The stimulus operates by outlining a correlation between two conditions (students who don’t pay attention in school tend to perform poorly) then concludes that there isn’t necessarily a causal relationship between the two conditions (in this case, we can’t conclude not paying attention causes poor performance), and that it is possible that it was actually a third factor (undiagnosed hearing problems) that caused both conditions.

Mismatched premises and conclusion. (B) identifies a correlation between attending a foreign university and being a top student in your native country, but it doesn’t suggest that it may have been a third factor that caused both of these conditions.

Additionally, the stimulus says that it would be wrong to make a causal conclusion, but (B) says that it would be wrong to make a comparative conclusion (that foreign secondary schools are better than those in this country).

Mismatched premises. While (C) does say that it would be premature to make a causal conclusion, (C) says that the correlation between having a lower incidence of heart disease and eating lots of fruits and vegetables may be coincidental, while the stimulus identifies a third factor that could have caused both conditions. (C) does not identify a potential third factor, so it does not parallel the stimulus.

Mismatched premises and conclusion. (D) says that studying biology and chemistry are necessary for medical school, but it is a mistake to conclude that studying biology and chemistry are sufficient for success as a physician.

While the stimulus says that it would be a mistake to assume a causal conclusion from a correlational relationship, (D) says that it would be a mistake to reverse the sufficient and necessary conditions of a conditional relationship.

Mismatches premises. Instead of saying that some third factor may be causing both vigorous exercise and health, (E) says that it is wrong to make a causal conclusion simply because a modified version of one of the two categories in question (less vigorous exercise) may also have positive results.