Consumer magazine: Because

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong: all / same1% picked this

   All top-loading washing machines use the same amount

   This is way too extreme: 100% of top-loaders use an identical amount of water? Our author has not committed herself to that outrageous claim.

   1%
2. B

   Wrong Comparison12% picked this

   A laundry detergent formulated especially for front-loading washers dissolves more readily in them than it

   The author needs to assume that a laundry detergent formulated especially for front-loading washers dissolves more readily in them than ordinary powder dissolves in them. The argument doesn't need to consider how specially formulated front-loading detergents do if they're used in a top-loader. The conclusion is only about using a front-loader, either with ordinary powder or with specially formulated detergent.

   12%
3. C

   Too Strong: only8% picked this

   A washing machine gets clothes really clean only with a laundry detergent specially formulated

   The author is saying in the case of a front-loading machine, you need to get a detergent that's specially formulated for that type of machine. But he hasn't committed himself to believing this is sort of matching, custom-detergent is needed for other types of machines too. We don't have any reason to think he believes that getting clothes really clean on a top-loader necessitates getting a specially formulated detergent for top-loaders.

   8%
4. D

   Correct79% picked this

   A laundry detergent does not get clothes really clean in a washer unless it dissolves

   Why this is right

   The author's reason for eschewing ordinary powder detergent is that it doesn't dissolve readily. He says you can't get clothes really clean in a front-loader if you use the ordinary powder. So he is assuming that you can't get clothes really clean if the detergent doesn't dissolve readily. Conditionally, this is the missing link we predicted. Unless = (if-not) = left side + negated Not dissolve ? does not get readily really clean

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

   79%
5. E

   Unnecessary Comparison1% picked this

   Washers that use more water get clothes cleaner than those that

   The author's conclusion is only about using a front-loading machine. The argument doesn't need to assume any sweeping comparisons about different types of washers. It only needs to assume specially formulated detergents for front-loaders dissolve more readily in front-loaders than ordinary powder detergents do, and that dissolving more readily in this front-loading washer makes the clothes more likely to come out really clean.

   1%