#13 - The top priority of the school administration should

[ebertasi]

I can't seem to figure out how E is the correct answer. I chose A because the top priority was the necessary condition in the conclusion and the sufficient condition in the premise "only if the customer feels at ease." The rest of the arguments, including the stimulus, all have the top priority as the necessary condition in the premise as well as the conclusion. This is how I reasoned it and obviously my reasoning must be wrong, but I can't figure out why.
The only other thing which makes E the better answer is just looking at the argument abstractly because E is the only argument that the top priority "allows" for something else to happen. The rest of the arguments all are that the top priority is necessary in order for the other things to matter.

I would appreciate some help because I don't really understand this question much less my own reasoning for it.

Thanks

[Steve Stein]

Thanks for your question. In that one, the author starts with the conclusion:
student attendance should be top priority. The premise: considerations of quality don't matter if the kids aren't showing up.

So, in the abstract the author is saying, "This one thing should be top priority; because without this bottom line consideration, nothing else matters.

Since the question is a Parallel Except question, the four wrong answer choices (A through D) will bear a strong resemblance to this line of reasoning. The correct answer choice (E) willl not.

A: Top priority should be not alienating customers--if customers feel alienated, those other things (honesty, knowledge) lose their value.

B: Top priority if you get lost should be food--without food, those other things don't matter.

C: Top priority for a detective should be gathering crucial evidence; without such evidence those other things don't matter.

D: Top priority for a library should be maintaining its book supply. Without adequate book supply, those other things don't matter.

Answer choice E starts out alright, but then goes off track:

E: Top priority for a defense lawyer should be making sure innnocent people are found innocent. Then they can have normal lives.

Please let me know whether that makes sense--thanks!

~Steve

[ebertasi]

Thank you for the explanation.

I understand the why E is the correct answer for the abstraction test, but when I first approached the questions I chose A because of the "only if." It seemed like it had reversed the conditional reasoning.

[juaninmiami69]

I got this question wrong because I failed to see it was an EXCEPT question. I would have got it right if I would have seen that. I'm kicking myself for it. Thanks for the explanation Steve. I answered C, just for reference.

[srusty]

I got this question wrong because I failed to see it was an EXCEPT question. I would have got it right if I would have seen that. I'm kicking myself for it. Thanks for the explanation Steve. I answered C, just for reference.

Hi Juan,

It happens! Next time you come across an "EXCEPT" or "LEAST" just make sure to make note of it somehow in your brain (I read it loudly in my head!) to make sure you're answering the question correctly. Like was pointed out earlier, E is the least similar because it does not make a comparison to other factors.

Hope this helps!

[juaninmiami69]

It does. Thanks for the reply.