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- Wed Mar 03, 2021 3:20 pm
#84773
Complete Question Explanation
Method of Reasoning—Argument Part. The correct answer choice is (D)
The argument is structured as follows:
Premise: It is well documented that people have positive
responses to some words, such as “kind” and
“wonderful,” and negative responses to others, such
as “evil” and “nausea.”
Premise: Recently, psychological experiments have revealed
that people also have positive or negative responses
to many nonsense words.
Conclusion: This shows that people’s responses to words are
conditioned not only by what the words mean, but
also by how they sound.
Like many Method—AP arguments, the conclusion is in the final sentence
and is introduced by the conclusion indicator “this shows that.” As
discussed earlier, you should not expect to be asked about the conclusion
if it appears in the last sentence of a Method—AP question, and indeed
the statement referenced in the question stem is clearly a premise used to
support the conclusion. With this in mind, we will examine the answers.
The first few words of each answer indicate the general role the statement
is claimed to play. Answer choices (B) and (E) both name the statement as
a conclusion, and both are unlikely to be correct. Answer choices (A) and
(D) are early Contenders, and answer choice (C) bears further analysis.
Answer choice (A): We know that the statement is a premise, so this
answer is possibly correct based on the first line of the answer. But, the
answer claims the statement is used to support a conclusion that “people
have either a positive or a negative response to any word,” and that is
not the conclusion of the argument. Thus, although the answer starts out
correctly describing the statement, it finishes by incorrectly describing
the statement. As we know, half-right, half-wrong answers are always
incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This answer is immediately eliminated since the
statement is not a conclusion. A further reading reveals that the answer
also characterizes the conclusion of the argument as a premise, another
reason to dismiss this answer.
Answer choice (C): Although the statement could probably be
characterized as a generalization, it is not one supported by the first
premise. This answer tries to claim the statement is a conclusion, whereas
we know that the first two statements are both separate premises.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. We know the statement
is a premise designed to support the conclusion, and this answer choice
describes that role perfectly.
Answer choice (E): We know this answer is incorrect because it claims the
statement is a conclusion. The remainder of the answer choice would also
cause the answer to be eliminated since it describes a claim that does not
occur in the argument.
Method—AP questions often feature two conclusions—a main conclusion
and subsidiary conclusion—where the main conclusion is typically
placed in the first or second sentence, and the last sentence contains the
subsidiary conclusion. In addition, the subsidiary conclusion is often
preceded by a conclusion indicator such as “thus” or “therefore” while
the main conclusion is not prefaced by an indicator. This is an intentional
stimulus formation designed to trick many students into erroneously
believing that the last sentence contains the main point.
Method of Reasoning—Argument Part. The correct answer choice is (D)
The argument is structured as follows:
Premise: It is well documented that people have positive
responses to some words, such as “kind” and
“wonderful,” and negative responses to others, such
as “evil” and “nausea.”
Premise: Recently, psychological experiments have revealed
that people also have positive or negative responses
to many nonsense words.
Conclusion: This shows that people’s responses to words are
conditioned not only by what the words mean, but
also by how they sound.
Like many Method—AP arguments, the conclusion is in the final sentence
and is introduced by the conclusion indicator “this shows that.” As
discussed earlier, you should not expect to be asked about the conclusion
if it appears in the last sentence of a Method—AP question, and indeed
the statement referenced in the question stem is clearly a premise used to
support the conclusion. With this in mind, we will examine the answers.
The first few words of each answer indicate the general role the statement
is claimed to play. Answer choices (B) and (E) both name the statement as
a conclusion, and both are unlikely to be correct. Answer choices (A) and
(D) are early Contenders, and answer choice (C) bears further analysis.
Answer choice (A): We know that the statement is a premise, so this
answer is possibly correct based on the first line of the answer. But, the
answer claims the statement is used to support a conclusion that “people
have either a positive or a negative response to any word,” and that is
not the conclusion of the argument. Thus, although the answer starts out
correctly describing the statement, it finishes by incorrectly describing
the statement. As we know, half-right, half-wrong answers are always
incorrect.
Answer choice (B): This answer is immediately eliminated since the
statement is not a conclusion. A further reading reveals that the answer
also characterizes the conclusion of the argument as a premise, another
reason to dismiss this answer.
Answer choice (C): Although the statement could probably be
characterized as a generalization, it is not one supported by the first
premise. This answer tries to claim the statement is a conclusion, whereas
we know that the first two statements are both separate premises.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. We know the statement
is a premise designed to support the conclusion, and this answer choice
describes that role perfectly.
Answer choice (E): We know this answer is incorrect because it claims the
statement is a conclusion. The remainder of the answer choice would also
cause the answer to be eliminated since it describes a claim that does not
occur in the argument.
Method—AP questions often feature two conclusions—a main conclusion
and subsidiary conclusion—where the main conclusion is typically
placed in the first or second sentence, and the last sentence contains the
subsidiary conclusion. In addition, the subsidiary conclusion is often
preceded by a conclusion indicator such as “thus” or “therefore” while
the main conclusion is not prefaced by an indicator. This is an intentional
stimulus formation designed to trick many students into erroneously
believing that the last sentence contains the main point.