Extra Practice

Conclusion: Rocks chosen for Japanese gardens should vary widely in appearance.

Premise(s):

- The design of Japanese gardens should display harmony with nature.

- Rocks found in nature vary widely in appearance.

Sufficient Assumption: It is possible to express harmony with nature in Japanese gardens by the use of rocks of varied appearance.

Necessary Assumption: In the selection of rocks for Japanese gardens, imitation of nature helps to achieve harmony with nature.

Weakening: Rocks that look fake and are similar in appearance to one another promote harmony with nature in a Japanese garden.

Stimulus: NA; The gardener’s argument depends on assuming which one of the following?

A) No. The only facet we are concerned with is the rock’s ability to display harmony with nature.

B) Yes, this is correct. We need to bridge the gap between “harmony with nature” in Japanese gardens and rocks found in nature that “vary widely in appearance.” Thus, in the selection of rocks for Japanese gardens, imitation of nature (varying appearance) helps to achieve harmony with nature.

C) No. There are possibly other criteria, but harmony with nature is a non-negotiable one.

D) No. There is no reference to “being natural.”

E) No. There is no evidence for “each” component needing to be varied, but just rocks. Additionally, genuine Japanese gardens are not the same as Japanese gardens designed to display harmony with nature.

Extra Practice

Conclusion: The infrastructure for a national hydrogen fuel network is likely to appear and grow rapidly.

Premise(s):

- It is already technologically possible to produce nonpolluting cars that use hydrogen rather than gasoline.

- Gasoline fuel-distribution developed quickly in response to consumer demand.

Sufficient Assumption: A hydrogen fuel network can be built to sustain nonpolluting cars that burn hydrogen.

Necessary Assumption: There is nothing preventing a hydrogen fuel network infrastructure from growing.

Weakening: Hydrogen fuel stations are not just much more expensive, but much more difficult to construct and build than regular fuel stations.

Stimulus: MP/MC; Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the argument?

A) No. This is a premise.

B) No. This is context.

C) No. There is no mention in the question about new technologies developing to create something that needs hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The first line states that it’s already possible to create nonpolluting cars.

D) Yes, this is the answer. The premises both support what this says, and it surmises what it seems like the AU is trying to say.

E) No. This is a kind of convoluted answer that might be true but is not the focus of the whole question.

Extra Practice

Conclusion: Hemoglobins transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Premise(s):

- As they pick up oxygen molecules, the hemoglobin becomes more effective at picking up additional molecules, until it reaches a maximum of four.

- As it gains oxygen molecules, the shape of the hemoglobin changes, because it opens itself to receive more oxygen.

Sufficient Assumption: A hemoglobin molecule that has picked up three molecules, is more effective at picking up another molecule than other hemoglobins with fewer oxygen molecules. This comparison is true for hemoglobins with two oxygen molecules versus a hemoglobin with one oxygen molecule.

Necessary Assumption: There is something that allows for hemoglobins with more oxygen molecules to be more effective at picking up additional oxygen molecules, until it has capped out at 4 molecules.

Weakening: Studies show that hemoglobins with three oxygen molecules seem to repel oxygen molecules away from it, making it more cap out and gain its fourth molecule.

A) No. We don’t know anything about the probability of picking up an oxygen molecule, we just know that these hemoglobins are more efficient.

B) No. We don’t know how many factors there are in the efficiency of picking up oxygen molecules.

C) Yes, this is what the first premise says. This is just stating it out in a more forward example.

D) No. We don’t know anything about the appearance of one hemoglobin in comparison to the others, just that it changes as it gains oxygen molecules.

E) No. It is not mentioned where the oxygen is picked up, just that it transports oxygen from the lungs. For all we know, it could be picking it up in the kidney, where the lungs are storing oxygen for some reason, and transporting it from there.

Extra Practice

MP/Conclusion: In winning business, credit card companies tailor their services to their consumers, and most customers already anticipate their interest rates.

Premise(s):

- Most consumers anticipate paying off their credit card balances before interest charges and use their cards only to avoid using cash and checks.

- Versus competitors, credit card companies concentrate on improving services that their consumers are interested in.

Sufficient Assumption: Marketing interest rates would not result in winning competitor’s business.

Necessary Assumption: Credit card consumers do not care about paying interest rates.

Weakening: Reports show that when credit card companies market their interest rates, consumers are more likely to use those companies, even if their rates are lower than other non-marketing credit card companies.

Stimulus: MSS, Logically completes the argument?

A) No. Why would there be any concern about competitors if consumers were indifferent to the company that they used?

B) Yes, this answer. Credit card companies would not make interest rates the main selling points if they are trying to gain consumers, because it has been shown in research that most consumers do not care about interest rates, and anticipate paying the rate before they receive charges.

C) No. There is no comparison between paying interest and borrowing money. Borrowing money isn’t even mentioned.

D) No. Consumers anticipating paying their interest charges are not the same thing as ignoring when the payments are due and does not equate to ignoring if companies pay the balances for them.

E) No. It is not supported that consumers are interested in the number of places that they can use their card. This is an attractive out of left field answer that is only attractive because it appeals to personal bias.

I take the test in less than an hour and I started studying in January. The feedback about the latest test is making me nervous!

Extra Practice

Conclusion: The battle painting was painted by the same artist who did the self-portrait.

Premise(s):

- A self portrait was discovered, painted the same year as the painting of a battle

- One of the people depicted in the battle looks like the man in the self-portrait

Sufficient Assumption: The painter of the self-portrait painted himself into the battle painting.

Necessary Assumption: Artists are willing to paint themselves into aristocratic battle scenes.

Weakening: It would have been a violation of etiquette for so young an artist to include himself among aristocrats in a painting of a historic battle, so he likely did not paint himself into the painting.

a) No. They’re the same age, how does that weaken the possibility that the scenes contain the same person?

b) No. The artist is also a real person from history. Additionally, the wording says ‘most.’ This wording allows for the artist to paint themselves into the painting, still. If the wording was ‘all,’ then this might exclude the artist.

c) No. This leaves open the possibility that the paintings could have multiple painters, if maybe the same individual modeled for several artists. If this answer mentioned something about the artist also sitting for another artist, then this answer might be more true.

d) Yes. This makes it less likely for an artist to paint themselves into another painting. He might have done it anyways, but the taboo makes it less likely, and for a weakening answer this is all that we need.

e) No. So what that the battle took place earlier? Anyone could be used as the models in the painting, to be created later. There’s no stipulations on when the painting has to be made. Additionally, if this answer is taken to be that the painting was made in a different year, then this goes against one of our premises.

Extra Practice

Conclusion: Pressure on the nerve was causing the patient’s back and leg pain.

Premise(s):

- The patient had been experiencing back and leg pain

- A scan shows that there was pressure on the nerve

- Pressure can cause inflammation, which can cause pain

- The doctor reduced inflammation at the site with a cortisone injection

- Significant pain relief came from the cortisone injection

Sufficient Assumption: Inflammation can be reduced with cortisone injections.

Necessary Assumption: The pain relief did not occur merely through the patient’s belief in the efficacy of the cortisone. The pain was not relieved through other means. The cortisone was the cause of the pain relief.

Weakening: The patient’s imagination made them think that the pain had gone away, and the cortisone injection, in reality, did nothing to help the patient.

Extra Practice

Conclusion: The party in power now will likely stay in power after the upcoming elections.

Premise(s):

- Investors are putting money into stocks

- Investors are confident in the economy

- Voter confidence in economy rends to favor incumbent political leaders

Sufficient Assumption: Voter’s confidence in the economy influences how they vote.

Necessary Assumption: The economic attitudes of investors do not differ greatly from those of voters in general.

Weakening: Research shows that voters, in general, do not care for the economy when they are casting their votes.

I'm game and in a similar boat!

I've put it in my calendar! Thanks so much for this.