PrepTest 73, Logical Reasoning 1, Question 11
Transcript
Question 11, when a question asks you for the main conclusion of the argument, we call that a conclusion question. And our job is just to track down the conclusion in what we've been given. In this argument, the conclusion is found in the second sentence. Surely, there would be no problem in accepting these. Now these in question, we have to read it right in front figure out what they're talking about.
That's the company's gift of several high-tech street lights which the mayor says the city should accept. And our conclusion is, well, surely there would be no problem in accepting them. The reason that we know that's the conclusion is because everything else here is meant to explain why or why not that conclusion should be followed. There is a little bit of evidence against the conclusion.
It's the evidence of the people who believe that the gift should be rejected. That's the next sentence, some people fear the company wants to influence the city's decision regarding park lighting contracts. The author gives evidence against this evidence in the next sentence, where the author says that the only motive they can find is the company's desire to have products seen by mayors who's gonna visit the city for an upcoming convention.
So they're not trying to do the lighting contracts. They're just trying to influence mayors who are coming from elsewhere. Finally, the last sentence provides direct evidence for the conclusion. The reason that we don't have to worry about accepting this gift is because favoritism in city contracts is prevented by our competitive bidding procedure. Well, that's why we should be able to accept the gift with no problem, because we have a competitive bidding procedure which protects us.
So for a conclusion question, all we have to do is go to the answer choices, looking for something that states that conclusion that we identified. So let's see what the answer choices say. Answer choice A you'll recognize as the evidence against the conclusion, it's not the conclusion itself. Answer choice B, on the other hand, the mayor's proposal to accept the gift of streetlights should not be considered problematic, that was the conclusion we identified.
That's the combination of those first two sentences, there would be no problem in accepting these, and then the these are the streetlights that the mayor proposes the city accept. That was the conclusion we identified, so it is our answer, we should select it. Now, why are the other answers wrong? Well, answer choice C, that's something that the author never said.
The author never said it's not appropriate that a company should have this opportunity. In fact, the author seems okay with the possibility of this company having this opportunity. Regardless, the conclusion can't be something the author never said, so C doesn't work.
Whereas D, well, that was a piece of evidence. That was the evidence for the conclusion, not the conclusion itself. And answer choice E similarly was another piece of evidence, not the conclusion itself. So the correct answer is answer choice B.
Read full transcriptThat's the company's gift of several high-tech street lights which the mayor says the city should accept. And our conclusion is, well, surely there would be no problem in accepting them. The reason that we know that's the conclusion is because everything else here is meant to explain why or why not that conclusion should be followed. There is a little bit of evidence against the conclusion.
It's the evidence of the people who believe that the gift should be rejected. That's the next sentence, some people fear the company wants to influence the city's decision regarding park lighting contracts. The author gives evidence against this evidence in the next sentence, where the author says that the only motive they can find is the company's desire to have products seen by mayors who's gonna visit the city for an upcoming convention.
So they're not trying to do the lighting contracts. They're just trying to influence mayors who are coming from elsewhere. Finally, the last sentence provides direct evidence for the conclusion. The reason that we don't have to worry about accepting this gift is because favoritism in city contracts is prevented by our competitive bidding procedure. Well, that's why we should be able to accept the gift with no problem, because we have a competitive bidding procedure which protects us.
So for a conclusion question, all we have to do is go to the answer choices, looking for something that states that conclusion that we identified. So let's see what the answer choices say. Answer choice A you'll recognize as the evidence against the conclusion, it's not the conclusion itself. Answer choice B, on the other hand, the mayor's proposal to accept the gift of streetlights should not be considered problematic, that was the conclusion we identified.
That's the combination of those first two sentences, there would be no problem in accepting these, and then the these are the streetlights that the mayor proposes the city accept. That was the conclusion we identified, so it is our answer, we should select it. Now, why are the other answers wrong? Well, answer choice C, that's something that the author never said.
The author never said it's not appropriate that a company should have this opportunity. In fact, the author seems okay with the possibility of this company having this opportunity. Regardless, the conclusion can't be something the author never said, so C doesn't work.
Whereas D, well, that was a piece of evidence. That was the evidence for the conclusion, not the conclusion itself. And answer choice E similarly was another piece of evidence, not the conclusion itself. So the correct answer is answer choice B.
