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- Mon Apr 25, 2016 2:21 pm
#23333
Complete Question Explanation
Parallel Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (B)
The stimulus states that usually it is not a good idea to plant snap-peas after late April, because snap peas do not develop well in warm weather. The stimulus then argues that, this particular year, snap peas planted in mid-May should be fine, because weather was unusually cool late into June.
The reasoning in the stimulus is fairly good. If a cause-effect relationship exists, removing the cause can remove the effect.
You can point out that there could be other things that might cause harm to snap-peas, or that we don't know the exact development period, but you should probably just focus on the general method, since the question doesn't mention a flaw.
An appropriate test of abstraction is: "Unusual situations have unusual results." You should note that in the stimulus, the experts seemingly ignore that.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice actually contests expert advice by suggesting it is entirely false. The stimulus never claimed experts were wrong, only that their recommendations wouldn't apply in an unusual case.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. Since the situation described is unusual, or at least different from many south-facing windows, the African violets should get enough shade, and the outcome will be positive-- unusual for African violets placed by south-facing windows. Furthermore, the experts do not seem to comment.
Answer choice (C): This response involves an unusual situation as well. However, the stimulus contained a situation in which the outcome would be positive because of the change, but this choice contains a situation in which the outcome would be negative. On that level, this response is not as good as answer choice (B). Furthermore, this choice mentioned what experts "often" recommend, so we cannot be sure that experts don't have a specific recommendation for maple plantings.
Answer choice (D): This choice contains an exception to a general rule, which is similar to the unusual situation in the stimulus. However, in this response the experts actually make a specific recommendation for the unusual situation, but that never occurred in the stimulus.
Answer choice (E): This response contains an exception to a general rule, but once again, a specific rule for amaryllis plants seems to exist. The experts in the stimulus seemed to ignore a possibility, so this response is incorrect.
Parallel Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (B)
The stimulus states that usually it is not a good idea to plant snap-peas after late April, because snap peas do not develop well in warm weather. The stimulus then argues that, this particular year, snap peas planted in mid-May should be fine, because weather was unusually cool late into June.
The reasoning in the stimulus is fairly good. If a cause-effect relationship exists, removing the cause can remove the effect.
You can point out that there could be other things that might cause harm to snap-peas, or that we don't know the exact development period, but you should probably just focus on the general method, since the question doesn't mention a flaw.
An appropriate test of abstraction is: "Unusual situations have unusual results." You should note that in the stimulus, the experts seemingly ignore that.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice actually contests expert advice by suggesting it is entirely false. The stimulus never claimed experts were wrong, only that their recommendations wouldn't apply in an unusual case.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. Since the situation described is unusual, or at least different from many south-facing windows, the African violets should get enough shade, and the outcome will be positive-- unusual for African violets placed by south-facing windows. Furthermore, the experts do not seem to comment.
Answer choice (C): This response involves an unusual situation as well. However, the stimulus contained a situation in which the outcome would be positive because of the change, but this choice contains a situation in which the outcome would be negative. On that level, this response is not as good as answer choice (B). Furthermore, this choice mentioned what experts "often" recommend, so we cannot be sure that experts don't have a specific recommendation for maple plantings.
Answer choice (D): This choice contains an exception to a general rule, which is similar to the unusual situation in the stimulus. However, in this response the experts actually make a specific recommendation for the unusual situation, but that never occurred in the stimulus.
Answer choice (E): This response contains an exception to a general rule, but once again, a specific rule for amaryllis plants seems to exist. The experts in the stimulus seemed to ignore a possibility, so this response is incorrect.