Anne: Halley’s Comet, now in

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope: vague term2% picked this

   pointing out that Anne’s use of the term “observed” is

   Sue doesn't say anything about "observed" being a vague term. They're both using the term observed.

   2%
2. B

   Out of Scope: vague term2% picked this

   drawing attention to an inconsistency between two of

   Sue doesn't say anything about "observed" being a vague term. They're both using the term observed in the same way.

   2%
3. C

   Too Strong: contradicts8% picked this

   presenting evidence that directly contradicts Anne’s

   When we describe the method of response, there's almost always an answer choice (99.9% wrong) that says the 2nd person "denied / refuted / contradicted the 1st person's evidence". We know it's not LSAT's style to contradict evidence. Sue accepts Anne's evidence but offers a different causal interpretation of it. "I agree that we've never seen such a visible flare so far from the Sun before, but maybe it's because we're never looking in that area, not because it's rare for it to happen".

   8%
4. D

   Correct84% picked this

   offering an alternative explanation for the evidence

   Why this is right

   Sue is saying, "I agree that we've never seen such a visible flare so far from the Sun before, but maybe it's because we're never looking in that area, not because it's rare for such flares to happen".

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

   84%
5. E

   Contradicted: agree with conclusion4% picked this

   undermining some of Anne’s evidence while agreeing with

   Sue's "Nonsense" shows that she does not agree with the conclusion. There's only one piece of evidence for Anne (no one had ever observed a flare so visible that was so far from the Sun). Sue accepts that fact; she doesn't try to undermine it. She undermines the inference that Anne draws from that evidence.

   4%