PrepTest 121, Section 4, Question 20
Advertisement: The Country Classic is the only kind(63 more words not shown)
The advertisement is misleading if(7 more words not shown)
- AAll of the(18 more words not shown)
- BMost kinds of(22 more words not shown)
- CWithout an antilock(31 more words not shown)
- DOther cars in(28 more words not shown)
- EThe Country Classic(10 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
TrackAid may work. Is it the only technology that works?
The advertisement tells us what TrackAid does: it keeps the rear wheels from spinning on slippery surfaces. That's a useful benefit. But a competitor could have a different system that does the same job. Being the only car with this particular feature name doesn't automatically make the Country Classic the only reasonable choice for someone concerned about safety.
And what about the rest of the car? Imagine excellent braking equipment in a car that lacks another important safety feature, such as airbags. We aren't told that the Country Classic has that problem. The example shows why one favorable comparison wouldn't settle its overall safety.
What we’re looking for
For the weakening question, I'd look for either of those gaps: other cars might prevent the same danger in another way, or the Country Classic might have other safety drawbacks. The advertisement needs more than an exclusive feature to justify its exclusive recommendation.
Working the answers
- A
This initially looks useful: the other cars have antilock brakes too. But the advertisement could reply, “Yes, and ours also include TrackAid.” Ordinary antilock braking prevents wheels from locking during hard braking; TrackAid supplies the additional rear-wheel benefit described. A doesn't tell us whether competitors provide that benefit. It leaves the ad's claimed advantage available.
- B
The manufacturer's identity doesn't settle which car offers which safety protections. One company could make several models with different features. Knowing most of these cars come from the same company does not undermine the claimed reason to choose the Country Classic.
- C
This compares two risks in cars without antilock brakes. But the Country Classic has antilock brakes, and the passage doesn't say its competitors lack them. Nor does knowing which problem is more likely without the system show that another available car offers equally good protection. C doesn't address the comparison supporting the recommendation.
- DCorrect
Other cars prevent rear-wheel spinning using a different method. So TrackAid isn't the only way to get the safety benefit the advertisement relies on.
Imagine a competitor calling its system “Ben's Brakes.” If it prevents the same problem, lacking the TrackAid name doesn't disqualify that car. D doesn't have to prove that every competitor is safer overall. It undermines the step from “Only we have TrackAid” to “Only our car is for safety-conscious buyers.”
- E
A higher price could matter to a shopper, but it doesn't rebut the safety reasoning here. The most expensive car could still be the only one with a particular safety advantage. E tells us about cost without addressing whether the other cars provide comparable protection.
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