PT147.S3.P4.Q23 > Analytics

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Passage A.

Intro to Topic · Flat Tax

E.g., you earn $100; the flat tax rate is 26%; you pay $26 dollars in tax; you take home $74.

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Conclusion · Flat tax works pretty well

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Critics · Flat tax may work but is unfair

A more fair system is "progressive" which requires high-income earners to pay a bigger share.

Author's Rebuttal · Flat tax + threshold can be fair

E.g., say the threshold for exemption is $20; you earn $20; you pay $0 in tax; but say you earn $120; your first $20 is exempt from tax; the next $100 is taxed at 26%; so you pay $26 in taxes; you take home $94.

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Author's Rebuttal · Flat tax brings in similar amounts from high earners

"Progressive" tax systems are complex resulting in high earners finding various ways to avoid tax. A flat tax system combined with an exempt amount threshold can deliver similar tax results and is much simpler.

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Progressive Tax is Misunderstood · Tax rate is the same on each layer of income

E.g. everyone pays the same low rate on the first, say, $100 of income; then everyone pays the same higher rate on the next, say, $100 of income; then everyone pays the same even higher rate on the next $100 of income. If you only make $100, you only pay the first low rate. If you make $300, then you split your $300 into three layers. You'll pay the first low rate on the first $100 layer; the next higher rate on the next $100; the next even higher rate on the final $100.

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Premise · Lower layers of income are more important

Because lower layers of income go to pay for essentials.

Passage Style

23.

Both passages seek to advance █████ █████████ ██ █████ ██ █████ ███ ██ ███ ██████████

accusing opponents of ████████ █████ ██████

Passage B doesn’t suggest opponents are changing their arguments or positions.

citing specific historical ████████████ ██ ████████

Passage B doesn’t cite specfic historical developments.

arguing on the █████ ██ ██ ███████

Neither passage uses an analogy.

employing rhetorical questions

Passage A doesn’t present any rhetorical questions.

correcting alleged misunderstandings

Both Passage A and Passage B correct misconceptions. Passage A corrects the misunderstanding that a flat tax seems to rule out requiring high-income earners to pay a bigger share of their income in taxes than low-income earners. Passage B corrects the misunderstanding that progressive taxes don’t treat everyone equally.

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PrepTest 147 - Section 3 - Passage 4 - Question 23

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PrepTest 147 - Section 3 - Passage 4 - Question 23

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