There are two supposedly conflicting

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct76% picked this

   Having success getting programs passed by the legislature is indicative of being a

   Why this is right

   This provides the crucial link we were looking for between the evidence and the conclusion. The conclusion was about "great national leaders" while the evidence was about "leaders who are successful getting programs passed by the legislature". The author was assuming those ideas are connected. If we negated this answer and said, "having success getting programs passed by the legislature has nothing to do with being a great national leader", that would badly weaken the argument, because it would mean that the evidence was totally irrelevant to the conclusion.

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

   76%
2. B

   Too Strong: impossible11% picked this

   It is impossible to successfully shape public opinion without in some way

   The author is only arguing that great national leaders are able to shape and react to public opinion. She isn't saying that shaping public opinion always in 100% of cases involves reacting to it. This answer says that "every single time you shape public opinion, you react to it".

   11%
3. C

   Too Strong10% picked this

   To lead, one must either successfully shape public opinion or be adept at reacting to

   Too Strong: must / any form of leading The author is never defining necessary characteristics to lead. She is talking about signature characteristics of great national leaders. If we changed this answer to say, "to be a great national leader, you must shape opinion, react to it, or both", then it would be much closer to correct.

   10%
4. D

   Out of Scope: "good rapport"2% picked this

   Having a good rapport with the members of the legislature allows a leader to

   The argument doesn't get into how some leaders successfully get programs passed by the legislature. It might be through having a good rapport. It might be through having leverage over legislative members, such as blackmailing them or pressuring them. We don't know. The author isn't making any specific assumptions about how certain leaders get their programs passed.

   2%
5. E

   Opposite (if anything)1% picked this

   To be a great leader one must not be swayed by

   Our author thinks that great national leaders both shape public opinion and react to it. "Reacting to" public opinion doesn't necessarily mean being swayed by public opinion, but there's a lot of overlap there. So our author would probably believe the opposite of this answer.

   1%