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#36497
Complete Question Explanation

Weaken. The correct answer choice is (C)

People who suffer from high levels of anxiety can be treated with either long-term or short-term
relaxation training. Recipients of both forms of treatments are relieved of their symptoms of anxiety
within the period of time that the short-term training takes. Thus, the author concludes, for most
people the longer term treatment, which usually costs more, is not warranted. The argument breaks
down as follows:
  • Premise: High anxiety can be treated with long-term or short-term relaxation training.

    Premise: Both types of treatment relieve symptoms within the short-term period.

    Conclusion: For most people, the longer and costlier treatment is unwarranted.
The stimulus is followed by a Weaken question, so the correct answer choice will help to refute the
conclusion that for most people, the longer term treatment would be unwarranted. To do so, the right
answer choice will provide some new consideration that justifies the choice to use the long-term
relaxation training rather than short-term relaxation training.

In other words, the correct answer choice will probably either provide some previously unmentioned
detriment associated with the short term treatment, or some new benefit associated with the longer
term treatment that could warrant its use.

Answer choice (A): The relevant comparison in this case is between long and short term training,
and whether the longer term approach is generally unwarranted when compared with the short
term approach. The fact that there might be some symptomatic decrease without treatment does not
weaken the author’s conclusion, which is that the short term relaxation training approach appears to
be sufficient.

Answer choice (B): The author’s point is that since both approaches appear to bring relief within the
time it takes to complete the short term treatment, the longer term treatment is unwarranted. While
the author does mention that long term treatment is generally more expensive, this choice does not
weaken the author’s conclusion that for most people, the longer term approach is unwarranted.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice, providing a previously unmentioned
advantage that long term relaxation training has over short term training. If the long term trainees
are less likely to have recurring anxiety, this is certainly a strong selling point for the long term
approach.

Answer choice (D): The power to heal one’s own anxiety has nothing to do with the author’s
conclusion that for most people, the longer term relaxation treatment of anxiety is unwarranted
because the short term treatment seems to be sufficient.

Answer choice (E): Again, the author’s conclusion is that for most people, the long term relaxation
therapy approach is unwarranted, and we are seeking to weaken this argument. Since this answer
choice provides no additional reasons for choosing the longer term approach over the short term
approach, it cannot be the correct answer to this weaken question.
 lsatstudier
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#31641
Hi,

I was wondering if someone could please explain how this is a cause and effect question type question. I answered the question correctly, but I am wondering if I am missing something in not seeing the CE language when reading it.

Thank you!
 Kristina Moen
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#31643
Hi lsatstudier,

The Causal Indicators list is not an exhaustive list. Here, the argument is about treatment for anxiety and the results of that treatment. Thus, the argument is establishing a causal relationship between the treatment (long-term and short-term relaxation) and the results (decreasing symptoms of anxiety). Hope that helps.
 cardinal2017
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#34002
Why is (B) incorrect?

I chose (C) and yet was confused with (B) a lot.

Is it because they are talking/doubting about the efficiency of the long term training (Effect v. time taken) in the conclusion and (C) as compared to (B), in which they are talking about prices as a main issue (even compromising either training's teacher quality?

Thanks in advance!
 Kristina Moen
PowerScore Staff
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#34020
Hi cardinal,

You've got it! The conclusion is all about efficacy. The long-term training is "unwarranted." Why? Because short-term training gets anxiety levels back to normal just as well. The idea here is that the long-term part is unnecessary. There could be many different levels of expense for short-term training depending on the expertise of the instructor. But that expensive short-term instructor is probably even more expensive for long-term training, right? :lol:

However, answer choice (C) weakens the conclusion by offering another reason why someone might choose long-term training over short-term training (fewer recurrences of anxiety attacks).

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