PrepTest 146

Incorrect. The author doesn't bring up steel to show that it doesn't disprove her point—it's an example of the general rule that even the author agrees applies in many cases.

Incorrect. The lace counterexample was the exception to the general rule, not the steel example.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Valid

Question Type:
Argument Structure

Stimulus Summary:
General rule Ð As price goes down, purchases go up
Example Ð Steel
Counterexample Ð Lace, because it no longer was associated with conspicuous wealth
Conclusion Ð There are some exceptions to the general rule

Answer Anticipation:
The stimulus here establishes a general rule and then explores an example or it and a counterexample to it, the latter of which is used to reach the conclusion that the general rule has exceptions. The statement in question, however, is the example—a good where demand increased as price came down. The correct answer should highlight this role.

Answer Explanation:
The steel example was a scenario where the general rule held, and the author does go on to show that the generalization doesn't hold in all cases ("there are exceptions"), so this describes the argument and the role of the statement in question within it.

Key Takeaway:
Argument Structure questions will frequently require you to understand the entirety of the argument to describe one statement's role within it. As you can see here, sometimes the correct answer expands past the role of the statement in question to talk about broader features of the argument—and it's well within the realm of possibility that that expansion goes wrong and invalidates an answer. Be sure to read and analyze all parts of the answer.

Incorrect. First, there's no indication steel was the product that led economists to adopt the general rule. Second, the argument is set up to show that there are exceptions to the general rule, not that that hypothesis is false.

Incorrect. It's the only reason cited by the author, and saying that a general rule has exceptions isn't really modifying it.