PT150.S4.P3.Q19 > Analytics

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This passage is based on an article written in 1995.

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Intro topic · Dowsing

Detecting resources or object underground by using simple handheld tools. Example: trying to find water underground by using a forked tree branch. The branch purportedly changes direction based on presence of water.

Skeptics' perspective · Dowsing is ineffective

Dowsers are making subconscious determinations about water location based on surface conditions. Branch movement reflects dowser's thoughts; nothing about the branch actually helps detect water.

Concession and skeptics' response · Studies show some dowsers have considerable success at detection, but most dowsers are inconsistent

Also, most dowsing occurs where we expect water to be everywhere. So studies showing some success for dowsers don't reveal as much as you'd think.

Proponents' perspective · Criticism of dowsing goes too far

(1) There's different dowsing techniques. Evaluate them separately. (2) Dowsing studies might not be including the best dowsers in their studies.

Proponents' claims about good dowsers · They might be more sensitive to changes in electromagnetic fields, and they're more successful than scientists at detecting water

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Support for proponents' claims / Author's perspective · Recent study corroborates claims about best dowsers

Study put best dowsers against scientists in locations without much water, and without surface conditions that reveal presence of water. Best dowsers located water much more accurately than the scientists.

Passage Style

Critique or debate

19.

The passage provides information most ███████ ██ █████████ █████ ███ ██ ███ █████████ ██████████

When was dowsing █████ ████████ ██ █ █████ ██ ████████ ████████████

Not answered. We never get any information about when dowsing was “first” used to locate groundwater.

Is the success ██ ███████ ████████ ██ ██████████ ████ ███ ████ █████████ ███ ██████ ██ ███ ████ █████ ███████

Not answered. We’re never told that dowsers can be affected by rainstorms.

What proportion of ██████████ ███████ ███ ██████ ██████ ██ ████████ ████████████

Not answered. We don’t know what proportion of successful dowsers used sticks as opposed to other items.

Is dowsing ever ████████ ██ ███ ██ ██████ ████████ █████ ████ ██████

Answered.

68%

What are some ██ ███ ████████ ███████ █████ ████ ███ ████████ ███ ████████ ██ ████████████

Not answered. We’re never told what surface clues indicate the presence of groundwater.

21%

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