Logical Reasoning

PT1 · S3 · Q19 Train service suffers when a railroad

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Train service suffers when a railroad combines commuter and freight service.

Conclusion (therefore)

A railroad must concentrate exclusively on either commuter or freight service in order to be successful.

Evidence

The railroad suffers when it combines commuter and freight service because it divides its attention between the two markets.

This division means that the railroad serves neither market particularly well.

Evaluate

Pattern: This argument relies on a causal chain: dividing attention leads to poor service, which in turn prevents business success. In order for the conclusion—that exclusive concentration is necessary for success—to hold, the argument must assume that serving customers well is essential to being a successful business.

Goal

We need an answer that bridges the gap between poor customer service and business success. That is, the argument assumes that unless a railroad serves its customers well, it will not be successful. The correct assumption would indicate that high-quality service is a precondition for business success, meaning that divided attention (and the resulting poor service) is indeed detrimental to success.

19.

For the argument to be logically correct, it must make which of the of the following assumptions?

  1. Commuter and freight service have

    Too Strong / Irrelevant Comparison

    Although the two markets are different, the argument does not require that they have “little in common” in order for divided attention to be harmful to service quality.

    9% picked this

  2. The first priority of a

    Out of Scope

    The argument discusses what is necessary to achieve success, not the railroad’s priorities, so this isn’t a needed assumption for the reasoning.

    14% picked this

  3. Correct

    Unless a railroad serves its

    Why this is right

    This directly fills the gap in the argument by linking poor service (from divided attention) to business failure, thereby supporting the conclusion that focusing on one market is necessary for success.

    Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    67% picked this

  4. If a railroad concentrates on

    Reversal

    This reverses the relationship in the conclusion of the argument.

    7% picked this

  5. Railroad commuters rarely want freight

    Irrelevant Quality

    Whether or not commuters desire freight service is irrelevant to the argument’s claim about the consequences of dividing attention between two markets on service quality and overall success.

    3% picked this

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