Opposition leader: Our country has

Answer choices

1. A

   Weak Conclusion Match18% picked this

   The residents of medium-sized towns are, on average, more highly educated than people who do not live in such towns. Therefore, Maureen, who was

   This would have worked had the conclusion said, "Therefore, Maureen, who is a resident of a medium-sized town is more highly educated than Monica, who is not a resident of a medium-sized town". Instead, the conclusion introduces some complications -- Maureen was born in a mid-size town, but who knows if she currently lives there. Monica is now a resident of a mid-size town, but only recently.

   18%
2. B

   Correct56% picked this

   At a certain college, either philosophy or engineering is the most demanding major. Therefore, either the introductory course in philosophy or the introductory course

   Why this is right

   This argument makes the same move from "if it's true of the Whole, then it's true of the Part". Either philosophy or engineering is the most demanding major (a whole). Thus, either Intro to Phil or Intro to English is the most demanding intro course (a part). This answer is hoping to strike people as unappealing since it introduces the structural mismatch of the either/or. But this answer is the only one that gives us a Whole to Part flaw. Would we have preferred a Whole to Part argument that didn't use an either/or? Yes that would be even better, but it's most important that we replicate the flaw.

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

   56%
3. C

   Part vs. Part21% picked this

   For many years its superior engineering has enabled the Lawson Automobile Company to make the best racing cars. Therefore, its passenger cars, which use

   This is making a Comparison flaw, assuming that "because trait X is true of Thing 1, trait X should also be true of similar Thing 2." We wanted a Whole to Part flaw, assuming that "because trait X is true of this Whole, trait X should also be true of a Part of this whole." Passenger cars are not a part of racing cars. They are both Parts of the Whole of Lawson Auto Company. This argument would have worked if it said, Lawson Automobile Company is very profitable. Therefore, its passenger car division must be very profitable.

   21%
4. D

   Part vs. Part2% picked this

   Domestic cats are closely related to tigers. Therefore, even though they are far smaller than tigers, their eating habits are almost the

   Domestic cats and tigers are both Parts of the Whole feline family. Since we're looking for an argument that goes from Whole to Part, we would need something like "Because trait X is true of felines, trait X is true of tigers."

   2%
5. E

   Trap3% picked this

   If a suit of questionable merit is brought in the first district rather than the second district, its chances of being immediately thrown out

   Better vs. Best (Wrong Flaw) Topic Trap This compares the first district to the second district, which is not the Whole vs. Part relationship we're looking for. This also contains the famous Topic Trap, which is when an answer choice on a Parallel or Analogy question tries to entice people by being about a similar topic (courts), rather than being logically similar the way the correct answer is supposed to be.

   3%