Logical Reasoning

PT133 · S3 · Q26 A recent poll showed that almost half

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A recent poll showed that almost half of the city's residents believe that Mayor Walker is guilty of ethics violations.

Apparent Paradox

A recent poll showed that almost half of the city's residents believe that Mayor Walker is guilty of ethics violations.

Surprisingly, however, 52 percent of those surveyed judged Walker's performance as mayor to be good or excellent, which is no lower than it was before anyone accused him of ethics violations.

Evaluate

How could 52 percent of those surveyed judge Walker’s performance to be good or excellent, when nearly half of the city’s residents believe that Mayor Walker is guilty of ethics violations? Nearly half of the city’s residents believe the mayor is not doing a good or excellent job, it could be these residents who believe that the mayor is guilty of ethics violations. In a hotly contested, partisan atmosphere such a divide is imaginable.

26.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the surprising fact stated above?

  1. Correct

    Almost all of the people

    Why this is right

    This connects those who disapprove of the mayor’s performance with those who believe he is guilty of ethics violations.

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

    60% picked this

  2. In the time since Walker

    Out of Scope

    The performance of the mayor’s political opponents is not relevant to how city resident’s judge the mayor’s performance.

    8% picked this

  3. About a fifth of those

    Deepens the Paradox

    If 20 percent did not know the mayor had been accused and almost 50 percent believe the mayor is guilty of ethics violations, then that means that only 30 percent believe that he is not guilty of ethics violations. So where does the mayor’s 52 percent support come from?

    13% picked this

  4. Walker is currently up for

    Deepens the Paradox

    This makes the mayor’s support all the more surprising.

    1% picked this

  5. Walker has defended himself against

    Too Weak

    This does not indicate how the city’s residents have responded to the mayor’s defense.

    19% picked this

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