PrepTest 144, Section 4, Question 8
Satellite navigation systems (satnavs) for cars, in which(70 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(6 more words not shown)
- APeople who are(24 more words not shown)
- BThe more fuel(19 more words not shown)
- CDrivers who do(21 more words not shown)
- DDrivers who own(24 more words not shown)
- EDrivers who are(16 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
I can see why spoken directions would help. A driver who avoids wrong turns travels fewer miles, and a driver who listens to directions can keep looking at the road instead of a paper map. The study gives us evidence for both benefits.
Could the computer's voice itself be distracting? That's a possible concern. Keeping your eyes on the road doesn't necessarily mean your attention is fully on driving. But we don't have to reject a sensible argument just because we can imagine a concern.
What we’re looking for
We're asked to strengthen it. Evidence that people using the system have fewer accidents would help, as would evidence that the voice doesn't create a new distraction. More generally, look for support connecting the use of these directions to safer driving or lower fuel consumption.
Working the answers
- A
Frequent travelers to unfamiliar places may have more reason to use navigation systems. That tells us who is likely to use one, not whether using one saves fuel or makes driving safer. Popularity doesn't establish the claimed benefits.
- B
A driver of a fuel-hungry vehicle may have more incentive to find a short route than a driver of an efficient vehicle. But we're comparing navigation methods, not types of cars. Motivation to save fuel doesn't show what the navigation system actually accomplishes.
- C
Planning a route before leaving might be useful. This answer compares people who often travel to unfamiliar places with people who rarely do. It doesn't show that spoken navigation improves safety or fuel use compared with using a paper map.
- D
Owning a device and following its directions are different. Owners might ignore it on their usual drive to work and still benefit when they use it for a new destination. D tells us about their preferences on familiar routes, leaving the claimed effects of using the system unresolved.
- ECorrect
Timely directions can prevent a driver from suddenly cutting across lanes or swerving toward an exit after realizing it is about to be missed. E says that drivers given directions as needed are less likely to make those risky moves. That supplies another concrete reason why the spoken directions promote safety. We don't need the answer to improve both parts of the conclusion; added support for the safety benefit strengthens the argument.
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