PT106.S3.Q16 > Analytics

SECTION 1 · lr

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SECTION 2 · lr

SECTION 3 · lr

SECTION 4 · rc

PASSAGE 1

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5

PASSAGE 2

Question 6 Question 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10 Question 11 Question 12 Question 13

PASSAGE 3

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PASSAGE 4

Question 22 Question 23 Question 24 Question 25 Question 26

The author concludes that if we find mercury in Beethoven’s hair, we can conclude that venereal disease caused Beethoven’s deafness.

Why?

Because mercury was commonly taken in Beethoven’s time to treat venereal disease.

The author assumes that the mercury in Beethoven’s hair, if found, could only be due to ingestion for the purpose of treating venereal disease. This overlooks the possibility that Beethoven might have taken mercury for a different reason.

Not necessary, because even if some mercury could be eliminated, that doesn’t change the fact that IF we find mercury in Beethoven’s hair, we might be able to draw conclusions from it. The author never suggested that we will find mercury or that we will find all of the mercury that was ever in Beethoven’s body.

Necessary, because if were not true — if EVERYONE in Beethoven’s time DID ingest mercury — then the presence of mercury in Beethoven’s body wouldn’t signify any connection to venereal disease.

Not necessary, because mercury can be indicative of the fact one needed treatment for venereal disease even if it wasn’t effective treatment. People could have taken mercury thinking it was effective, regardless of whether it actually was.

Not necessary, because the hypothesis at issue is whether venereal disease caused Beethoven’s deafness. The author never suggests that the mercury itself caused deafness.

Not necessary, because the argument isn’t based on any comparison of psychological problems between Beethoven and Newton. It’s not even clear Beethoven had psychological problems.

Question

45% of people who answer get this correct

This is a very difficult question.

CURVE

Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right

25% 162

169

75% 176

Question Stem Tags

Necessary assumption

Stimulus Tags

Causal reasoning

Popularity Avg. score

21%

165

45%

170

162

27%

164

163

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PrepTest 106 - Section 3 - Question 16

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