- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Mon Apr 15, 2019 4:21 pm
#64129
Complete Question Explanation
Method of Reasoning—PR. The correct answer choice is (A)
Here we are presented with a dialogue between Claude and Larissa regarding job candidates who salt
their food before tasting it. Claude sees this as a fault, because he believes such decisions are made
without adequate information. Larissa disagrees, comparing the salting with two types of decisions
she commonly makes without much consideration. Before walking into a supermarket she puts on a
sweater, and before opening credit card offers she throws them away. Both are decisions she believes
have been justifiably made, based on the ability to predict an outcome based on past experience.
The stimulus is followed by a Method Principle question, and this answer can be effectively
prephrased. Larissa’s response is to present two scenarios in which she also makes decisions without
complete information. She disagrees with Claude’s assertion that such decisions are ill-informed.
She feels that decisions like these are justified, because they are more generally supported by
information from past experience.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. The general principle advanced in Larissa’s
argument is that where personal preference is concerned, it is sometimes acceptable to make a
specific decision even without all of the facts surrounding that particular instance. Larissa believes
that making such a decision does not necessarily reflect poor decision making, because more general
information about such circumstances might be sufficient.
Answer choice (B): This choice’s principle is that when it comes to professional decision making,
one should not consider job-related behavior in drawing general conclusions about a person’s
character. Neither speaker brought up the issue of character judgement in the stimulus. Additionally,
both Claude and Larissa discuss non-job related behavior, so this choice fails on at least two counts.
Answer choice (C): The two speakers do discuss behavior that is not directly job-related, but they
both appear to agree that the behaviors discussed might indicate a pattern. Claude believes that this
pattern (of making decisions in particular instances of imperfect information) reflects poorly on
one’s decision making abilities, and Larissa disagrees). Since this choice deals specifically with
behavior that does not indicate a pattern, this cannot be the principle reflected in Larissa’s response.
Answer choice (D): The dialogue presented is not about adherence to social norms, but rather about
decision making in instances where not all information has been considered. There is no indication
that any of the behaviors discussed in the stimulus would be non-conforming, so this choice can be
ruled out as well.
Answer choice (E): This choice is incorrect because Larissa does not agree that Claude’s scenario
exemplifies bad judgement. Only Claude believes that salting untasted food equates to poor decision
making, so this choice does not describe the principle advanced by Larissa in her response.
Method of Reasoning—PR. The correct answer choice is (A)
Here we are presented with a dialogue between Claude and Larissa regarding job candidates who salt
their food before tasting it. Claude sees this as a fault, because he believes such decisions are made
without adequate information. Larissa disagrees, comparing the salting with two types of decisions
she commonly makes without much consideration. Before walking into a supermarket she puts on a
sweater, and before opening credit card offers she throws them away. Both are decisions she believes
have been justifiably made, based on the ability to predict an outcome based on past experience.
The stimulus is followed by a Method Principle question, and this answer can be effectively
prephrased. Larissa’s response is to present two scenarios in which she also makes decisions without
complete information. She disagrees with Claude’s assertion that such decisions are ill-informed.
She feels that decisions like these are justified, because they are more generally supported by
information from past experience.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. The general principle advanced in Larissa’s
argument is that where personal preference is concerned, it is sometimes acceptable to make a
specific decision even without all of the facts surrounding that particular instance. Larissa believes
that making such a decision does not necessarily reflect poor decision making, because more general
information about such circumstances might be sufficient.
Answer choice (B): This choice’s principle is that when it comes to professional decision making,
one should not consider job-related behavior in drawing general conclusions about a person’s
character. Neither speaker brought up the issue of character judgement in the stimulus. Additionally,
both Claude and Larissa discuss non-job related behavior, so this choice fails on at least two counts.
Answer choice (C): The two speakers do discuss behavior that is not directly job-related, but they
both appear to agree that the behaviors discussed might indicate a pattern. Claude believes that this
pattern (of making decisions in particular instances of imperfect information) reflects poorly on
one’s decision making abilities, and Larissa disagrees). Since this choice deals specifically with
behavior that does not indicate a pattern, this cannot be the principle reflected in Larissa’s response.
Answer choice (D): The dialogue presented is not about adherence to social norms, but rather about
decision making in instances where not all information has been considered. There is no indication
that any of the behaviors discussed in the stimulus would be non-conforming, so this choice can be
ruled out as well.
Answer choice (E): This choice is incorrect because Larissa does not agree that Claude’s scenario
exemplifies bad judgement. Only Claude believes that salting untasted food equates to poor decision
making, so this choice does not describe the principle advanced by Larissa in her response.