PrepTest 156, Section 4, Question 3
James: The world is increasingly divided between the(93 more words not shown)
James and Ariel disagree over(1 more words not shown)
- Athe economic gap(6 more words not shown)
- Bthe economic gap(20 more words not shown)
- Cbusinesses' need for(4 more words not shown)
- Dthe economic gap(16 more words not shown)
- Ecompanies will have(7 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
James describes a problem that can feed on itself. A gap in wealth helps create a gap in computer skills, and the growing importance of those skills then makes the wealth gap bigger. For example, having less money might limit someone's access to computers; weaker computer skills could then limit that person's opportunities to earn more.
Ariel says, 'I disagree,' but we need to keep reading to find out what she rejects. She thinks employers' need for computer skills will push them to train nearly everyone. That training will reduce the skills gap, so computer literacy won't be what widens the economic gap.
Would everyone actually receive the training? What if people without basic computer skills can't get hired in the first place? An employer might teach new software to employees who already know how to use computers while leaving other applicants outside the door. That is a possible objection to Ariel, but this question doesn't ask us to decide who has the better argument.
What we’re looking for
We need the claim on which their answers differ. Will the growing importance of computer literacy widen the gap between rich and poor? James says yes. Ariel says no. Keep the proposed cause in that prediction; disagreement about why a gap might widen isn't necessarily disagreement about whether it will widen.
Working the answers
- A
James predicts a wider gap, but Ariel doesn't say the gap won't widen. She says that if it does, computer literacy won't be the cause. Other forces might widen it. That leaves room for Ariel to accept James's prediction about the gap while rejecting his explanation for it.
- B
This concerns what is causing the computer-skills division now. James says the existing economic gap is partly responsible, and Ariel never denies that. Her response concerns what employer training will do in the future. We can't turn her disagreement with one part of James's argument into disagreement with every part.
- C
Ariel explicitly expects businesses to need more computer-literate employees. James doesn't discuss businesses' hiring needs in that detail. His claim that computer literacy is becoming more important could fit comfortably with hers. There is no stated disagreement here.
- DCorrect
This includes both the future widening and the particular cause. James says the increasing importance of computer literacy will widen the economic gap. Ariel says that whatever widens the gap, it won't be that. These are opposing positions on the same claim.
- E
Ariel expects companies to train workers, but James doesn't tell us whether he thinks that will happen. He could accept some or even substantial training and still think differences in computer skills will worsen economic inequality. Without a position from James on this training claim, we can't identify it as their disagreement.
More Disagreement questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Disagreement questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.