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June 2007, Logical Reasoning 2, Question 2

Transcript

Question two, so if we look at the questions then we see the phrase contributes to an explanation which means that we're doing a paradox question. Now this question is also an except question. So on a normal paradox question, we will be looking for the one answer choice that resolves or explains away a discrepancy between two things. Since it's an except question, we're looking for the one answer that doesn't explain away the discrepancy between two things.

Four of the answers will, one of the answers won't. Now the question stem also gives us a little bit of a hint as to what we'll be explaining away. We're trying to explain the increase mentioned. So apparently it's weird that there's an increase, and we need to figure out why it's weird and the correct answer will bridge the gap.

It will explain why it's weird. So we look up at the stimulus, we can see that the reason it's weird that Jimmy's gas bills have increased is that he just bought a gas heater that is rated as highly efficient. So if he bought a highly efficient gas water heater, why is he spending more money on gas?

Okay, so let's look at the answer choices to find out. Answer choice A, this answer choice merely tells us that Jimmy's water heater is working out as expected. If it's a highly efficient water heater, it would need to use less gas. And if there weren't any other changes to his gas usage, then the amount that it's using would be a smaller percentage of the overall gas bill.

But that doesn't bring us any closer to understanding why it is that his bill is going up, he's using less gas. So answer choice A is our answer, because answer choice A doesn't explain situation, it doesn't get rid of the paradox. So glance at the other answer choices just to see why they're wrong. Answer choice B says that Jimmy's uncle just came to live with him doubling the size of the household.

Well, that would explain why the gas bills go up if you have twice as many people taking showers and such. Even if you spend less per shower, you've got twice as many showers. Answer choice C, Jimmy bought another gas appliance, a gas dryer. So he's not just heating his water with gas, he's also drying his clothes when that would explain why he's spending more money on gas.

Answer choice D, so his utility company raised the rates for gas consumption. Well, if the rate you're paying for gas goes up, it would make sense that your gas bill is going up. Even though he's saving some money using less when he heats water, he does have to pay more for the gas he uses. Answer choice E, if he has to use a lot of gas to heat up the house because it's cold, that explain why his bill is going up even though he did just buy that fancy new gas heater.

So answer choice A is the only one that doesn't provide any explanation of why the gas bill's gone up. So answer choice A is my answer.

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