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- Thu May 11, 2017 6:40 pm
#34779
Complete Question Explanation
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (A)
Brianna begins this stimulus with the point that she is attempting to prove: buying a tree last summer
would have been preferable to this summer’s purchase of a tree that has struggled to survive the
recent drought. She bases this conclusion on the fact that if they had bought a tree last summer, it
could have established its roots during that summer’s regular rains, and since trees with established
roots are better able to withstand droughts, this would have better enabled it to survive through the
recent drought. The argument’s components can be broken down as follows:
Premise: The tree purchased this summer is struggling to survive the recent drought.
Premise: If a tree had been purchased last summer instead, it would have been able to
establish its roots through the normal rainfall that occurred last season.
Premise: Trees with established roots are better able to withstand droughts.
Subsidiary conclusion: If they had bought a tree last summer, it would have been able to
survive this summer’s drought.
Main Conclusion: It would have been better to buy a tree last summer rather than this
summer.
The stimulus is followed by a Main Point question, and in this case, the answer is pre-phrased above:
Buying a tree last summer would have been better than buying the tree this summer.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. Although it is presented at the beginning of
Brianna’s statements, this is the conclusion of her argument; the main point she is driving at is that
buying the tree last summer would have been preferable to buying it this summer.
Answer choice (B): The fact that this summer’s tree is struggling against the drought is a premise
in support of Brianna’s main point, that buying the tree last summer would have been better than
buying it this summer.
Answer choice (C): The fact that a tree purchased last summer would have better been able to
survive the drought supports Brianna’s main conclusion, which is that making the purchase last
summer would have been better.
Answer choice (D): One of Brianna’s supporting premises is that last summer’s normal rainfall
would have enabled the tree to establish its roots. Since this is not Brianna’s conclusion, it cannot be
the right answer to this Main Point question.
Answer choice (E): This is a supporting premise of Brianna’s argument, as discussed, not her main
point, so this choice should be ruled out of contention.
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (A)
Brianna begins this stimulus with the point that she is attempting to prove: buying a tree last summer
would have been preferable to this summer’s purchase of a tree that has struggled to survive the
recent drought. She bases this conclusion on the fact that if they had bought a tree last summer, it
could have established its roots during that summer’s regular rains, and since trees with established
roots are better able to withstand droughts, this would have better enabled it to survive through the
recent drought. The argument’s components can be broken down as follows:
Premise: The tree purchased this summer is struggling to survive the recent drought. Premise: If a tree had been purchased last summer instead, it would have been able to establish its roots through the normal rainfall that occurred last season. Premise: Trees with established roots are better able to withstand droughts. Subsidiary conclusion: If they had bought a tree last summer, it would have been able to survive this summer’s drought. Main Conclusion: It would have been better to buy a tree last summer rather than this summer.The stimulus is followed by a Main Point question, and in this case, the answer is pre-phrased above:
Buying a tree last summer would have been better than buying the tree this summer.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. Although it is presented at the beginning of
Brianna’s statements, this is the conclusion of her argument; the main point she is driving at is that
buying the tree last summer would have been preferable to buying it this summer.
Answer choice (B): The fact that this summer’s tree is struggling against the drought is a premise
in support of Brianna’s main point, that buying the tree last summer would have been better than
buying it this summer.
Answer choice (C): The fact that a tree purchased last summer would have better been able to
survive the drought supports Brianna’s main conclusion, which is that making the purchase last
summer would have been better.
Answer choice (D): One of Brianna’s supporting premises is that last summer’s normal rainfall
would have enabled the tree to establish its roots. Since this is not Brianna’s conclusion, it cannot be
the right answer to this Main Point question.
Answer choice (E): This is a supporting premise of Brianna’s argument, as discussed, not her main
point, so this choice should be ruled out of contention.