Hi Checkmate,
The conditionality is present in phrases such as "
all of..." and "John does
not know..." That said, let's review the stimulus:
- Premise: All of John's friends [say they know someone who smoked 40 cigarettes a day for the past 40 years who is fit and well.
Premise: John doesn't know anyone like that.
Premise: It is certain John is not unique among his friends in this respect.
[/list]
So, if you add all of that up, we have a problem: All John's friends say they know a person like this, but John doesn't and
he is not unique among his friends in not knowing someone like that. So, either John isn't telling the truth or his friends aren't. But note the way the stimulus phrases the presentation of information: John's friends
say they know someone like this, whereas John is presented as flatly not knowing anyone like this, and further that
it is quite certain he is not unique. Thus, the stimulus points out that John's statements are accurate, and if that is the case, then the representation of at least one of his friends must not be true. "At least one" is the equivalent of "some," and hence answer choice (E) is correct.
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
