PT154 S4 Q13 ExplanationLindsey: There are, of course

Answer choices, explained

1. A

   Out of Scope: Intermediate Conclusion7% picked this

   It is a premise offered as evidence for another premise, which in turn is offered in support of

   This answer correctly identifies our claim as a Premise, but this answer choice also incorrectly accuses the argument of having an Intermediate Conclusion, because it's saying, "Premise A --> Premise B --> Main Conclusion", which would make Premise B an Intermediate Conclusion. This argument didn't have any Intermediate Conclusion. There are two separate reasons given to support the idea that "writing poetry makes many poets melancholy": 1. most of the poets I know are melancholy 2. an engrossing activity like writing poetry can be depressing Neither 1 nor 2 support each other. They each just provide independent support for the main conclusion.

   7%
2. B

   Out of Scope: Intermediate Conclusion2% picked this

   It is a premise for which another premise is offered

   This answer correctly identifies our claim as a Premise, but this answer choice, like (A), incorrectly accuses the argument of having an Intermediate Conclusion, because it's saying there is a Premise supported by another Premise. That would make the former Premise count as an Intermediate Conclusion. This argument didn't have any Intermediate Conclusion. There are two separate reasons given to support the idea that "writing poetry makes many poets melancholy": 1. most of the poets I know are melancholy 2. an engrossing activity like writing poetry can be depressing Neither 1 nor 2 support each other. They each just provide independent support for the main conclusion. Since this answer choice is specifically calling our claim (the final sentence) a premise for which another premise is offered as evidence, we could just ask ourselves, "Was there evidence provided for this final sentence?" Why should we believe that, "an activity as profound and engrossing as writing poetry can be depressing"? Did the argument offer any evidence to support that? No. Instead, it just prefaced that premise by saying "as everyone knows", which indicates it's just a commonly accepted axiom that the author doesn't feel any need to support.

   2%
3. C

   Wrong Role1% picked this

   It is the overall conclusion of

   The middle sentence, adorned with a "Thus" and a "one can conclude", is the main conclusion. The final claim of the paragraph, on Role and Main Conclusion, will be the main conclusion only about 10-15% of the time. We go into those two question types specifically reminding ourselves not to expect the conclusion at the end (in 85-90% of cases, the conclusion on those two question types is found earlier than at least one of its supporting ideas).

   1%
4. D

   Support vs. Clarification12% picked this

   It clarifies a claim made within the overall conclusion of

   Clarifying a claim is different from supporting it. Clarifying a claim just makes a claim clearer to understand, on its own. It doesn't provide a basis for believing it. If I say, "I think the Lakers are going to win it all next year", then clarifying that statement would be saying something like, "and by win it all, I mean win the NBA Finals next June." By clarifying my first claim, I haven't given anyone any reason for believing it; I've simply gotten more specific about what my claim is. Supporting the claim would be saying something like, "After all, this will be Lebron James's last season at the peak of his abilities, so he will really be trying his hardest."

   12%
5. E

   Correct77% picked this

   It is a premise offered as direct support for the argument’s

   Why this is right

   This answer correctly identifies our claim as a Premise. Direct support means that a claim sounds like a reason for believing the Conclusion all on its own. (This is contrasted with indirect support, which means that a claim supports the Main Conclusion by directly supporting an Intermediate Conclusion). This argument offered two separate reasons to support the idea that "writing poetry makes many poets melancholy": 1. most of the poets I know are melancholy 2. an engrossing activity like writing poetry can be depressing So, yes, our claim is a premise that directly supports the main conclusion. (On other problems, they might call this sort of thing "a premise that provides partial support for the conclusion", and that term just means that there's more than one premise).

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

   77%