Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that some people have a “sixth sense.” Her evidence is a study where people guessed correctly 60% of the time whether or not they were being watched.
Notable Assumptions
60% is only slightly higher than chance, so the author must believe that the sample size is large enough to account for this. Moreover, the author must believe participants in the survey couldn’t have identified any useful pattern or clue (i.e. a reflection from the window) that would help them detect whether or not they were being watched. Anything besides an independent “sixth sense” would compromise the study.
A
Most of the time, subjects said they were being watched.
We don’t care how often they said they were being watched or not watched. The participants were right 60% of the time, and we’re trying to strengthen the claim they were right because of a “sixth sense.”
B
The person recording the experimental results was careful not to interact with the subjects after the experiment ended.
We don’t care what happened after the experiment ended.
C
A similar result was found when the subjects were watched from another room on a video monitor.
This tells us that the window didn’t give the participants any hints as to whether or not they were being watched. Moreover, it replicates an experimental result. In turn, this increases sample size.
D
The room in which the subjects were seated was not soundproof.
If the room wasn’t soundproof, then the subjects might’ve heard the person who was watching them. This weakens the author’s argument.
E
The subjects were mostly graduate students in psychology from a nearby university.
Irrelevant. It’s hard to see how the choice of subjects could make a difference in this experiment.
Summarize Argument
The author argues that CDs are superior in artistic freedom when compared with vinyl records. The support for this conclusion is that vinyl records have some technical constraints that CDs do not have. These technical constraints mean that vinyl records cannot have loud, high-pitched, or low-pitched parts on the last song of each side of the record, because these sounds are associated with grooves that can cause the record needle to jump; CDs do not have these limitations, so artists using CDs can end their recordings however they would like.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is that CDs provide more artistic freedom than vinyl records: “Compact discs (CDs) offer an improvement in artistic freedom over vinyl records.”
A
CDs provide greater artistic latitude than do vinyl records.
This is a paraphrase of the first sentence of the argument, which is the argument’s conclusion. The rest of the argument acts as support for this claim.
B
On vinyl records, the song farthest from the center can have loud, high-pitched, or low-pitched passages.
The argument does not discuss songs farthest from the center on vinyl records, so this is not the main conclusion.
C
As the record needle moves in toward the vinyl record’s center, the centrifugal force on the needle becomes stronger.
This answer may be supported by the argument, but this relationship is not directly specified in the argument. Further, this answer is not a paraphrase of the first sentence of the argument, so it is not the main conclusion.
D
CDs represent a considerable technological advance over vinyl records.
The argument’s conclusion is about artistic freedom. The idea of technological advancement is distinct from artistic freedom, so this is not the main conclusion. Also, the modifier “considerable” is not supported from the information given.
E
CDs can have louder passages, as well as both higher- and lower-pitched passages, than can vinyl records.
We know that the last songs on vinyl records cannot have especially loud, high-, or low- pitched sounds; we do not have information to compare generalized sound ranges for CDs with those of vinyl records. E makes unsupported generalized comparisons.
Summary
The public interest is comprised of many varying interests, and broadcast media must serve them all. Although most television viewers would prefer an action show to an opera, a constant stream of action shows on all channels would not be in the public interest. Thus…(the correct answer will be the conclusion)
Strongly Supported Conclusions
If the broadcast media plays action shows all day, they will not be serving the public interest.
Programming decisions should not be based solely on popularity.
Programming decisions should not be based solely on popularity.
A
broadcasters’ obligations are not satisfied if they look only to popularity to decide their programming schedules
The stimulus acknowledges that while most people might prefer action shows (popularity), it would not be in the public interest. This is because broadcast media must cater to all interests (not just what is most popular).
B
television networks should broadcast more artistic and cultural shows and fewer action shows
The stimulus does not give any information as to what broadcast companies are *currently* airing. The balance between arts and action shows may be in balance. Thus, this kind of comparative statement is not supported.
C
the public interest should be considered whenever television producers develop a new program
The stimulus says nothing about what should be considered when *developing* new shows. It receives no support from the stimulus, so it does not logically complete it.
D
the popularity of a television program is a poor indicator of its artistic quality
This requires the assumption that action shows (or what is popular) is not of high artistic quality. The stimulus does not mention any standard to measure artistic quality.
E
broadcast media could be rightly accused of neglecting the public interest only if all channels carried mostly action shows
This has the lawgic flipped and is too restrictive. There are many other reasons that the broadcast company neglects public interest, not just *only* showing action shows.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that it is reasonable to restrict the use of calculators because they make calculations easier. While easier calculations lets students focus on mathematical principles instead of the process of applying them, engaging in the application process actually helps students remember the principles. This supports the sub-conclusion that support for calculators as a tool for learning math is misguided.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that ensuring students remember mathematical principles is more important than a simple learning process. In other words, increasing the likelihood that students remember the principles is worth complicating the learning process.
A
Some students who know how to use calculators also thoroughly understand the mathematical principles that calculators obey.
This does not affect the argument. The author argues that not using calculators increases the likeliness of students remembering the principles—the argument isn’t about whether they understand them.
B
Slide rules, which are less technologically sophisticated analogues of calculators, were widely used in the learning of mathematics several decades ago.
This does not affect the argument. The fact that slide rules were used several decades ago to learn math does not tell us about the advantages or disadvantages of using calculators when learning mathematical principles.
C
It is much more important that students retain the knowledge of general principles than that this knowledge be easily acquired.
This strengthens the argument by supporting the author’s assumption that students’ ability to remember mathematical principles is a higher priority than an easier learning process.
D
Habits that are acquired by laborious and sometimes tedious practice are not as valuable as those that are painlessly mastered.
This weakens the argument. It attacks the author’s assumption that there is value in the laborious process of applying mathematical principles (i.e., by increasing students’ retention of the material). Instead, it says easily-acquired habits are more valuable.
E
Teachers’ enthusiasm for new educational aids is often not proportional to the pedagogical effectiveness of those devices.
This does not affect the argument. The author’s argument is not about teachers’ enthusiasm, but about the reasonableness of restricting calculator use. We are looking for an answer choice that strengthens the idea that restricting calculator use is reasonable.
Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The commentator concludes that it is not true that there is a liberal bias in current journalism. To support this, the commentator claims that newspapers, magazines, radio, and television companies need to target a broad customer base because they depend on selling news and advertising. This need to appeal to a broad customer base is what keeps them impartial, according to the commentator, and since they face these market pressures to be impartial, there is not a liberal bias in the media.
Identify Conclusion
The commentator concludes that there is not a liberal bias in current journalism; despite what many believe, “this is not the case.”
A
The individual political orientations of journalists do not constitute acceptable evidence regarding media bias.
The argument does not address this claim. This answer discusses what constitutes acceptable evidence; the argument does not make a judgement on whether journalists’ views are acceptable evidence.
B
Major media face significant market pressures.
This is offered as support for the main conclusion. This is a premise.
C
Current journalism does not have a liberal political bias.
This is the main conclusion. The commentator’s argument is that other people are wrong when they claim that there is a liberal bias in the media. Answer C encapsulates this idea.
D
Major media must target the broadest customer base possible in order to maximize profits.
Similar to B, this acts as support for the main conclusion, so this is a premise.
E
It is often maintained that current journalism has a liberal bias.
This serves as context for the argument; this the idea that the commentator is arguing against.
Summarize Argument
The university administration’s rationale for the school’s tuition increase is unconvincing. The university said the increase is due to increased costs associated with teachers’ salaries and need-based aid for students, but the budget does not reflect these claims.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that, while faculty salaries are only a small part of the school’s spending, it did not increase significantly enough from the previous year to justify the tuition increase.
A
With this year’s budget, the university has increased its total spending on scholarship aid by 5 percent.
This does not affect the argument. The author already notes that the budget shows a significant increase in scholarship aid (specifically, to academic scholarships).
B
With this year’s budget, the university increased the allotment for faculty salaries by 5 percent while tuition was increased by 6 percent.
This weakens the argument by attacking the assumption that, while faculty salaries are a small part of the university’s budget, the amount spent on them did not significantly increase this year, which could potentially justify the tuition increase. (B) says this may be the case.
C
Faculty salaries at the university have increased in line with the national average, and substantial cuts in government student-loan programs have caused financial difficulties for many students at the university.
This does not affect the argument. (C) says the increase in faculty salaries is not unusually large and, while students may be facing financial difficulties, the budget shows that the school is not putting more money to need-based aid.
D
Of the substantial items in the budget, the greatest increase was in administrative costs, facilities maintenance costs, and costs associated with the provision of athletic facilities.
This strengthens the argument by showing that the administration’s explanation is unreliable. While the school justified the increase by citing increased spending on need-based aid and faculty salaries, the costs outlined in (D) are actually the largest increases in the budget.
E
Because enrollment projections at the university are very unreliable, it is difficult to accurately estimate the amount of money the university will collect from tuition fees ahead of time.
This does not affect the argument, which is about whether the administration’s explanation is believable. (E) does not elaborate on the explanation or its reliability, making it irrelevant to the argument.
Summary
Students asked to tell a lie in a discussion group overestimated how many people in the group could tell that they were lying. Similarly, volleyball players that perform unusually poorly expect teammates to notice this more than the teammates actually do. Finally, a student wearing a funny T-shirt was noticed only by a small number of people in a room, contrary to what the student expected.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
People tend to think that their appearance is noticed by others more often than what actually happens.
A
People tend to be far less aware of their own appearance and behavior than are other people.
This answer is anti-supported. We know from the stimulus that people tend to be more aware of their own appearance, not less aware.
B
People tend not to notice the appearance or behavior of others.
This answer is unsupported. It’s not that people in these experiments didn’t notice the appearance or behavior of others, it’s that there is a significant difference in perception. People perceive others to be aware of their appearance more often than others actually are.
C
We are actually less observant of the appearance and behavior of others than we think ourselves to be.
This answer is unsupported. This answer gets it “backwards” and is from the other perspective of whether a person accurately assesses how aware they are of other people.
D
People will notice the appearance or behavior of others only if it is specifically highlighted in some way.
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus what is necessary in order for others to notice a person’s appearance or behavior.
E
People tend to believe their appearance and behavior are noticed by others more often than is actually the case.
This answer is strongly supported. People generally over-expect others to notice their appearance or behavior.