Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author concludes that the view that Linsey is a bad songwriter is ill founded. The view that the author criticizes is based on the fact that Linsey’s lyrics are usually disjointed and subjective. But the author points out that the writings of modern novelists are often disjointed and subjective, but these novelists are considered good writers.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the author’s assessment of the view that Linsey is a bad songwriter: “This judgment is ill founded.”
A
Linsey is a good songwriter.
This goes too far. The author never suggests Linsey is good. He only asserts that the view that she’s bad lacks support.
B
The view that Linsey is a bad songwriter is poorly supported.
This is a paraphrase of the conclusion.
C
The writings of many modern novelists are disjointed and subjective.
This is a premise.
D
Many modern novelists are widely held to be good writers.
This is a premise.
E
Linsey’s talent as a writer is no less than that of many modern novelists.
The author never claims that Linsey is as talented as many modern novelists. He brings up modern novelists only to show that disjointed and subjective writings do not automatically make one a bad writer.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that there must be a lake of liquid water between Enceladus’s rocky core and icy surface. This is because a space probe discovered something denser than ice between the core and the surface, and that denser substance can only be liquid water.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the assertion that there’s a lake of liquid water between Enceladus’s rocky core and icy surface: “Between these two layers, there must be a lake of liquid water.”
A
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has a rocky core and an icy surface.
This is context. The author’s conclusion concerns what must be in between those two layers.
B
There must be a lake of liquid water between the rocky core and the icy surface of Enceladus.
This is a restatement of the second sentence, which is the conclusion.
C
The Cassini space probe was used to measure the density of Enceladus.
This is part of the support. The author concludes that there must be a lake of liquid water based on what this probe found.
D
Density measurements reveal something denser than ice between the core and surface of Enceladus.
This is part of the support. The author concludes that there must be a lake of liquid water based on these measurements.
E
Anything denser than ice between the core and surface of Enceladus would have to be liquid water.
This is part of the support. Because the denser substance could only be water, the author concludes that a lake of liquid water must exist between the rocky core and icy surface.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that people in industrialized societies today would probably become more close-knit if they undertook group tasks that required them to cooperate with each other. This prediction is based on the observation that what made medieval European communities close-knit was the fact that people had to cooperate with each other to meet basic needs.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the author’s prediction for what would likely happen if people today undertook tasks similar to those that medieval communities had to undertake: “[I]f people in industrialized societies today undertook corresponding group tasks, their communities would probably become more close-knit.”
A
Much of what made medieval communities as close-knit as they usually were was the way they went about meeting basic needs.
This is part of the support. The author uses this fact to support a prediction about what would likely happen to people in industrialized societies today.
B
People in industrialized societies today should undertake group tasks similar to those that medieval communities undertook in order to meet their basic needs.
The author never tells anyone what they “should” do. The conclusion is simply a prediction about what is likely to happen.
C
In medieval communities, people went about meeting basic needs in ways that required them to come together in respectful cooperation, suspending any private grievances.
This is part of the support. This is an illustration of how medieval societies were close-knight because of group tasks. The author uses this fact to support a prediction about what is likely to happen to people in industrialized societies today.
D
Medieval communities were usually more close-knit than communities in industrial societies are today because, in medieval communities, people undertook group tasks requiring them to come together in respectful cooperation.
The author never states that medieval communities were more close-knit than communities in industrial societies today. The conclusion is a prediction about what is likely to happen to people in industrial societies today.
E
Communities in industrial societies today would probably become more close-knit if their members undertook group tasks requiring the participants to come together in respectful cooperation.
This is a paraphrase of the last sentence, which is the conclusion.
Summary
Some people claim that video games are morally corrupting because they allow people to imagine themselves transgressing conventional morality. However, this same criticism was applied in the past to many other forms of popular culture during their early stages of development.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
And just as it now seems silly to suggest that reading novels is morally corrupting, eventually the criticism surrounding video games will also fade.
A
we should expect most new forms of popular culture to be criticized as morally corrupting
We do not know if most new forms of popular culture will be criticized in their early stages. We only know that some new forms of popular culture in the past were criticized.
B
we should prefer forms of popular culture that have matured to those that are still in their early stages of development
We do not know what forms of popular culture one should prefer.
C
we can expect these concerns about video games to fade over time
If criticisms surrounding novels faded over time, then criticisms surrounding video games will also fade over time.
D
we should condemn forms of popular culture that allow people to imagine themselves transgressing conventional morality
The argument does not make a determination about what forms of popular culture we should condemn. We only know that some new forms are condemned or were condemned in the past.
E
it is silly to suggest that video games do not allow people to imagine themselves transgressing conventional morality
The argument concedes that video games allow people to imagine themselves transgressing conventional morality.
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.