NA Bridge/Shield Questions?

Martin01

How gauge if we are dealing with a NA “bridge” or an NA “shield” question?

Martin01

Please, everyone do not chime in at once!

Sami

lol sorry. I meant to reply to this earlier.
So it's good to notice gaps in stimulus for NA questions. But that's it. Do not go into the answer choices thinking that it's going to be a bridging or blocking answer choice. Infact, don't think like that at all. Know where your gaps are in stimulus, but consider each answer choice on its own merit. Because with NA questions an answer choice can be really weird and can bridge or block. You can't predict that.

For example, All flowers blossom. Therefore all flowers give big fruit.
we have a gap between blossom and giving big fruit.
A bridging answer choice could read: If something blossoms it must give big fruit.
A blocking answer choice could read: its not possible for something to blossom and not give big fruit.
Or another one could say, its not possible for a flower to blossom and only give small fruit.

With NA questions you cannot predict what shape the answer choices will take because there are literally 100's of necessary things to an argument. So the rule of thumb is to keep in mind the argument in the stimulus and the gaps that happen in it.

nessa.k13.0

LOL Martin, I found for it takes way too much precious time to determine under timed conditions if one question is "bridge" or "block". I have noticed that some bridge NA questions are easier for me to recognize the jump but I usually focus on trying to notice the gap between various factors so I have an idea what I'm looking for when I go to the acs. Basically I completely agree with Sami! Trying to figure out what kind of NA question is just a time sink to me.

twssmith

@Sami said:
it's good to notice gaps in stimulus for NA questions. But that's it.
@"nessa.k13.0" said:
Basically I completely agree with Sami! Trying to figure out what kind of NA question is just a time sink to me.

Ditto!! The Bridge/Block is a concept not a strategy - it is just to help when initially learning and then reviewing NA questions. When taking timed PT's, it can help recognize "Cookie Cutter" NA argument structures and to see an "obvious" gap on an NA to bridge quickly and intuitively.

Same holds for the "negation technique" - is a concept not a strategy recommended during timed sections/PTs to use as process of elimination for every answer choice. When stuck between 2 A/C's after skipped and have time to return to negate, then it could help. From the NA gurus I have worked with, it is more of a recommended process during the curriculum and BR to make sure you understand when the wrong answer choices are not necessary to the argument.
Hope this helps:)