Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT155 S1 Q11 ExplanationScience writer: Studies indicate that North Americans

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Stimulus

Science writer: Studies indicate that North Americans are becoming more lethargic. One researcher has concluded from these data that fast-food consumption has an adverse effect on people's health. In the early 1970s the average North American family consumed one fast-food meal a week, while in the 1990s an average family consumed one lethargy studies do not settle the question of whether fast food is unhealthy.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

Your task

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

Common trap

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

Winning move

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

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question

11.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the

Answer choices, explained

Unstated Assumption / Implication2% picked this
A lack of regular exercise is one cause of lethargy in
Since this was never actually said, it can't be the answer. The author is indeed implying that a lack of regular exercise could be a cause / the cause of the increase in lethargy. But that's not what the last sentence says. The last sentence is about the lethargy studies.
2%
Unstated1% picked this
High consumption of fast food is a health risk only when combined with a lack
This is unstated and doesn't resemble the final sentence, which is our Conclusion.
1%
Unstated3% picked this
The researcher's data show that the consumption of fast food is not the main cause of poor
This is unstated and doesn't resemble the final sentence, which is our Conclusion.
3%
Unstated Implication15% picked this
The lethargy studies failed to consider one probable cause
The last sentence is saying that the lethargy studies don't settle an issue. This is saying the lethargy studies overlooked a cause. Yes, the author would agree with this answer choice, but it doesn't match the meaning of the final sentence. And it is totally designed to fish us in with Word-Bait, because it starts off just like the "Thus" claim does.
15%
Correct78% picked this
The researcher's conclusion was not adequately justified by the
Why this is right
This is ultimately just a Rebuttal conclusion. The researcher concluded that "fast-food is unhealthy" based on the lethargy study. Our author's However is implicitly saying, "You shouldn't conclude fast-food is unhealthy based on the lethargy study. The lethargy study doesn't settle the question of whether fast food is unhealthy. It doesn't prove that fast food is bad." (because there could be an alternate, exercise-related explanation for the increase in lethargy)
Skill tested: Main Conclusion · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
78%

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