- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8917
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:19 pm
#23569
Complete Question Explanation
Must be True—CE. The correct answer choice is (C)
The stimulus is telling us that there is a correlation between body temperature and reaction speed. Is it a causal link, or just a coincidental correlation? The empirical evidence at the end of the stimulus seems to suggest there cannot be a causal link running from body temperature to reaction speed. If there were, then we would expect the artificially induced change in body temperature to influence reaction speed.
A possible explanation might be that there is a causal link running from reaction speed to body temperature, but when we change body temperature, reaction speed (the causal factor) does not change. This explanation would be consistent with the observed data.
This is a classic "Must be true" question. We are looking for a conclusion which definitely logically follows from the observed data.
Answer choice (A): This causal explanation is consistent with the data, as noted above. However, this explanation does not definitely logically follow from the data. So we cannot choose this answer choice.
Answer choice (B): This explanation might be consistent with the data: perhaps there is no causal link in any direction, and there is only a coincidental correlation between body temperature and reaction speed. However, this explanation does not definitely logically follow from the data. So we cannot choose this answer choice.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. Based on the experiment, as noted above, we can say for sure that there cannot be a causal link running from body temperature to reaction speed.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is inconsistent with the observed data. If this were true, then the experiment described in the stimulus should have raised reaction speed. But reaction speed did not change. So this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This answer choice is directly opposed to the observed data, so this cannot be correct.
Must be True—CE. The correct answer choice is (C)
The stimulus is telling us that there is a correlation between body temperature and reaction speed. Is it a causal link, or just a coincidental correlation? The empirical evidence at the end of the stimulus seems to suggest there cannot be a causal link running from body temperature to reaction speed. If there were, then we would expect the artificially induced change in body temperature to influence reaction speed.
A possible explanation might be that there is a causal link running from reaction speed to body temperature, but when we change body temperature, reaction speed (the causal factor) does not change. This explanation would be consistent with the observed data.
This is a classic "Must be true" question. We are looking for a conclusion which definitely logically follows from the observed data.
Answer choice (A): This causal explanation is consistent with the data, as noted above. However, this explanation does not definitely logically follow from the data. So we cannot choose this answer choice.
Answer choice (B): This explanation might be consistent with the data: perhaps there is no causal link in any direction, and there is only a coincidental correlation between body temperature and reaction speed. However, this explanation does not definitely logically follow from the data. So we cannot choose this answer choice.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. Based on the experiment, as noted above, we can say for sure that there cannot be a causal link running from body temperature to reaction speed.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is inconsistent with the observed data. If this were true, then the experiment described in the stimulus should have raised reaction speed. But reaction speed did not change. So this answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (E): This answer choice is directly opposed to the observed data, so this cannot be correct.