Summarize Argument
The author concludes that no one has to wear gloves or mittens to keep their hands warm in the winter. Rather, they can just use extra layers of clothing. This is because extra layers of clothing keep the vital organs warm, which in turn can keep the hands warm.
Notable Assumptions
Based merely on the fact that extra layers of clothing can indirectly keep the hands warm, the author concludes that gloves or mittens are never necessary. This means the author assumes extra layers of clothing always indirectly keep the hands warm.
A
Maintaining the temperature of your hands is far less important, physiologically, than maintaining the temperature of your torso.
It doesn’t matter how important it is to keep your hands warm. We’re concerned with whether it’s possible to do so without gloves or mittens.
B
Several layers of light garments will keep one’s vital organs warmer than will one or two heavy garments.
We don’t care how those layers are configured so long as they keep the vital organs warm.
C
Wearing an extra layer of clothing will not keep one’s hands warm at temperatures low enough to cause frostbite.
There are certain situations where extra layers don’t cut it. Mittens or gloves would certainly be necessary at temperatures low enough to cause frostbite.
D
Keeping one’s hands warm by putting on an extra layer of clothing is less effective than turning up the heat.
“Turning up the heat” isn’t an option here. We’re talking about extra layers.
E
The physical effort required to put on an extra layer of clothing does not stimulate circulation enough to warm your hands.
The author never says that the mere effort of putting on an extra layer is how the hands stay warm. They stay warm, supposedly, since the vital organs stay warm.
Summarize Argument: Causal Explanation
The argument is an explanation for why music with a simple recurring rhythm is appealing. The author argues that the reason for this appeal is that it reminds humans of the womb. The author supports the argument by saying the mother’s regular heartbeat is a source of comfort in the womb. Birth takes away the comfort of the womb, including that sound. Therefore, in seeking comfort, it is natural that people are drawn to recurring rhythms that sound like the heartbeat in the womb.
Identify Conclusion
The conclusion is the author’s explanation for why particular music is appealing: “The reason music with a simple recurring rhythm exerts a strong primordial appeal is that it reminds us of the womb environment.”
A
The explanation of the strong primordial appeal of music with a simple recurring rhythm is that it reminds us of the womb environment.
This accurately paraphrases the conclusion. The author is reasoning (explaining) why the music with a simple recurring rhythm has this strong primordial appeal - it reminds us of the womb environment.
B
The comforting sound of the mother’s regular heartbeat is the first sound that is heard inside the womb.
This is support for the explanation the author provides. There is a regular rhythm in the womb - this helps explain why the rhythmic music is appealing.
C
Birth deprives us of a primal and constant source of comfort when it takes away the warmth and security of the womb.
This is support for the explanation the author provides. It helps us to understand why a regular rhythm is associated with comfort.
D
People seek sensations of warmth and security throughout life because birth takes away the warmth and security of the womb.
This is support for the explanation the author provides. It helps us to understand why people are drawn to comforting rhythms.
E
The comforting sound of the mother’s regular heartbeat is a simple recurring rhythmic sound.
This is an unstated premise/assumption - the mother’s regular heartbeat is similar to recurring rhythmic sounds in music. This assumption supports the explanation the author provides.
Summarize Argument
The company president concludes that the company will choose one of the best management consultants available because they will only interview candidates who have worked for top 1% of management consulting firms.
Identify and Describe Flaw
This is the cookie-cutter flaw of confusing whole versus part. Here, the president assumes that the best firms must be made up of the best individual consultants.
In other words, in order to conclude that his company will hire one of the best consultants, the president must assume that only the best consultants work at the best firms. In reality, top firms could still have had some bad consultants.
A
takes for granted that only the best management consultants have worked for the top management consulting firms
The president assumes that the best firms are made up of only the best consultants. But top firms could still have had some bad consultants. In other words, just because the whole group is high quality doesn’t ensure that each part or member of the group is high quality.
B
generalizes from too small a sample of management consulting firms worldwide
This is the cookie-cutter flaw of hasty generalization. The company president doesn’t make this mistake. He just assumes that only the best consultants work at the best firms worldwide.
C
takes for granted that if something is true of each member of a collection, then it is also true of the collection as a whole
The president’s argument is actually vulnerable to criticism because it assumes that if something is true of a collection as a whole (the best consulting firms), then it is also true of each member of that collection (each individual consultant). (C) has this backward.
D
presumes, without providing warrant, that persons who have worked for the top companies will accept a job offer
The president never makes any assumptions about which candidates will accept a job offer. He just argues that when the company chooses a candidate, that candidate will be one of the best consultants.
E
presumes, without providing justification, that highly competent management consultants are highly competent at every task
The president never assumes this. Instead, he assumes that only the best consultants work at the best firms. Whether those consultants are competent at every task is irrelevant.