PrepTest 127, Section 1, Question 16
Psychologist: The obligation to express gratitude cannot be(49 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(23 more words not shown)
- AIt is an(12 more words not shown)
- BIt is used(13 more words not shown)
- CIt is used(16 more words not shown)
- DIt is used(11 more words not shown)
- EIt is the(8 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Could an anonymous thank-you still express gratitude? I would think so. But the psychologist is making a stronger claim about fulfilling an obligation, and we need to see why the author thinks anonymity prevents that.
The next sentence says that personal interaction remains central to human psychology despite social changes. That is understandable: even when people communicate through messages rather than meeting in person, the interaction can still matter to them. The psychologist then claims that gratitude can positively reinforce helpful behavior only if the benefactor knows who is thanking them.
Now the opening statement looks different. It is not merely a fact we were asked to accept before moving on. The later claims are reasons for it: personal interaction matters, so effective reinforcement requires knowing the source of the gratitude, which is why an anonymous expression supposedly fails to fulfill the obligation.
What we’re looking for
The question asks for the role of that opening statement. It is the conclusion the rest is intended to support. Notice that the final sentence begins with “Thus,” but it still serves as a step toward the opening judgment. To identify the main point, follow what supports what instead of relying on a single word or the sentence's position.
Working the answers
- A
An illustration would be a particular example of a broader point, perhaps a case involving one benefactor and one thank-you. The opening statement is itself the general judgment the psychologist is defending. It is not an example used to illustrate a premise.
- B
The opening statement is not introduced to answer an objection against a separate conclusion. It is the position the psychologist goes on to justify. The reference to changes in society allows for a possible complication, but the claim about anonymous gratitude is the point being supported.
- C
This would place the opening claim at the beginning of a chain of support: it would support another claim that then supports the main conclusion. The argument runs the other way. The claims about personal interaction and effective reinforcement are offered as reasons for the judgment about anonymous gratitude.
- D
The social benefit is encouraging people to repeat behavior that benefits others. That is identified in the final sentence. The opening statement instead gives the conclusion about how the obligation to express gratitude can be fulfilled.
- ECorrect
The psychologist's main claim is that anonymous gratitude cannot fulfill the obligation to express gratitude. The continued importance of personal interaction supports the claim about effective positive reinforcement, and that claim helps explain why the gratitude's source must be known. Those later reasons lead back to the opening conclusion. We can identify that structure whether or not we find the reasons convincing.
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