some way. From that, it concludes that what is true of one of them (it can't change) is also true of another (it...can't change). The correct answer should similarly establish a link between two things and then treat one of them having a characteristic as establishing that the other also has that characteristic.

Answer Explanation:
This answer commits the same comparison flaw as the stimulus. It starts by establishing that two things are linked, and it then uses one of them being unable to change as establishing that the other can't—it even features the same trait!

Key Takeaway:
Sometimes, identifying elements of the answer choices that aren't present in the stimulus is the most effective means of working through a (Flawed) Parallel Reasoning question. Here, once we noted that the answers tended to be causal but the stimulus wasn't, it became a lot easier to rocket through them.

Incorrect. This argument's conclusion is weak enough that this argument is actually valid. It also deals with causality which was notably absent from the stimulus.

Incorrect. This argument, similar to (B), features causality that isn't present in the stimulus. This argument makes an unwarranted assumption about the impact of removing a cause on the effect (we can't conclude that it will prevent the disease).

Incorrect. This argument, similar to (B) and (C), features causality that isn't present in the stimulus. The flaw here is an assumption about things that have long-term effects also having short-term effects—exercise might only work to prevent heart disease if you stick with it.

Incorrect. Another answer that features causality not present in the stimulus. This answer also commits a bit of a causal reversal, ignoring other factors for temperature, and it assumes that the relationship between hormones and temperature is direct (in other words, it ignores the possibility that low levels of the hormone equate to high body temperature).