Logical Reasoning

PT151 · S3 · Q23 Researchers have found that some

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Researchers have found that some unprotected areas outside of a national park that was designed to protect birds have substantially higher numbers of certain bird species than comparable areas inside the park.

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

23.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to explain the researchers' finding?

Correct
Moose are much more prevalent
Why this is right
This gives us something BAD about inside the park (more moose, who steal the birds' food), which allows us to explain why birds seem to be doing better outside the park.
Skill tested: Paradox · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
86% picked this
The researchers also found that
Restates Paradox
This reinforces the idea that animals are mysteriously doing better outside this park than inside it, but it doesn't help us to explain why that is.
2% picked this
Researchers tagged a large number
Weaker Impact
We might say that this answer allows us to say, "there are more birds outside the park than inside because some of the birds are moving from inside the park to outside the park", but that still doesn't give us any reason WHY those birds are moving, the way the correct answer does.
5% picked this
Both inside the park and
No Distinction
Since this presents something true for both outside/inside, it's useless for our purposes of explaining a difference between them.
4% picked this
The park was designed to
No Distinction
Since this presents something true for both outside/inside (both endangered species), it's useless for our purposes of explaining a difference between them.
3% picked this

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