Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that exercise can increase life span. This is because the subjects in a study who exercised were less likely to die during the study than the subjects who didn’t exercise.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that there was no prior correlation between people who exercised and were in good health, or people who didn’t exercise and were in poor health. If people on the verge of dying didn’t exercise given their health condition, then the study wouldn’t indicate anything about the effects of exercise.
A
The subjects who did not exercise regularly during the study tended to have diets that were more unhealthy.
This weakens the author’s argument by bringing in a third factor: diet. Perhaps the people who didn’t die were saved by their diets rather than by exercise.
B
The subjects who did not exercise regularly during the study tended to blame their lack of exercise on a lack of time.
This doesn’t do much. Perhaps those people had little time because they were stressed about other things, and the stress ended up damaging their health.
C
A large number of the deaths recorded were attributable to preexisting conditions or illnesses.
This severely damages the author’s argument. People died because of their preexisting conditions rather than their lack of exercise.
D
Whether or not a given subject was to exercise during the study was determined by the researchers on a random basis.
There was no connection between prior health and exercise. This defends against the obvious weakener that only already-healthy people were exercising.
E
A person who exercises regularly is probably doing so out of concern for his or her own health.
We don’t care what motivated the participants to exercise.
Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
While the nation's children do need a better education, the problem isn’t just the schools' fault. Both candidates agree that the school system needs some changes, but the speaker thinks her opponent is placing too much blame on the schools alone. The speaker argues that education isn’t just the responsibility of schools; other parts of society are equally responsible for educating children.
Identify Argument Part
The stimulus text is a limited concession the candidate makes to her opponent while challenging his position. The candidate agrees that the school system needs some changes, but she disagrees with her opponent because she thinks he’s putting too much blame on the schools for the poor state of education. The stimulus text shows that the candidate agrees with her opponent to some extent, but not entirely.
A
It is the main conclusion that the argument is attempting to establish about the position of the candidate’s opponent.
The stimulus text limits the candidate’s main conclusion that her opponent’s position is incorrect. It acknowledges that her opponent’s position is somewhat correct, which undermines the main conclusion rather than supporting it.
B
It is offered as an example of one of the social problems for which the argument proposes a solution.
This incorrectly labels the stimulus text as context. The stimulus text is a concession the candidate makes to her opponent, acknowledging that her opponent’s position is somewhat correct. The stimulus text does not illustrate a problem that needs correcting.
C
It is cited as establishing the candidate’s contention that far too much is being blamed on schools.
The stimulus text does not support this contention. Instead, it limits the candidate’s contention that too much blame is being placed on schools; it does not support it. The final sentence is the premise that supports the conclusion that too much blame is being placed on schools.
D
It is used to indicate how the failings of the school system are partially responsible for society’s problems.
The stimulus text expresses the candidate’s belief that schools need reform, but it does not go so far as to discuss how the failings of the school system are partially responsible for society’s problems.
E
It is a limited concession made to the candidate’s opponent in the context of a broader challenge to the opponent’s position.
In the stimulus text, the candidate concedes that her opponent is partially correct: the schools need reform. Thus, the text is a limited concession the candidate makes “in the context of” disagreeing with her opponent’s position.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that within ten years, most new homes made in North America will have steel frameworks instead of wood ones. This is because the sizes of lumber most commonly used in home construction are getting worse in quality and are getting more expensive. In addition, steel has an advantage over wood in that steel will not warp, rot or split.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that the steel required for houses is not getting worse in quality. The author also assumes that there aren’t other disadvantages about steel compared to wood that might outweigh the disadvantages brought up about wood.
A
Over the next ten years, labor costs in the home construction industry are expected to rise significantly.
This doesn’t differentiate between steel and wood labor costs. We have no reason to think this would affect steel more than wood.
B
Steel-framed homes do not have to be treated with pesticides or other chemicals that can contribute to indoor air pollution.
This is a positive aspect about steel. If anything, this strengthen shte argument.
C
Because lumber prices have increased over the last decade, currently most new homes are built with steel frameworks.
If anything, this supports the author’s prediction that most new homes constructed will have steel frameworks.
D
Training home construction workers to work with steel is very costly.
This is a negative aspect about steel that might outweigh whatever advantages steel has over wood.
E
The number of houses built each year is expected to decrease over the next decade.
This doesn’t differentiate between steel and wood. We have no reason to think this would affect steel more than wood.