PrepTest 111, Section 4, Question 6
Many people are alarmed about the population explosion.(42 more words not shown)
The questionable pattern of reasoning(15 more words not shown)
- ASubscribers to newsmagazines(49 more words not shown)
- BMost of the(34 more words not shown)
- CParents are concerned(33 more words not shown)
- DNutritionists warn people(33 more words not shown)
- ESome consumers become(44 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Maybe the economy grew because of better technology, not because there were more people.
The author tells us that population growth was followed by economic growth. I'll accept that sequence. But it doesn't establish that increasing the population produced the economic benefit. Something else could have improved the economy during the same period.
I'd also want to know whether the benefit would continue as the population grew. An increase that initially fits the available resources might eventually strain them. The fact that growth has accompanied a benefit doesn't settle every concern about further growth.
What we’re looking for
For the parallel flaw, the key pattern is: people are worried about something; a desirable result has accompanied it; therefore we shouldn't take action against the thing they're worried about. That recommendation treats the favorable result as a reason to preserve the suspected problem without establishing that the problem deserves credit for the result.
Working the answers
- A
This argues from a principle about fairness: one group of postal users shouldn't receive a subsidy at others' expense. It doesn't point to some separate success occurring alongside higher postage and use that connection as a reason to leave the situation alone. A price justified by a fairness rule isn't our pattern.
- BCorrect
The manager's aggressive behavior takes the place of population growth, and increased sales take the place of economic growth. People are concerned about the first, but the favorable second result is used to recommend taking no action.
What if sales increased because the product improved and customers wanted it despite the manager's behavior? The manager's aggression could be a problem without being responsible for the success. Likewise, population growth could accompany economic growth without causing it. B uses the same unsupported connection to dismiss the concern.
- C
This proposes a way to turn television time into time parents spend with their children. It doesn't report that increased television watching has already been followed by some independent favorable trend. The response suggests a different use of the activity, rather than attributing an observed success to the behavior people want to change.
- D
This points to the foods' history and the enjoyment of variety as reasons for caution about removing them. It doesn't identify a favorable trend accompanying the unhealthy eating and then use that association to justify taking no action. A proposed benefit of keeping variety is a different kind of support.
- E
This predicts that a trend will reverse: years of price increases supposedly mean a decline is coming. The original doesn't forecast the reversal of population growth or economic growth. It uses the two developments together to defend leaving one of them unchecked. E's reasoning has a different structure.
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