PrepTest 147

Incorrect. This answer makes the paradox worse—if merchants and banks are better educated on spotting fake bills, why are counterfeiters finding it easier to pass them?

Incorrect. This doesn't explain the ease with which counterfeiters are passing the bills—if anything, it suggests that life is harder for counterfeiters now!

Incorrect. The knowledge of counterfeiters as to the total amount of fake bills in circulation is out of scope on their ability to pass the fake bills that they make into circulation.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
Government efforts to fight counterfeit bills have been very successful, but counterfeiters are having an easy time passing fake bills.

Answer Anticipation:
As with all Paradox questions, we should start by clearly defining what the paradox is.

Here, on the one hand, the government has been very successful at fighting counterfeit bills—especially removing them from circulation. However, the counterfeiters themselves are finding it easy to pass fake bills.

Clearly, the means by which the government is fighting the counterfeiting isn't making it harder for the counterfeiters to use fake bills! That makes sense, as the government has been "especially" successful in removing fake bills from circulation, which would happen after the fake bills have already been passed.

However, that still doesn't explain why the counterfeiters are having an easy time passing fake bills. Any answer highlighting some change that is making it easier to get merchants and banks to accept a counterfeit bill will work here.

Answer Explanation:
If the government's success is making it so merchants and banks aren't being as rigorous at looking for fake bills, then that would explain how the government could be successful at fighting counterfeits while counterfeiters are finding it easy to pass these bills.

Key Takeaway:
Always start by clearly defining what the paradox is—if you're off, then there's a good chance you'll pick an answer that explains the wrong thing!

Incorrect. This answer explains why the government's efforts have been so successful, but it doesn't explain why the counterfeiters are finding it easy to pass fake bills.