Nutritionist: A study revealed that although most adults estimated their diets to correspond closely with the recommendations of standard nutritional guidelines, most of their diets did not come close to those recommendations. Both women and men underestimated the amount of fat in their diets and overestimated their intake of most other foods. In most food categories, especially fruits and vegetables, women’s diets did not meet the recommendations. Men underestimated their fat intake by half, and though they met the recommendations for breads, they fell short in all other categories.

Summary

A study concluded that most adult’s diets do not conform to standard nutritional guidelines. This is despite most adults estimating that their diets conform closely with the guidelines. Women and men underestimate the amount of fat in their diets and overestimate their intake of other foods. Women’s diets did not meet guidelines in most food categories, especially fruits and vegetables. Men met the guidelines’ recommendations for breads, but underestimated their fat intake by half and did not meet guidelines in all other categories.

Strongly Supported Conclusions

Most men in the study did not consume the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended by standard nutritional guidelines.

A
Both men and women in the study misjudged their compliance with the nutritional guidelines in every food category.

This answer is anti-supported. We know from the stimulus that most men in the study met the nutritional guidelines for breads.

B
In the study, more men than women were aware that in some food categories their diet failed to reflect the recommendations closely.

This answer is unsupported. We don’t know whether more men than women were aware of their shortfalls when it comes to the standard nutritional guidelines. We only know that most of the adults in the study overestimated their compliance with the guidelines.

C
Women in the study were more aware than men were of the recommended intake of breads.

This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether women’s bread intake complied with the guidelines. It’s possible that women complied with the recommended intake of breads, but it’s equally possible that they did not.

D
Men in the study estimated their daily intake of fruits and vegetables to be significantly lower than it in fact was.

This answer is anti-supported. We know from the stimulus that men overestimated their intake of most food categories. To estimate your intake as lower than it actually is would be an underestimation, not an overestimation.

E
Most men in the study did not consume the amounts of fruits and vegetables that the nutritional guidelines recommend.

This answer is strongly supported. We know from the stimulus that men met the recommendations for bread and fell short in all other categories. Therefore, men must not have met the recommended guidelines for fruits and vegetables.


8 comments

Generic drugs contain exactly the same active ingredients as their brand-name counterparts, but usually cost much less to develop, produce, and market. So, generic drugs are just as effective as their brand-name counterparts, but cost considerably less.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that generic drugs are just cheaper, equally effective versions of brand-name drugs. This is because generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs but cost less to produce.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes generic drugs have no relevant difference to brand-name drugs. True, the active ingredients are the same, but there could be other differences in composition that alter how effective these drugs are.

A
The ingredients used in the manufacture of brand-name drugs cost no more than the ingredients used to produce their generic counterparts.
We don’t care. We already know generic drugs are cheaper.
B
Generic drugs are no more likely than brand-name drugs to suffer from defects in composition.
While generic drugs are cheaper and as effective based on their active ingredients, are they likely to suffer from some other issue? This says they aren’t, so this rules out a potential problem with generic drugs.
C
Generic drugs are just as likely as brand-name drugs to be readily available in pharmacies.
We don’t care about availability. We care about efficacy and cost.
D
The higher costs of brand-name drugs underwrite drug companies’ heavy investment in research.
This simply explains why brand-name drugs are more expensive. But we already know they’re more expensive.
E
Because of advertising, doctors frequently prescribe brand-name drugs by their brand name, rather than by their chemical name.
Irrelevant. We don’t care what doctors prescribe. We care about cost and efficacy.

5 comments

Space programs have recently suffered several setbacks with respect to their large projects, and much money has been lost. Consequently, these grand projects should be abandoned in favor of several small ones.

Summarize Argument
The author concludes that large space program projects should be abandoned in favor of smaller ones. This is because large projects have recently suffered costly setbacks.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that large projects shouldn’t continue to be funded if they suffer costly setbacks. He further assumes that funding for these projects should be reallocated to smaller projects, which presumably are less likely to fail.

A
The cost of starting a space project increases every year.
This seems to weaken the author’s argument. If projects cost more to start every year, then those smaller projects might not actually be much less expensive.
B
It is just as easy to revise, and even scrap, small projects as it is large ones.
Irrelevant. We need to strengthen the claim that large projects should be abandoned if they suffer costly setbacks.
C
Large projects are intrinsically more likely to fail and so are more financially risky than small projects.
Large projects are a big risk. Small projects are a safer bet. Thus, money should be reallocated towards the safer options.
D
Project managers prefer to work on small projects rather than large ones.
We don’t care what project managers prefer. The author doesn’t factor them into funding decisions.
E
Large space projects can explore a few places thoroughly, while small projects can investigate more regions, though less thoroughly.
We don’t know what sort of space exploration we’re trying to do. If we want thorough exploration, then this would be a weakener.

Comment on this

James: Chemists have recently invented a new technique for extracting rhodium, an element necessary for manufacturing catalytic converters for automobiles, from nuclear waste. Catalytic converters function to remove noxious gases from automobile exhaust. The use of nuclear power is therefore contributing in at least one way to creating a cleaner environment.

Marta: The technique you mention, though effective, is still at an experimental stage, so there has been no shift in the sources of the rhodium currently used in manufacturing catalytic converters.

Summarize Argument: Counter-Position
In response to James’s claim that nuclear power has contributed to creating a cleaner environment, Marta concludes that there has been no shift to extract rhodium from nuclear waste in order to manufacture catalytic converters. As evidence, Marta points out that the technique is still in an experimental stage.

Describe Method of Reasoning
Marta counters the position held by James. She does this by pointing out something that James did not consider about the technique he describes. If the technique is still in its experimental stages, then it is unlikely that nuclear power has had any effect on the process of extracting rhodium yet.

A
casting doubt on the accuracy of the claims made by James in support of his conclusion
Marta does not doubt the accuracy of James’s premises. In fact, she concedes that the technique James mentions is effective.
B
questioning the credibility of advocates of nuclear power
There are no arguments from advocates of nuclear power in the stimulus. We cannot assume James is such an advocate for endorsing the technique he describes. Moreover, Marta does not question anybody’s credibility.
C
indicating that James is assuming the truth of the conclusion that he intends to establish
James’s argument is not circular. He is not assuming that nuclear power is contributing to a cleaner environment. What James is assuming is that the technique he describes is already being put to use. Marta is attacking this assumption by stating the technique is experimental.
D
pointing out a fact that James, in drawing his conclusion, did not take into account
The fact James’s fails to take into account is that the technique he describes is still in an experimental stage. Just because the technique was discovered and is possible to implement does not mean it is actually being implemented.
E
pointing out that James’s premises are no more plausible than is his conclusion
Marta does not doubt the plausibility of James’s premises. In fact, she concedes that the technique James mentions is effective.

1 comment

If an artist receives a public subsidy to support work on a specific project—e.g., making a film—and if this project then proves successful enough to allow the artist to repay the subsidy, is the artist then morally obliged to do so? The answer is clearly yes, since the money returned to the agency distributing the subsidies will be welcome as a source of support for other artists deserving of public subsidies.

Summarize Argument
The author considers a question of whether artists who receive public subsidies should repay those subsidies and concludes that artists are morally required to do so. As evidence, the author states that returning the money would be a source of support for other artists deserving of public subsidies.

Describe Method of Reasoning
The author establishes an artists moral obligation by suggesting other artists would be able to receive the same benefit if the public subsidies were repaid.

A
this person has benefited from other people’s acting in just this way in the past
The author does not suggest an artist’s moral obligation is based on other people’s past actions. The subsidy an artist is initially granted if funded by the public, but this money could have a different source other than another artist’s repayment.
B
acting this way would allow others to obtain a benefit such as the one that this artist has obtained in the past
The author’s support for his conclusion is that, if the subsidy is repaid, other deserving artists would have access to this source of support.
C
this person had in fact, at an earlier time, made a tacit promise to act this way
The author does not mention whether an author made a promise to repay the funds before being granted the subsidy.
D
not acting this way would be a small benefit to the person in the short term but a substantial detriment to the person in the long run
The author does not compare short and long term benefits or detriments.
E
this person, by acting this way, would provide general benefits with a value exceeding the cost to the person of acting this way
The author does not mention what benefits or costs an artist repaying a subsidy would incur.

1 comment

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