Logical Reasoning

PT152 · S1 · Q11 As part of a project to enhance the downtown

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As part of a project to enhance the downtown area, the transit authority plans to build a majestic new subway station on the Longview line.

Conclusion (should = opinion)

A more modest station should be built so that a tunnel can be included.

Evidence (Since)

The current design of the proposed majestic new subway station on Longview would not include a connection to the nearby Waterfront line.

Adding a connecting tunnel to this current design would make it way better for commuters but put the project over budget, which cannot be increased.

Evaluate

The author's conclusion is making a recommendation, based on considerations that included some pros and some cons.

When we do a Principle-Strengthen question and the author is Weighing Tradeoffs, then we primarily expect an answer choice to rank the pros vs. the cons.

The author wants to build a more modest station.

Pros? We can be more convenient to commuters, who want that tunnel. And we can still stay within our budget.

Cons? This wouldn't have the majesty of the current design.

Goal

Look for an answer prioritizing "commuter convenience" or "staying within budget" over such concerns as how majestic the new subway station would be.

11.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the reasoning in the argument above?

  1. The transit authority should design

    Weak Impact

    While the author's proposal of "more modest station w/ tunnel" would presumably stay within budget, so too could a plan where we just build the majestic station w/o the tunnel. So this answer isn't guiding us to pick the author's option over the current design w/o a tunnel.

    4% picked this

  2. The transit authority should consider

    Weak Impact

    The author's proposal of a more modest station with a tunnel connected is a "potential addition that would make it more convenient to commuters". But this answer is merely saying, "we should consider it". That's not a strong push in the direction of, "we should build the modest station w/ a tunnel".

    4% picked this

  3. Correct

    In the enhancement of the

    Why this is right

    This Weighs the Tradeoffs in the way that favors the author's conclusion. The current design wins in terms of majesty. The author's plan wins in terms of commuter convenience. This new station is part of a project to enhance the downtown area. So according to this rule, we should give higher priority to convenience, and thus according to this rule, we should favor the author's plan over the current design.

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

    88% picked this

  4. Unless a subway station can

    Bad Conclusion Match

    This is a rule that would allow us to conclude "should abandon plans to build any station". The author doesn't want that. She's trying to convince us to build a station, just a more modest one than the current design.

    3% picked this

  5. The new subway station should

    Unclear Impact

    This Weighs the Tradeoffs in the way that doesn't clearly favor either plan over the other. The current design wins in terms of majesty. The author's plan wins in terms of commuter convenience. We aren't told that either of them wins in terms of "enhancing the downtown area more". So going by this rule, we wouldn't know whether to lean towards the current design or towards the author's more modest proposal.

    0% picked this

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