Summarize Argument
The author concludes that if volcanic ash caused dimmed sunlight and cool summers in China in 43 B.C., then the ash caused by Mount Etna must’ve spread over vast distances. This is because Mount Etna erupted in 44 B.C., and powerful volcanoes can cause such phenomena.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that if a volcano caused the phenomena in China, then that volcano was Mount Etna. This means the author assumes there were no other volcanos powerful enough to cause such phenomena in 44-43 B.C.
A
modern monitoring equipment can detect the precise path of volcanic ash in the atmosphere
This eruption was in 44 B.C. We don’t care if modern monitoring equipment can track volcanoes today.
B
the abnormal weather in China lasted for a full year or longer
We know powerful volcanoes can cause effects that last a year or longer. But that doesn’t mean those effects have to last a year or longer in order to associate them with a powerful volcanic eruption.
C
temperatures in Sicily were abnormally cold after Mount Etna erupted
Knowing the answer to this wouldn’t strengthen or weaken the author’s argument, which is that Mount Etna caused the phenomena in China. We don’t care about conditions in Sicily.
D
there were any volcanic eruptions near China around the time of Mount Etna’s eruption
If the answer is yes, then we have viable alternate explanation to the author’s: other volcanoes, rather than Mount Etna, caused cool summers and dimmed sunlight. If the answer is no, then it would seem Mount Etna was the volcano most likely to have caused such phenomena.
E
subsequent eruptions of Mount Etna were as powerful as the one in 44 B.C.
We’re not interested in subsequent eruptions. Knowing the answer wouldn’t tell us whether the 44 B.C. eruption likely caused the phenomena in China.
Summarize Argument
The columnist claims that we should ban the publication of polls during the week before an election. Why? A few reasons. Polls can influence how people vote. They’re also less reliable than people think, so can be misleading. In the week before an election, there’s also not enough time to dispute polls and correct their mistakes. Finally, only banning polls for one week minimally impairs freedom of expression.
Notable Assumptions
The columnist assumes that banning polls in the week before an election would reduce their influence over voters—in other words, that people are still influenced by such last-minute polls.
The columnist also assumes that voters have access to less-distorted sources of information that could better inform their votes in the absence of polls. Otherwise, limiting polls could hurt more than help.
The columnist also assumes that voters have access to less-distorted sources of information that could better inform their votes in the absence of polls. Otherwise, limiting polls could hurt more than help.
A
Few people are influenced by the results of polls published during the two weeks immediately prior to an election.
This weakens the argument, because it undermines the columnist’s assumption that banning polls in the week before an election would reduce their impact on voters. If everyone has already decided how to vote based on earlier polls, then the last week doesn’t make a difference.
B
The publication of poll results would not decide the winner of an uneven election race.
This does not weaken the argument, because we can’t assume that all election races will be uneven and so not decided by polls. If it’s still possible for even elections to be unduly influenced by poll results, the author’s argument is unharmed.
C
The publication of poll results may remove some voters’ motivation to vote because of the certainty that a particular candidate will win.
This does not weaken the argument. In fact, this just backs up the columnist’s point that polls can influence election results by providing a specific example of how this takes place.
D
The publication of poll results in the last weeks before an election draws attention to candidates’ late gains in popularity.
This does not weaken the argument—it actually underscores the importance of last-minute polls, and thus affirms the columnist’s assumption that those polls make a difference.
E
Countries in which such a ban is in effect do not generally have better informed citizens than do countries in which such a ban is not in effect.
This does not weaken the argument, because the columnist isn’t claiming that a ban would result in overall better informed citizens. This also doesn’t say that voters living under such a ban are any worse informed—and even if it did, we wouldn’t know if the ban was the cause.
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This page shows a recording of a live class. We're working hard to create our standard, concise explanation videos for the questions in this PrepTest. Thank you for your patience!
This page shows a recording of a live class. We're working hard to create our standard, concise explanation videos for the questions in this PrepTest. Thank you for your patience!
This page shows a recording of a live class. We're working hard to create our standard, concise explanation videos for the questions in this PrepTest. Thank you for your patience!
This page shows a recording of a live class. We're working hard to create our standard, concise explanation videos for the questions in this PrepTest. Thank you for your patience!
This page shows a recording of a live class. We're working hard to create our standard, concise explanation videos for the questions in this PrepTest. Thank you for your patience!