#26 - The older a country is, the more likely it is to be

[izzy_tingles]

Is it possible that we can eliminate options quickly by focusing on the "probably not" in the stimulus' main conclusion? That fact itself leaves us with A and D. And then we can analyze that A reverses the relationship between Items A and B (how A should have said "if a novel was quite unpopular, it was probably not made into a movie"), leaving us with D.

I know we can't always focus on the exact language like "probably not," but I wonder if this in general is a good technique for more time-consuming parallel reasoning questions? Instead of going through every answer option and analyzing their structures one-by-one? Thank you!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi izzy,

For parallel reasoning questions, we are trying to match the structure of the argument. The structure includes many different elements, including the overall abstract method of the argument, the strength of the conclusion, and the strength of the premises. Looking for something that matches the strength of the conclusion in the stimulus ("probably not") is a completely valid way to start. Just make sure you don't try to match the exact wording. "Probably not" would be the same "unlikely to."

Great reasoning!