Logical Reasoning

PT107 · S1 · Q13 The top priority of the school

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The top priority of the school administration should be student attendance.

Conclusion (should)

The top priority of the school administration should be student attendance (making sure students attend classes).

Evidence

No matter how good the teachers, texts, and facilities are, none of these do any good if few students come to school.

Evaluate / Goal

We want a normative / prescriptive conclusion, like "you should make X your top priority". And the reason why should sound something like,

X is the linchpin of the whole endeavor. The other things have no meaning if X isn't true.

Let's get rid of the four answers that match that.

13.

The pattern of reasoning in the argument above is LEAST similar to that in which one of the following?

  1. The top priority of a

    Similar

    Conclusion - #1 thing to worry about is making customers not feel alienated (i.e. making them feel comfortable). Evidence - Nothing else (like honesty or knowledge of products) really matters if you don't have a customer that feels at ease.

    9% picked this

  2. The top priority of a

    Similar

    Conclusion - #1 thing to worry about when lost in the wilderness is gathering food. Evidence - Nothing else (like finding your way out or building some shelter) will matter if you can't find food and starve to death.

    6% picked this

  3. The top priority of a

    Similar

    Conclusion - #1 thing to worry about as a detective is gathering physical evidence. Evidence - Nothing else (like good lab equipment or sophisticated analysis) is worth anything if you don't have good evidence to analyze.

    4% picked this

  4. The top priority of a

    Similar

    Conclusion - #1 thing to worry about as a library is having a good collection of books. Evidence - Nothing else (like knowledgeable staff or beautiful facilities) will matter if there's aren't good books available when people show up.

    8% picked this

  5. Correct

    The top priority of a

    Why this is right

    Conclusion - #1 thing to worry about as a defense lawyer is that your innocent clients are found not guilty. The evidence should now list other possible things that a defense lawyer would worry about (good relationship with clients, good professional reputation, reasonable rates, friendly receptionist) and say that none of them are worth anything if your innocent clients are being found guilty. Instead the evidence here is stressing why being found not guilty is important. In all the other arguments (including the original), it mentioned other possible things the subject might worry about besides the thing being identified as the top priority. This argument's evidence doesn't list 2 or 3 other things that a criminal defense lawyer might worry about.

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

    74% picked this

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