- Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:28 pm
#85363
Complete Question Explanation
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (D)
Franklin’s argument is that since sports celebrities and Nobel laureates both have rare talents and work
hard, sports celebrities should not be paid ten times as much. Tomeka responds that sports celebrities
earn more for their employers than do Nobel laureates. Tomeka’s statement is clearly meant to provide
a reason for the salary difference, and from that we can infer that Tomeka disagrees with Franklin’s
conclusion.
The questions in this problem set get progressively harder, and the difficulty in this problem results
from two challenging incorrect answer choices. Remember, just because the disagreement is easy to
characterize does not mean that the question will be easy. The test makers always have the ability to
create truly difficult answer choices.
Answer choice (A): Neither speaker addresses the issue of whether Nobel laureates should be “taken
more seriously.” In that same vein, it would be a mistake to equate salary with seriousness, as in a lesser
salary means Nobel laureates are taken less seriously. Further, do not equate a lower salary with a low
salary: Nobel laureates could make millions of dollars a year, but the sports celebrities simply make
much more.
Answer choice (B): This is the most commonly selected wrong answer. The key word in the answer
choice is “more.” Franklin makes no assertion or implication that Nobel laureates should make more
than celebrities. Instead, his argument makes the case that sports celebrities should not be paid ten
times the pay of Nobel laureates.
Answer choice (C): Franklin would agree with this statement, but Tomeka makes no mention of
working hard—instead, she only mentions that sports celebrities earn millions of dollars for their
employers. Since Tomeka’s view on the statement is unknown, this answer is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. Franklin notes that the salary disparity is inconsistent
and both have talent and work hard. He would agree with the statement in this answer choice. On the
other hand, Tomeka cites a reason for the pay disparity, and she would disagree with the statement.
Because the two speakers disagree over the truth of the statement, this is the correct answer.
Answer choice (E): Neither speaker addresses the social contributions of celebrities, and you should
not infer that a comparison is made simply because the other group in the discussion is composed of
Nobel laureates.
Point at Issue. The correct answer choice is (D)
Franklin’s argument is that since sports celebrities and Nobel laureates both have rare talents and work
hard, sports celebrities should not be paid ten times as much. Tomeka responds that sports celebrities
earn more for their employers than do Nobel laureates. Tomeka’s statement is clearly meant to provide
a reason for the salary difference, and from that we can infer that Tomeka disagrees with Franklin’s
conclusion.
The questions in this problem set get progressively harder, and the difficulty in this problem results
from two challenging incorrect answer choices. Remember, just because the disagreement is easy to
characterize does not mean that the question will be easy. The test makers always have the ability to
create truly difficult answer choices.
Answer choice (A): Neither speaker addresses the issue of whether Nobel laureates should be “taken
more seriously.” In that same vein, it would be a mistake to equate salary with seriousness, as in a lesser
salary means Nobel laureates are taken less seriously. Further, do not equate a lower salary with a low
salary: Nobel laureates could make millions of dollars a year, but the sports celebrities simply make
much more.
Answer choice (B): This is the most commonly selected wrong answer. The key word in the answer
choice is “more.” Franklin makes no assertion or implication that Nobel laureates should make more
than celebrities. Instead, his argument makes the case that sports celebrities should not be paid ten
times the pay of Nobel laureates.
Answer choice (C): Franklin would agree with this statement, but Tomeka makes no mention of
working hard—instead, she only mentions that sports celebrities earn millions of dollars for their
employers. Since Tomeka’s view on the statement is unknown, this answer is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer. Franklin notes that the salary disparity is inconsistent
and both have talent and work hard. He would agree with the statement in this answer choice. On the
other hand, Tomeka cites a reason for the pay disparity, and she would disagree with the statement.
Because the two speakers disagree over the truth of the statement, this is the correct answer.
Answer choice (E): Neither speaker addresses the social contributions of celebrities, and you should
not infer that a comparison is made simply because the other group in the discussion is composed of
Nobel laureates.