Summary
One way to compare chess-playing programs is to compare how they perform a fixed time limit per move. This comparison is done by using any two computers that can run the program and giving each computer a set time limit to make a move. The faster computer will have a better chance of winning because the program can examine more moves within the same span of time and pick the best possible move.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
If two computers are running the same chess-playing software, the computer that can analyze the most available moves within a given time limit is most likely to win.
A
If one chess-playing program can examine more possible moves than a different chess-playing program run on the same computer under the same time constraints per move, the former program will have a better chance of winning than the latter.
This sounds similar but presents a very different situation. This talks about two *different* programs running on the *same* computer. If there were two different programs, there would be many more confounding variables to make a comparison.
B
How fast a given computer is has no effect on which chess-playing computer programs can run on that computer.
The stimulus says that the speed of a computer dictates how many moves the computer can assess, but nothing says its speed has no bearing on what program it can run. For example, you probably couldn’t run a fancy program on a potato computer.
C
In general, the more moves a given chess-playing program is able to examine under given time constraints per move, the better the chances that program will win.
This captures exactly what the stimulus details. The faster computer can examine more moves and is thus better positioned to make better moves and win.
D
If two different chess-playing programs are running on two different computers under the same time constraints per move, the program running on the faster computer will be able to examine more possible moves in the time allotted.
This is a very different scenario than the stimulus. This answer choice has two different computers and two different programs. You can only reach the same conclusion under the same conditions presented in the stimulus.
E
If a chess-playing program is run on two different computers and is allotted more time to examine possible moves when running on the slow computer than when running on the fast computer, it will have an equal chance of winning on either computer.
There is no information on what would happen if a slower computer was given more time compared to a faster computer. You have to assume that the processing speed of the slower computer is exactly equal to the time difference given to the faster computer.
Summarize Argument
The politician argues that it would harm democracy if a government were to monitor conversations. Why? Because for a democracy to work, people need to be able to freely share their ideas without worrying the government might take action against them. Unmonitored private conversations are essential to democracy.
Identify Argument Part
The referenced text supports the second sentence, which in turn supports the conclusion. Why is the right to private, unmonitored conversations essential to democracy? Because democracy requires free expression of ideas.
A
It is a claim for which no support is provided, and which is used to support only the argument’s main conclusion.
There’s certainly no support provided for the referenced text, but it doesn’t support the main conclusion. Instead, it supports a sub-conclusion, which in turn supports the main conclusion.
B
It is a claim for which no support is provided, and which is used to support a claim that is itself used to support the argument’s main conclusion.
The referenced text is definitely unsupported, which makes it a premise. It supports the second sentence, which in turn supports the main conclusion about democracy being harmed when the government monitors conversations.
C
It is a claim for which support is provided, and which is in turn used to support the argument’s main conclusion.
There’s no support for this claim. Nor does it support the main conclusion. Instead, it’s support for a sub-conclusion.
D
It is the argument’s main conclusion and is inferred from two other statements in the argument, one of which is used to support the other.
The argument’s main conclusion is the last sentence. The referenced text certainly isn’t inferred from the sub-conclusion and main conclusion.
E
It is the argument’s main conclusion and is inferred from two other statements in the argument, neither of which is used to support the other.
The referenced text isn’t the main conclusion. It also isn’t inferred from anything. It’s support for the second sentence, which is a sub-conclusion.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the hepadnavirus present in the chromosomes of a zebra finch and dark-eyeed junco is at least 25 million years old. This is because after a hepadnavirus inserts itself into a chromosome of an animal, it’s based on to all of that animal’s descendants. In addition, the hepadnavirus is found in the same location in the corresponding chromosome of the finch and the junco. And, these two species diverged around 25 million years ago.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that having a hepadnavirus in the same corresponding location in the chromosome tells us something about when the hepadnavirus was inserted. The author also assumes the hepadnavirus didn’t insert itself into each bird’s chromosome more recently than 25 million years ago.
A
Viruses can affect the evolution of an organism and can thereby influence the likelihood of their diverging into two species.
This suggests viruses might have influenced the divergence of the two species. But this doesn’t suggest anything about the age of the hepadnavirus. Perhaps other viruses caused the species to diverge, and the hepadnavirus was inserted in each chromosome after divergence.
B
The chromosomes of the zebra finch and the dark-eyed junco contain fragments of no virus other than the hepadnavirus.
This tells us there’s no other virus in the chromosomes of the birds. But this doesn’t reveal anything about the age of the hepadnavirus.
C
When a virus inserts itself into an animal’s chromosome, the insertion occurs at a random spot.
This strengthens by casting doubt on the possibility that the virus inserted itself into each chromosome after the divergence 25 million years ago.
D
Many bird species other than the zebra finch and the dark-eyed junco contain fragments of the hepadnavirus.
The presence of the virus in other birds has no clear impact on how long the virus has been around.
E
The presence of a hepadnavirus in an animal species does not affect the likelihood of that species’ survival.
Whether the virus affects chances of a species’ survival has no clear impact on how long the virus has been around.