PrepTest 105 Section 4

Choose a question

Explanations for every question, find them by number or text.

1. Q1:
   Shortly after Isaac Newton circulated …Most Strongly Supported

   Hooke claims Newton's theories of light were based on his own work.

2. Q2:
   The blues is a modern musical form whose lyrics …Paradox – EXCEPT

   Blues songs are about suffering and hardship, but people who perform and listen to them say the overall effect is joyful and life-affirming.

3. Q3:
   Nutritionist: A study revealed that …Most Strongly Supported

   Most adults thought their diets matched guidelines, but they actually didn't.

4. Q4:
   Maude is incessantly engaging in diatribes …Necessary Assumption

   Maude is a hypocrite for criticizing materialistic people.

5. Q5:
   The most reliable way to detect the presence of life …Weaken

   The most reliable way to detect life on a planet is to check whether there's methane in its atmosphere.

6. Q6:
   Willett: Lopez and Simmons, a married couple …Identify the Conclusion

   Lopez and Simmons are foolish to reveal their marriage right now.

7. Q7:
   Willett: Lopez and Simmons, a married couple …Principle – Strengthen

   Lopez and Simmons are foolish to reveal their marriage right now.

8. Q8:
   Linguist: Only if a sentence can be diagrammed …Flawed Reasoning

   Speaker X's sentence will be deemed grammatical by speakers of the language.

9. Q9:
   To allay public concern about chemicals …Weaken

   The public doesn’t need to be concerned about the chemicals leaking into the river.

10. Q10:
    In the course of his reading …Principle – Application

    Even though *1984* resembles other futuristic books, that resemblance doesn't prove Orwell read them.

11. Q11:
    On the basis of research with young children …Strengthen

    Children must develop the ability to copy curves before they can develop the ability to copy angles.

12. Q12:
    Nearly everyone has complained of a mistaken utility bill …Principle – Conform

    People complain about technology.
    * But they still strongly prefer technology to the alternatives.

13. Q13:
    Television allows us to transmit images …Flawed Reasoning

    There's no alien intelligence in any of our neighboring star systems.

14. Q14:
    Citizen: Our legislators need to act quickly …Necessary Assumption

    The government should cut taxes for upper-income citizens.

15. Q15:
    Ideally, scientific laws should display the virtues …Most Strongly Supported

    Scientific laws should be precise and general, like physics laws.
    * Social sciences often have to use imprecise terms like "class" and "republicanism".
    * Also, social science laws usually apply only to certain social systems rather than all societies.

16. Q16:
    The miscarriage of justice in the Barker case …Strengthen

    We shouldn't condemn forensic science for the injustice in the Barker case.

17. Q17:
    Everyone who is excessively generous …Must Be True

    Everyone who is excessively generous isn't levelheaded.

18. Q18:
    In a study in which secondary school students …Weaken

    Something must be discouraging people with that personality type from becoming teachers.

19. Q19:
    A successful chess-playing computer would prove …Flawed Reasoning

    A successful chess-playing computer would change our idea of human intelligence.

20. Q20:
    James: Chemists have recently invented …Method of Reasoning

    **JAMES' ARGUMENT:** Nuclear waste can be used to extract rhodium, which is used in catalytic converters, which reduce pollution. So nuclear power is contributing to a cleaner environment.

21. Q21:
    Ethicist: A person who treats others well …Must Be False

    If two people treat others well, the one motivated at least partly by compassion is more worthy of praise than the one motivated solely by moral duty.
    * This can be true even though feelings are not chosen.

22. Q22:
    Children fall into three groups …Sufficient Assumption

    Supertasters find sharp cheddar more bitter than mild cheddar, while nontasters find them equally bitter.

23. Q23:
    Donna claims to have found the museum's current …Flawed Parallel Reasoning

    Donna's claim is false.

24. Q24:
    If an external force intervenes to give members …Principle – Conform

    A political community that receives external self-determination probably won't remain free.

25. Q25:
    Some residents of Midville claim that …Identify the Conclusion