PrepTest 121, Section 1, Question 14
Among a sample of diverse coins from an(59 more words not shown)
If the statements above are(15 more words not shown)
- AAll those with(12 more words not shown)
- BAll those with(12 more words not shown)
- CNone of those(13 more words not shown)
- DNone of those(13 more words not shown)
- ENone of those(13 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
The judge gets a tree. That doesn't mean every tree gets a judge.
Each coin has two faces, with a judge's head, an explorer's head, a building, or a tree on each face. We know no coin has heads on both sides. We also know every judge coin has a tree on its other side.
It's tempting to pair off the pictures: judge with tree, explorer with building. But wait—why couldn't an explorer have a tree on the other side? That would have just one head, and it wouldn't break the rule about judge coins. We've assigned trees to judges, not reserved all trees exclusively for judges.
What we’re looking for
There may also be coins without a head at all; “no heads on both sides” doesn't require a head on either side. For the must-be-true question, keep the actual restrictions and test each proposed claim. Don't add a complete pairing scheme the passage never gave us.
Working the answers
- A
An explorer could have a tree on the other side. That coin would satisfy both rules: it has only one head, and it has no judge requiring a different arrangement. So explorers don't have to come with buildings.
- B
This makes trees exclusive to judges. But an explorer/tree coin is still allowed, as is a building/tree coin. Knowing that every judge needs a tree doesn't tell us that every tree needs a judge.
- C
Why rule out an explorer/tree coin? Neither rule forbids it. This repeats the tempting idea that judges have claimed every tree, but the passage only specifies what must be opposite a judge.
- DCorrect
A building cannot have a judge on the other side. If it did, we'd have a judge coin without a tree opposite the judge, directly breaking the stated rule. The judge's requirement gives us this restriction no matter which side of the coin we inspect first.
- E
An explorer/building coin is allowed too. Explorers can have either buildings or trees opposite them without violating the rules. A was wrong to require a building; E is wrong to forbid one. A possibility isn't the same as a requirement or a prohibition.
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