Logical Reasoning

PT102 · S2 · Q5 Advances in photocopying technology allow criminals

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Advances in photocopying technology allow criminals with no printing expertise to counterfeit paper currency.

Conclusion

Special ink should be adopted, despite the expense.

Evidence (because)

The cheaper alternative, microprinting, allows for counterfeits that circulate widely before being detected (it's easy for experts to detect that they're fakes, but it sounds like it's not so easy for non-experts, which is why it circulates widely).

Special ink would make it easy for non-experts to recognize fakes.

Goal

We need some way to argue that special ink isn't a good idea. Maybe we could defend microprinting as a better option. Maybe there's a third option we haven't heard. Maybe we can hear something negative about special ink.

5.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument?

  1. The longer the interval between

    Strengthens

    This strengthens, by making it seem like the bad part about microprinting (circulates for a while before being discovered) is really bad.

    3% picked this

  2. Correct

    Sophisticated counterfeiters could produce currency

    Why this is right

    This is a bad thing about the ink plan (it's possible for sophisticated counterfeiters to get around this) and a good thing about the microprinting plan (it's not possible for them to get around this).

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

    82% picked this

  3. Further advances in photocopying technology

    Strengthens

    This strengthens, by making it seem like the good part about microprinting (regular photocopiers can't print this level of detail) will soon disappear.

    11% picked this

  4. The largest quantities of counterfeit

    No Distinction No Impact

    Since the idea of "only briefly dabbling in counterfeiting" doesn't have any different effect, whether we went with microprinting or ink, this has no impact.

    2% picked this

  5. It is very difficult to

    Unclear Impact

    This is just saying, "we don't know how costly it is to society [to continue using the microprinting method]". If it's very costly, that would strengthen. If it's not costly, that would weaken. So this really has no impact.

    2% picked this

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