Summary
If a novelist is popular, then he or she can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with different personalities and attitudes. A popular novelist is also capable of empathizing with people who have different goals, and will have some doubts about the genuine value of his or her own desires.
Notable Valid Inferences
For MBT-Except questions, the wrong answers are all Could Be True. The one right answer Must Be False.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with different attitudes and personalities have doubts about the genuine value of their own desires.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters are not popular novelists.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with different attitudes and personalities have doubts about the genuine value of their own desires.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters are not popular novelists.
A
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with attitudes and personalities completely different from those of the others are not popular.
Could be true. We know that all popular novelists can vividly imagine large numbers of characters, but it is possible that some novelists who are not popular can also do this. A necessary condition can always occur without the sufficient condition.
B
Some novelists are incapable of empathizing with people whose goals are completely different from their own.
Could be true. We know that all popular novelists are capably of empathizing with people whose goals are different, but it is possible that some novelists who are not popular are incapable of this. A necessary condition can always occur without the sufficient condition.
C
Some people who lack the ability to empathize with those who have goals completely different from their own are popular novelists.
Must be false. As shown below, this answer choice completely contradicts one of our conditions. If an author is a popular novelist, then that novelist must have the ability to empathize with those who have completely different goals. 
D
No people who have doubts about the value of their own desires are incapable of empathizing with people who have goals that are completely different from their own.
Could be true. We know all people capable of empathizing with those who have completely different goals have doubts about the value of their own desires. It is also possible that people who have doubts about the value of their own desires are also capable of empathizing.
E
Most writers who have doubts about the value of what they desire are popular novelists.
Could be true. We know that all popular novelists have doubts about the value of their own desires. It is also possible that most writers who have these doubts are popular novelists.
Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The biologists hypothesize that the spider population’s increase is a result of the introduction of the brown tree snake. This is based on the fact that the brown tree snake eliminated native bird species, and on the subsidiary conclusion that this loss of bird species caused the spider population to increase. This sub-conclusion is based on the fact that many birds prey on spiders and use spiderwebs to construct nests.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that there’s no other explanation for the increase in spider population on Guam besides the decrease in bird species. The author also assumes that there was a decrease in overall bird population (as opposed to simply a decrease in the number of species, which doesn’t automatically indicate a decrease in population).
A
Birds compete with spiders for insect prey.
This strengthens by providing another causal mechanism that could show bird populations can affect spider populations. If birds and spiders compete for food, a decrease in birds would mean spiders have less competition for food. This could help spiders survive and thrive.
B
The biologists counted spiderwebs as a means of estimating the spider population.
This has no clear impact on the hypothesis. So, we estimated the spider population increase based on an increase in the number of spiderwebs. Does the spider population have anything to do with a decline in birds? (B) is silent on this.
C
Spiderwebs are more prevalent on Guam than on nearby islands.
This doesn’t help connect the increase in spiders with the bird population decline. The issue is the cause of the spider population increase, not whether the spider population has increased. We already know Guam has more spiders than other nearby islands.
D
The two bird species remaining on Guam have proliferated since the arrival of the brown tree snakes.
This undermines the argument by pointing out that overall number of birds might have increased even if the number of species has gone down.
E
Brown tree snakes have proven difficult to eradicate on Guam.
This has nothing to do with whether the snakes caused the bird population to decline and whether the bird population decline caused an increase in spider population. We care about the effect of the snakes. Not how easy it is to remove the snakes.
"Surprising" Phenomenon
Pilots who dieted performed worse than pilots who didn’t diet.
Objective
Since this is an “Except” question, the correct answer won’t help explain the results of the study. In other words, we won’t learn why caloric deficit has such a strong impact on pilots.
A
Dieters often become preoccupied with worries about their weight losses and calorie intakes.
The dieting pilots were more concerned about their weight loss than about flying their planes properly. This certainly contributes to an explanation.
B
Many of the pilots, including both dieters and nondieters, consumed alcohol before the tests, and dieting increases vulnerability to alcohol’s effects.
For whatever reason, many of the pilots in the test had a couple drinks beforehand. The dieters couldn’t handle their liquor, hence their reduced performance.
C
Reduced-calorie dieting makes most people more vulnerable to irritability and fatigue.
The dieting pilots got tired during the test, hence their poor performance.
D
Many of the pilots chose to go on the diet because they were curious about whether one’s weight affects one’s piloting skills.
We’re not interested in why the pilots chose to diet. We’re interested in why dieting effects piloting, which this doesn’t explain.
E
Whereas alcohol has no effect on the level of glucose (a nutrient vital to brain function) in the bloodstream, dieting lowers the glucose level.
The dieters were lacking a nutrient vital to proper cognition. Their flying abilities suffered accordingly.
The Discourses, a work attributed to the ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus, is believed to have been compiled from Epictetus’s lectures by his student Arrian. Some claim that Arrian himself authored The Discourses and falsely attributed authorship to Epictetus. That is, however, highly unlikely. Epictetus’s views were well known by his contemporaries in Roman society; if Arrian tried to pass off his own views as Epictetus’s, this deception would soon be exposed.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the claim that Arrian wrote The Discourses and falsely attributed the work to Epictetus is highly unlikely. He supports this by saying that Epictetus’s views were widely known, so if Arrian had tried to pass off his own views as Epictetus’s, the deception would have been quickly exposed.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that there was a clear and easily identifiable distinction between the views of Epictetus and Arrian, which would make any attempt to falsely attribute the work apparent. He also assumes that Epictetus’s contemporaries could have exposed the deception publicly and that that exposure would still be known today. Finally, he assumes that there aren’t any other reasons that may have motivated Arrian to falsely attribute The Discourses to Epictetus.
A
The Discourses would have received very little attention in Roman society if that work had not been attributed to Epictetus.
This weakens the argument by suggesting that Arrian may have been motivated to falsely attribute The Discourses to Epictetus in order for the work to receive more public attention.
B
Some of the philosophy that modern scholars believe Arrian subscribed to can be found in The Discourses.
This doesn’t strengthen the argument because, whether Arrian wrote The Discourses and falsely attributed it to Epictetus or just compiled his teacher’s lectures, it makes sense that some of Arrian’s own philosophy would be in the work.
C
Arrian in some ways modeled himself on the historian Xenophon, who had written works that he falsely attributed to the philosopher Socrates.
The fact that Arrian modeled himself in some ways on a historian who falsely attributed works to a famous philosopher does not strengthen the argument. We don’t know which of Xenophon’s ideas or practices Arrian adopted.
D
Arrian had high status in Roman society, which he knew would be undermined if he were shown to be dishonest.
This strengthens the argument by giving another reason why Arrian likely wouldn’t have falsely attributed The Discourses to Epictetus. Arrian’s high status would be damaged if he were seen as dishonest, and it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t want that.
E
During his long career, Arrian was a soldier, a consul of Rome, and a governor in Turkey.
This fails to address whether or not it is likely that Arrian falsely attributed The Discourses to Epictetus. Arrian’s various positions throughout his long career are not relevant to the argument.
Summarize Argument
An Astronomer believes that the conditions in our solar system have likely favored the emergence of life when compared to the conditions of most other solar systems of a similar age. This is because any form of life needs adequate amounts of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, and our sun has an unusually high supply of these heavier elements for its age.
Identify Argument Part
This is one of two premises that support the Astronomer’s main conclusion.
A
It is a statement for which no evidence is provided and that is part of the evidence offered for the argument’s only conclusion.
No evidence is provided for this claim, and it is used (alongside the rest of the sentence) to support the Astronomer’s main (and only) conclusion.
B
It is a statement for which no evidence is provided and that is offered as support for another statement that in turn is offered as support for the conclusion of the argument as a whole.
While no evidence is provided for this claim, it does not support another statement. The fact that our sun has large amounts of these heavy elements works independently does not receive any support. They both support the Astronomer’s main conclusion
C
It is a statement for which some evidence is provided and that itself is offered as support for the conclusion of the argument as a whole.
There is no evidence provided for this claim. This receives no support anywhere in the argument; it only gives support to the main conclusion.
D
It is the conclusion of the argument as a whole and is supported by another statement for which support is offered.
This is not the conclusion of the argument because it does not receive any support. The conclusion is about our solar system being more favorable for the development of life
E
It is one of two conclusions in the argument, neither of which is offered as support for the other.
This is not a conclusion because it does not receive any support. Furthermore, there is only one conclusion in this argument.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that we are increasingly bombarded with inaccurate and trivial information. This is based on the fact that journalistic standards are being lowered due to the increased competition among print media, television, and the Internet for money from advertisers and subscribers.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is what the author asserts is a consequence of journalistic standards being lowered: “[W]e are increasingly bombarded with inaccurate and trivial information.”
A
The drawbacks of the information explosion now outweigh its benefits.
The author never asserts anything about the weighing of benefits and drawbacks of the information explosion.
B
People are more and more subjected to insignificant and unreliable information.
This is a paraphrase of the last sentence, which is the conclusion.
C
Journalistic standards have fallen in recent years.
This is part of the support. Because journalistic standards have lowered, the author concludes that we are increasingly bombarded with inaccurate and trivial information.
D
One result of the current information explosion is fierce competition among the print media, television, and the Internet for both money and public attention.
This is part of the support. Because of this competition, journalistic standards have been lowered, which in turn means we are increasingly bombarded with inaccurate and trivial information.
E
If journalists returned to earlier journalistic standards, the significance and reliability of news stories would increase.
The author never asserts anything about what would happen if journalists returned to earlier journalistic standards.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the best way to increase the blood supply in the city of Pulaski is to encourage more donations by people who are regular blood donors. This is based on a study conducted in two other cities, which showed that officials had a lot of success in convincing regular blood donors to donate more frequently. But it was difficult to attract first-time blood donors.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that the city of Pulaski is relevantly similar to the other cities with respect to potential for the cities’ blood donors to increase the frequency of their donation. The author also assumes that there aren’t other ways to increase blood supply besides increasing blood donation frequency or getting first-time donors. (This overlooks the possibility of getting blood from other cities or countries or other sources.)
A
Increasing blood donation by regular donors in Moorestown and Fredricksburg produced a significant increase in the blood supply in those cities.
This strengthens the argument.
B
The pool of potential blood donors in Moorestown and Fredricksburg contained proportionally fewer frequent blood donors than does the pool of potential donors in the city of Pulaski.
This strengthens the argument by suggesting Pulaski might be able to increase its blood supply more than the other cities did through getting regular donors to donate more frequently.
C
A follow-up study in Moorestown and Fredricksburg showed that long-term frequency of blood donation among regular donors remained higher after the promotional campaign than it had been before the campaign.
This strengthens the argument by showing that getting donors to donate more frequently has lasting effects.
D
In the city of Pulaski, the number of sporadic blood donors is significantly greater than the number of regular blood donors.
The author never assumed that there were more regular blood donors than sporadic ones. Regardless of the relative proportion of blood donors, getting the regular ones to donate more can still increase the blood supply.
E
Almost all of the regular blood donors in the city of Pulaski are already giving blood as frequently as is medically safe.
This suggests that getting regular blood donors to donate more frequently might not be a viable solution in Pulaski. If almost all are already donating the maximum amount that’s safe, they are unlikely to donate more frequently.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that most people would have healthier diets if they ate Honey Oat Puffs for breakfast. This is based on the fact that Honey Oat Puffs contain whole-grain oats, and health experts agree that whole-grain oats are healthier than most of the foods in a typical diet.
Identify and Describe Flaw
The author assumes that because part of Honey Oat Puffs is healthier than what’s in a typical diet (whole-grain oats), that the whole cereal is healthier than what’s in a typical diet. This overlooks the possibility that Honey Oat Puffs contains other things (such as sugar, perhaps), that would make the cereal overall less healthy, even if the oats are healthy.
A
infers that a food will have a certain property simply because one of the food’s ingredients has that property
The author infers that Honey Oat Puffs are healthier than foods in a typical diet simply because one ingredient — whole-grain oats — has that property. This overlooks the possibility that the cereal has other ingredients that make it less healthy than foods in a typical diet.
B
treats a property that is sufficient to make a food healthful as a property that a food must have in order to be healthful
There is no property that is sufficient to make a food healthful. Although whole-grain oats are healthful, they are not enough to guarantee that Honey Oat Puffs are healthful.
C
confuses two distinct meanings of the word “healthful”
“Healthful” does not take on two different meanings in this argument. The word means tending to promote health.
D
concludes that a food contributes to health simply because that food tends to be part of the diets of healthy people
The premises do not assert that Honey Oat Puffs tends to be part of the diets of healthy people. They also do not assert that whole-grain oats tend to be part of the diets of healthy people.
E
contains a premise that presupposes the truth of the conclusion
(E) describes circular reasoning. The conclusion, which asserts that Honey Oat Puffs are healthful, is not restated in the premises. The premises concern whole-grain oats being healthful and Honey Oat Puffs containing whole-grain oats.