PrepTest 119, Section 4, Question 13
James: Many people claim that the voting public(68 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(8 more words not shown)
- AReade's opponents are(8 more words not shown)
- BReade's opponents charge(6 more words not shown)
- CPolling data show(9 more words not shown)
- DPolling data show(10 more words not shown)
- EPolling data show(8 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Maybe voters like Reade for a completely different reason.
Reade discusses complicated issues and is popular. That doesn't establish that understanding those discussions explains the popularity. A voter might respond to Reade's appearance or simply think, 'This candidate seems smart,' without following the policy details.
Maria agrees that Reade is the most popular candidate but offers another account: voters see Reade as the most competent and trustworthy. That isn't proved either. We currently have competing explanations, and the question asks us to support Maria's response to James.
What we’re looking for
We could do that by supplying evidence for Maria's account or by undermining James's. I'd look for a reason to think competence and trustworthiness matter here, or a reason to doubt that voters' understanding of the complex issues explains their preference. Keep both routes open as we read the choices.
Working the answers
- A
This initially looks promising: if the other candidates discuss the same issues, perhaps discussing those issues doesn't explain what makes Reade more popular. But read the scope. They discuss some of the same issues, not necessarily all of them, and discussing the same topic doesn't mean taking the same position or explaining it equally well.
Reade might discuss a thousand matters while an opponent overlaps on just one. Even with substantial overlap, voters could prefer Reade's treatment of the issues. A leaves James's explanation very much available.
- B
An opponent's accusation doesn't establish that Reade oversimplifies anything. More importantly, it doesn't tell us why voters favor Reade. We need evidence about the basis of the popularity, not merely a rival's criticism.
- C
The question is why Reade is popular now, not whether that popularity will last. A future decline could occur under either James's explanation or Maria's. It doesn't choose between them.
- DCorrect
Most voters can't identify Reade's positions on the issues. That gives us a direct reason to doubt that understanding Reade's discussion of complex policy is driving the popularity. It supports Maria's rejection of James's explanation.
This is stronger than A. Other candidates discussing some of the same subjects leaves voters free to understand and prefer Reade's positions. D raises doubt about whether most voters know those positions at all. It doesn't prove Maria's entire alternative account, but it strongly supports her counter to James.
- E
Some voters considering Reade competent and trustworthy isn't the comparison Maria makes. She says voters see Reade as the most competent and trustworthy candidate. Those voters might also consider every rival competent and trustworthy, perhaps even more so. The limited statement about some voters doesn't establish the comparative impression offered to explain Reade's leading popularity.
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