Summary
Publishing for children has changed. It has been influenced by computer-oriented culture. Publishing emphasizes a flashy look that causes a lack of substance, which leads to short-lived, trend-focused books. The books have also changed to be more humorous, simple, and narrow.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
Computer-oriented culture has changed today’s publishing for children.
The changes cause a lack of substance.
The lack of substance results in short lived books.
The culture-driven changes in children’s books have also made those books more humorous, simpler, and narrower in subject matter.
The changes cause a lack of substance.
The lack of substance results in short lived books.
The culture-driven changes in children’s books have also made those books more humorous, simpler, and narrower in subject matter.
A
The inclusion of humorous material and a narrower focus detract from the substance of a children’s book.
Unsupported. These changes have all occurred alongside each other, but nothing in the stimulus suggests that the humor and narrower focus are causes of the decreased substance.
B
The substance of a children’s book is important to its longevity.
Strongly supported. The reason given for why the books are short-lived is that they lack substance. The lack of substance “leads” to the poor longevity.
C
Children of the computer generation cannot concentrate on long, unbroken sections of prose.
Unsupported. The stimulus discusses the changes in publishing for children, but does not consider the actual children’s concentration.
D
Children judge books primarily on the basis of graphic design.
Unsupported. The stimulus discusses the changes in publishing for children, but does not consider how the actual children evaluate books.
E
The lack of substance of a children’s book is unlikely to be important to its popularity.
Unsupported. There is no evidence to conclude anything about what makes a children’s book popular, but we do know the lack of substance will hurt longevity.
Note: J.Y. says "sleepiness" instead of "sleeplessness" for answer choice (E). While his 'verbal typo' is wrong, the answer given is still right.
Summary
Pollen/allergens can cause cells in nose to release histamine.
Histamine causes certain allergy symptoms.
Antihistamines can reduce these allergy symptoms by blocking the action of histamine.
Antihistamines also have other effects. One of those effects is drowsiness.
Histamine doesn’t play any role in how colds produce symptoms.
Histamine causes certain allergy symptoms.
Antihistamines can reduce these allergy symptoms by blocking the action of histamine.
Antihistamines also have other effects. One of those effects is drowsiness.
Histamine doesn’t play any role in how colds produce symptoms.
Notable Valid Inferences
We’re looking for what must be true. This set of facts doesn’t produce any obvious inferences, so I’d mainly rely on process of elimination.
A
Pollen and other allergens do not cause colds.
Could be false. We know that histamine doesn’t play role in how colds produce symptoms. But what causes colds? We don’t know that pollens and allergens don’t cause colds.
B
Colds are more difficult to treat than allergies.
Could be false. We don’t know what’s more difficult to treat. Although antihistamines can reduce allergy symptoms, that doesn’t mean allergies are easier to treat than colds. Maybe antihistamines can also reduce cold symptoms, or there are other things that can treat colds.
C
Antihistamines, when taken alone, are ineffective against congestion caused by colds.
Could be false. We were told antihistamines have “other effects.” Those effects might include reducing cold symptoms; we don’t know. Although histamines aren’t part of cold symptoms, antihistamines might still reduce those symptoms through some means besides blocking histamines.
D
The sleeplessness that sometimes accompanies allergies can be effectively treated with antihistamines.
Could be false. We don’t know whether antihistamines can “effectively treat” sleeplessness. Although antihistamines can cause drowsiness, that doesn’t guarantee that they can treat sleeplessness.
E
Any effect antihistamines may have in reducing cold symptoms does not result from blocking the action of histamine.
Must be true. Histamines play no role in how colds produce symptoms. So, if antihistamines can reduce cold symptoms, it won’t be through blocking histamines. It would be through some other mechanism that’s related to producing cold symptoms.
Note: J.Y. says "sleepiness" instead of "sleeplessness" for answer choice (D). While his 'verbal typo' is wrong, the explanation given is still right.