PrepTest 139, Section 4, Question 21
If Skiff's book is published this year, Professor(46 more words not shown)
The argument's conclusion can be(10 more words not shown)
- ASkiff's book will(14 more words not shown)
- BSkiff needs to(8 more words not shown)
- CProfessor Nguyen believes(6 more words not shown)
- DSkiff's book will(17 more words not shown)
- ESkiff will not(11 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
A promise to recommend someone isn't a promotion. At first, I'd wonder whether Nguyen will keep her word and whether the dean will listen. But the argument answers both questions: she will keep the promise, and the dean will promote Skiff if she recommends it.
So that part of the path works. Publication this year gets Nguyen's recommendation, and the recommendation gets the promotion. What still needs explaining is how having an important, well-written book gets Skiff onto that path. A publisher might admire a book and still decide it won't sell well enough to publish.
What we’re looking for
We're asked for an assumption that makes the conclusion follow. We need the book's claimed quality to ensure publication this year. Once that happens, the remaining steps are already supplied.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
If the book is as important as Skiff claims, it will be published this year. Now suppose it is both as important and as well written as he claims, as the conclusion specifies. It therefore meets A's importance condition, gets published this year, receives Nguyen's recommendation, and leads to promotion.
A doesn't need to mention being well written. Importance alone is enough under this added rule, so having importance plus good writing also gets us there.
- B
This makes publication something Skiff needs for promotion. It doesn't establish that his book will be published, or that an important and well-written book meets that requirement. Telling us what must happen before a promotion doesn't make that event happen.
- C
Nguyen's opinion of the writing doesn't guarantee publication. Her promise is triggered by the book being published this year, not simply by her liking it. C leaves the missing step between the book's quality and its publication unresolved.
- D
This says publication requires the book to be as important and well written as claimed. We need the relationship in the other direction: that meeting those standards gets the book published. A publisher could refuse every book, including a good one, without violating D. Then D would be true and Skiff's promotion would still not follow.
- E
The argument already says Nguyen's recommendation will get Skiff promoted. E makes that recommendation required as well. But it doesn't establish that she will make it. Her promise still depends on publication, and the argument still needs a way from the book's quality to that event.
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