Driver: My friends say I will

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct61% picked this

   infers a cause from a mere

   Why this is right

   The evidence involves a correlation between minivans and lower accident rates. And the conclusion assumes that the minivan itself is causing the lower accident rate (when the correlation could be explained different ways -- maybe the correlation is based on a Third Factor, like who is driving this car .... perhaps parents of young children are more likely to buy minivans and more likely to drive them cautiously, whereas people with aggressive / reckless personalities are more likely to buy sports cars and to drive them recklessly). The conclusion does contain a causal verb, "lower", so the author is saying that the minivan itself would lower his risk of having an accident.

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

   61%
2. B

   Bad Evidence Match2% picked this

   relies on a sample that is

   This answer alludes to one of the 10 Famous Flaws (Sampling), but there is no reason to believe the research conducted by the driver is too narrow.

   2%
3. C

   Bad Evidence Match16% picked this

   misinterprets evidence that a result is likely as evidence that the

   This alludes to a semi-Famous Flaw we might call Possible/Likely vs. Certain. The conclusion does feel certain of itself, "driving a minivan WOULD lower my risk of accident". Did the evidence say that "driving a minivan would likely lower the risk of accident"? No, the evidence is just a correlation saying minivans and large sedans have lower accident rates.

   16%
4. D

   Bad Evidence Match20% picked this

   mistakes a condition sufficient for bringing about a result for a condition necessary

   This answer alludes to one of the 10 Famous Flaws (Nec vs. Suff), in which the author presents a conditional logic relationship in the evidence and then reasons via an illegal negation or reversal. But there is no conditional logic relationship in the evidence. Just a correlation.

   20%
5. E

   Bad Evidence Match2% picked this

   relies on a source that is probably

   This answer alludes to one of the 10 Famous Flaws (Inappropriate Appeals), in which the argument's evidence is leaning on the testimony of someone who is not shown to be qualified to weigh in on the matter at hand. But the only source relied on is "some research", and we have no reason to think that the sources the author researched are probably not well-informed.

   2%