Logical Reasoning

PT157 · S2 · Q5 Columnist: Many people with access

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Columnist: Many people with access to the Internet express a longing for emotional connection to a global human community.

Conclusion

Learning about other cultures probably will not satisfy their longing [for emotional connection].

Evidence (for)

The Internet is utilized primarily for acquiring information rather than developing feelings of interconnectedness.

Evaluate

This argument follows a common pattern seen in Main Conclusion questions. It starts with an Attribution, followed by a pivot word. The pivot word introduces some rebuttal-style Pushback, which is the Conclusion. And then that rebuttal conclusion is supported by evidence (in this case, indicated by "for" from FABS).

This pattern shows up in about 60% of Main Conclusion questions, so make sure you're reading for it.

Goal

We just want the closest meaning match for

5.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the columnist's argument?

  1. It is common for people

    Opposing Idea

    This answer restates the first sentence of the stimulus, the background context that the conclusion pushes back against. We're looking for the 3rd claim, the "however" claim.

    1% picked this

  2. The longing for emotional connection

    Opposing Idea

    This answer synthesizes language from the first two sentences. We're not trying to derive inferences by combining claims. We're looking to regurgitate the 3rd claim, the "however" claim.

    2% picked this

  3. People who have access to

    Premise

    This answer closely paraphrases the premise. The test writers know that people like to just pick the final claim of the paragraph as the conclusion. But this is the reason the columnist gives for the conclusion, not the conclusion itself. In the argument's structure, this statement appears after the word "for", a classic premise indicator. No support is provided for this claim, so it can't be the conclusion.

    2% picked this

  4. Correct

    For people desiring connection to

    Why this is right

    This is our best match for the 3rd claim: learning about other cultures probably won't satisfy the longing for emotional connection to a global human community.

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

    84% picked this

  5. When people long for connection

    Too Broad

    We're not looking to pick an answer that says something unstated, as this one does. We just wanted an answer that matched the 3rd claim. This answer is a word salad that appeals to someone trying to summarize the whole paragraph, rather than someone who selected Claim 3 as the conclusion.

    11% picked this

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