- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8950
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:00 am
#36700
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen—Principle. The correct answer choice is (D)
The argument structure can be analyzed as follows:
in telekinesis uses an ambiguously phrased question, and, on that basis, the author concludes that
the survey’s responses will also be ambiguous. Unfortunately, we have no evidence suggesting
that an ambiguously worded question is likely to produce an ambiguous response. Just because the
statement is amenable to a naturalistic, uncontroversial interpretation does not necessarily mean that
any students would actually interpret it in such way, let alone imply that their responses would be as
ambiguous as the question itself.
Because the question stem asks us to identify a general proposition to which the stimulus conforms,
this is a Strengthen-PR question (unlike a question stem asking us to identify a proposition that
conforms to the stimulus, which would be a Must-PR question). It is also worth noting that the
phrase “general proposition” is often used in place of “principle.” Our goal, therefore, is to take
a broad, general proposition that, when applied to the situation in the stimulus, helps support the
conclusion that the survey’s responses are likely to be ambiguous.
Answer choice (A): The issue with the statement regarding telekinesis is not that it is
uncontroversial, but that it is ambiguous. The uncontroversial interpretation of the statement is
only a result of its allegedly ambiguous meaning. Furthermore, the author never suggested that this
statement was downright useless—she merely expressed a reservation concerning the responses
generated by a survey that contains ambiguous statements. This answer choice does not help prove
the conclusion and is therefore incorrect.
Answer choice (B): The problem with this answer is that it does not help strengthen the conclusion
that the survey’s responses are ambiguous. Even if every statement is amenable to multiple
interpretations, this does not automatically mean that survey responses to that question are
ambiguous.
Answer choice (C): This is the most frequently selected incorrect answer choice, as it relates the
language of a survey’s questions to the nature of its responses. However, answer choice (C) is a
Mistaken Negation of the correct answer. Applying this principle fails to strengthen the argument
since it applies to surveys whose questions are well phrased, not surveys whose questions are not.
Just because the responses to well phrased questions are unambiguous does not prove that the
responses to poorly phrased questions are ambiguous.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. When combined with the premise that the
statement regarding telekinesis is ambiguous, this principle provides overwhelming support for the
conclusion that the responses generated by that question are also ambiguous.
Note the general nature of the language used in this principle. Although it relates the phrasing of
the questions to the survey’s outcome, this principle does not address the topic of psychic ability
or uncontroversial interpretations, nor does it specifically examine the impact of “ambiguous
statements” on a survey’s responses. Instead, the principle focuses on “poorly phrased questions.”
However, because ambiguous statements can be subsumed within the category of “poorly phrased
statements,” the specific situation described in the stimulus still falls under the purview of this
principle. Such generalities are quite common of Strengthen-PR answer choices.
Also note that even if you disagree with this principle, you cannot eliminate answer choice (D) on
that basis alone. Remember, in Strengthen questions, the question stem implies that the answers
should be taken as true.
Answer choice (E): The author’s argument is not focused on statements about psychic phenomena in
general, but rather on the ambiguous wording of certain statements regarding psychic phenomena.
If statements about psychic phenomena can always be given naturalistic interpretations, then any
survey seeking to determine our beliefs in psychic phenomena will be inherently biased in favor of
naturalistic explanations. Because adopting this principle is inconsistent with the author’s reasoning,
this answer choice cannot strengthen the conclusion and is therefore incorrect.
Strengthen—Principle. The correct answer choice is (D)
The argument structure can be analyzed as follows:
- Premise: To discover what percentage of teenagers believe in telekinesis—the psychic
ability to move objects without physically touching them—a recent survey
asked a representative sample of teenagers whether they agreed with the
following statement: “A person’s thoughts can influence the movement of
physical objects.”
Premise: But because this statement is particularly ambiguous and is amenable to a
naturalistic, uncontroversial interpretation,
Conclusion: the survey’s responses are also ambiguous.
in telekinesis uses an ambiguously phrased question, and, on that basis, the author concludes that
the survey’s responses will also be ambiguous. Unfortunately, we have no evidence suggesting
that an ambiguously worded question is likely to produce an ambiguous response. Just because the
statement is amenable to a naturalistic, uncontroversial interpretation does not necessarily mean that
any students would actually interpret it in such way, let alone imply that their responses would be as
ambiguous as the question itself.
Because the question stem asks us to identify a general proposition to which the stimulus conforms,
this is a Strengthen-PR question (unlike a question stem asking us to identify a proposition that
conforms to the stimulus, which would be a Must-PR question). It is also worth noting that the
phrase “general proposition” is often used in place of “principle.” Our goal, therefore, is to take
a broad, general proposition that, when applied to the situation in the stimulus, helps support the
conclusion that the survey’s responses are likely to be ambiguous.
Answer choice (A): The issue with the statement regarding telekinesis is not that it is
uncontroversial, but that it is ambiguous. The uncontroversial interpretation of the statement is
only a result of its allegedly ambiguous meaning. Furthermore, the author never suggested that this
statement was downright useless—she merely expressed a reservation concerning the responses
generated by a survey that contains ambiguous statements. This answer choice does not help prove
the conclusion and is therefore incorrect.
Answer choice (B): The problem with this answer is that it does not help strengthen the conclusion
that the survey’s responses are ambiguous. Even if every statement is amenable to multiple
interpretations, this does not automatically mean that survey responses to that question are
ambiguous.
Answer choice (C): This is the most frequently selected incorrect answer choice, as it relates the
language of a survey’s questions to the nature of its responses. However, answer choice (C) is a
Mistaken Negation of the correct answer. Applying this principle fails to strengthen the argument
since it applies to surveys whose questions are well phrased, not surveys whose questions are not.
Just because the responses to well phrased questions are unambiguous does not prove that the
responses to poorly phrased questions are ambiguous.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. When combined with the premise that the
statement regarding telekinesis is ambiguous, this principle provides overwhelming support for the
conclusion that the responses generated by that question are also ambiguous.
Note the general nature of the language used in this principle. Although it relates the phrasing of
the questions to the survey’s outcome, this principle does not address the topic of psychic ability
or uncontroversial interpretations, nor does it specifically examine the impact of “ambiguous
statements” on a survey’s responses. Instead, the principle focuses on “poorly phrased questions.”
However, because ambiguous statements can be subsumed within the category of “poorly phrased
statements,” the specific situation described in the stimulus still falls under the purview of this
principle. Such generalities are quite common of Strengthen-PR answer choices.
Also note that even if you disagree with this principle, you cannot eliminate answer choice (D) on
that basis alone. Remember, in Strengthen questions, the question stem implies that the answers
should be taken as true.
Answer choice (E): The author’s argument is not focused on statements about psychic phenomena in
general, but rather on the ambiguous wording of certain statements regarding psychic phenomena.
If statements about psychic phenomena can always be given naturalistic interpretations, then any
survey seeking to determine our beliefs in psychic phenomena will be inherently biased in favor of
naturalistic explanations. Because adopting this principle is inconsistent with the author’s reasoning,
this answer choice cannot strengthen the conclusion and is therefore incorrect.