Summarize Argument
The author concludes that one type of memory doesn’t decline with age. This is because older people remembered to make calls at a specific time in a study, while college students generally had much more trouble.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that the results of the study can be explained by the two groups’ memories. However, if the group of older people wrote down a reminder for themselves, whereas the college group didn’t, then the study would in fact reveal a difference in effort between the two groups.
A
There was the same number of people in each group.
This helps explain that the number of lapses signifies a relative rate. If the group comprised of students had far more people than the group comprised of older people, then we would expect the student group to have far more lapses.
B
The same group of researchers answered the calls made by the callers in both study groups.
This is incredibly unhelpful. We don’t care if anyone answered the calls. We only care if the participants remembered to make the calls.
C
Among the college students there were no persons more than forty years old.
The college students didn’t include older people. Thus, the study isn’t compromised by overlap.
D
Both groups had unrestricted access to telephones for making the required calls.
This defends against a potential weakener—that the two groups had unequal access to phones. The students were able to make calls, but didn’t.
E
The members of the two groups received their instructions approximately the same amount of time before they were to make their telephone calls.
Let’s say the college students had received their instructions three days before having to make the call, while the older people had received their instructions three minutes before having to make the call. That wouldn’t be a very good study.
Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
The author claims that reducing phenomena to mathematical expressions in the social sciences would be a mistake, despite what some social scientists assume. The predictions would leave out social science data that is not easy to reduce to those expressions, so the predictions of social phenomena would be inaccurate.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the author’s opinion of using reducing phenomena to mathematical expressions in the social sciences: “this would be a mistake;”
A
The social sciences do not have as much predictive power as the natural sciences.
The author does not discuss predictive power, only what is compatible with being reduced to mathematical formulas for prediction.
B
Mathematics plays a more important role in the natural sciences than it does in the social sciences.
The author does not claim where math plays a more important role. He only claims that reducing phenomena to mathematical expressions for prediction purposes in the social sciences is a mistake.
C
There is a need in the social sciences to improve the ability to predict.
This is not contained in the stimulus. As part of the context, we know some social scientists want the power to predict accurately, but that is all. We don’t know anything about a need for improvement,
D
Phenomena in the social sciences should not be reduced to mathematical formulas.
This accurately paraphrases the conclusion. The author says “this” (reducing phenomena in the social to mathematical expressions) “would be a mistake” (should not happen).
E
Prediction is responsible for the success of the natural sciences.
In the context, we are told prediction is the “hallmark” of the natural sciences. This is an inaccurate paraphrase of that context.
Summarize Argument
The second group of doctors argue that bilirubin levels should be allowed to remain high in newborns. This is because the brain’s natural defenses prevent bilirubin from entering the brain.
Notable Assumptions
The second group of doctors assume the only reason to lower bilirubin levels in newborns would be to prevent bilirubin from entering the brain. This means they assume bilirubin is otherwise entirely neutral or even beneficial to newborns.
A
The treatment that most effectively reduces high levels of bilirubin in newborns has no known negative side effects.
These doctors are advocating for no treatment at all.
B
Some diseases that occur in newborns can weaken the brain’s natural defenses and allow bilirubin to enter.
This weakens the doctors’ argument. If bilirubin could in fact enter the brain, then bilirubin should be removed.
C
In newborns the pigment bilirubin, like other pigments, occurs not only in the blood but also in fluids involved in digestion.
The doctors are talking about removing bilirubin, generally. We don’t care if it’s in the blood or in digestive fluids.
D
Bilirubin neutralizes certain potentially damaging substances to which newborns are exposed at birth.
Bilirubin carries a distinct benefit for newborns. Thus, bilirubin levels shouldn’t be lowered in newborns.
E
Among doctors who recommend treating newborns to reduce high levels of bilirubin, there is general agreement about what levels should be considered excessively high.
We don’t care what these doctors think. We’re talking about the second group of doctors.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that rapid population growth can be disastrous for small towns. This is because population surges can overload city services, which usually can’t be fixed by more hiring.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that city budgets don’t grow when new residents move into a city. This is why city budgets can’t hire help to fix problems caused by an influx of newcomers.
A
During budget shortages, small cities tend to place a high priority on basic municipal services while cutting back on less essential services.
The author doesn’t say anything about a budget shortage.
B
New residents of any city bring with them new ideas about how a city should be run.
The author doesn’t say the city ends up divided. The city’s services are simply overloaded.
C
Some large cities can absorb rapid population growth more readily than many small cities can.
This might be true. However, the author’s argument is about why cities struggle to absorb rapid population growth.
D
A low unemployment rate is one of the main reasons that new residents move to a city.
This is irrelevant. We don’t care why people moved to the city in the first place.
E
New residents of most small cities do not start paying city taxes for at least a year.
The city’s budget won’t increase until the new year, but city services are already overloaded. Thus, a quick population increase will make life very hard in the city.