Logical Reasoning

PT3 · S2 · Q18 Like a number of other articles

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Like a number of other articles, Ian Raghnall’s article relied on a recent survey in which over half the couples applying for divorces listed “money” as a major problem in their marriages.

Conclusion

Despite appearances, the survey data do not establish that financial problems are the major problem in contemporary marriages. Rephrase: The conclusion in Raghnall’s article that financial problems are the major problem in contemporary marriages is not established by the data.

Evidence

Like a number of other articles, Ian Raghnall’s article relied on a recent survey in which over half the couples applying for divorces listed “money” as a major problem in their marriages. Couples often express other types of marital frustrations in financial terms.

Evaluate

This argument follows a Pivot/Rebuttal pattern. It begins by introducing Raghnall's conclusion that financial problems are a major issue in marriages. However, the author then rebuts this conclusion with the statement that the survey data do not establish this claim. The use of the word "despite" indicates the author is challenging the reliability of the survey as evidence for the conclusion. This tells us that the main conclusion lies in the author’s own assertion that the survey does not support Raghnall’s claim, indicating an opinion from the author and a rebuttal to the previously cited view.

Goal

Find the best available meaning match for the claim that the conclusion in Raghnall’s article that financial problems are the major problem is not established by the data.

18.

Which one of the following sentences best expresses the main point of the passage?

  1. Financial problems are not an

    Too Strong: not important

    This answer makes a stronger claim than the passage suggests. The author's argument does not deny the impact of financial problems but rather questions the survey's adequacy in proving them to be the major issue.

    5% picked this

  2. Marital problems are more easily

    Unsupported Comparison

    This claim suggests a comparison about problem-solving methods, which was never discussed in the passage. The passage focuses solely on the issue of whether financial problems are the major factor in marriages, not on how marital issues are resolved.

    0% picked this

  3. Correct

    The conclusion drawn in Raghnall’s

    Why this is right

    This matches the author's main point that Raghnall's conclusion about financial problems being the major issue in marriages is not justified by the survey data.

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

    73% picked this

  4. Over half the couples applying

    Background

    This answer repeats a piece of data, so we know it isn't giving us the Conclusion, which should be an opinion. This piece of data is interpreted by Raghnall and others in a way that the author is saying is unwarranted.

    1% picked this

  5. Many articles wrongly claim that

    Assumption-Bait

    The passage does not claim that many articles are wrong, nor does it make a broad statement about articles in general. Instead, it focuses on the survey data and Raghnall’s conclusions from it. This answer is fishing for people to think "what ELSE might the author believe", but our task is to repeat the conclusion the author uttered out loud.

    20% picked this

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