Scientist: In testing whether a baby's

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope: rebutting a claim2% picked this

   It describes an argument for a given conclusion and presents a counterargument to suggest that

   Although the science experiment considers whether babbling is linguistic or nonlinguistic (and ultimately rules out nonlinguistic en route to concluding linguistic), it's not trying to shoot down anyone's conclusion. There was no argument made in favor of the idea that babbling is nonlinguistic, so there is no entity for the author to be rebutting.

   2%
2. B

   Out of Scope: questions adequacy2% picked this

   It questions the adequacy of a generally accepted principle by providing evidence to undermine that principle, and offers a

   Was there a generally accepted principle? Dubiously. We could probably call "past studies have established that during nonlinguistic vocalizations people generally open the left side of the mouth wider" a generally accepted (established) principle. But the author uses this principle. She leans on it. She doesn't question its adequacy.

   2%
3. C

   Too Strong: necessary11% picked this

   It raises a question, describes a potential experimental test, and argues that the test is necessary

   The argument does raise an implicit question and does describe a potential test, but it never says anything as strong as "this test was required in order to answer the question".

   11%
4. D

   Out of Scope: assertions6% picked this

   It describes an explanation for some facts, counters assertions that the explanation is unlikely to be correct, and concludes that

   There isn't any entity in this paragraph that's "asserting that an explanation is unlikely to be correct". Supposedly, according to this answer, our author is fighting that person, but that person is nowhere to be found.

   6%
5. E

   Correct80% picked this

   It presents two possible interpretations of a phenomenon and provides evidence in support of one interpretation

   Why this is right

   It presents two possible interpretations (linguistic sounds vs. nonlinguistic random sounds) of a phenomenon (babbling), and provides evidence (babbling babies are right-mouthed, while previous studies showed that nonlinguistic sounds are left-mouthed) that argues against nonlinguistic and in favor of linguistic.

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

   80%