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W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious

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summer101
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W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   28 Jun 2013, 02:37
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57% (01:39) correct 43% (01:49) wrong based on 392 sessions
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W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

Which of the following most seriously weakens the force of Z's counterargument?

A. Z fails to cite any actual figures
B. Z's decision to consider a time span of 40 years seem arbitrary
C. Z relies on conventional criteria for the notion of a significant relationship
D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
E. Z assumes that there is no connection between economic and political trends
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D
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   28 Jun 2013, 02:45
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W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

W and Z do not talk about the same thing: W cites the rise of the level of unemployment, but Z replies by citing the level of employment overall.
W cites a trend, W cites an overall number not related to a rise/fall of the level itself => they are talking about two different things.

D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
is correct
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   28 Jun 2013, 05:12
summer101 wrote:
W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

Which of the following most seriously weakens the force of Z's counterargument?

A. Z fails to cite any actual figures
B. Z's decision to consider a time span of 40 years seem arbitrary
C. Z relies on conventional criteria for the notion of a significant relationship
D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
E. Z assumes that there is no connection between economic and political trends



D for me too!
A ( not a perfect flaw :roll: ) & B ( seems? doesnt weaken the argument anyways :x ) are unconvincing in themselves.
C is a generalized statement and may /maynot weaken this argument.
E - Economic and Political trends are too vague to be applicable to this specific situation!
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   28 Jun 2013, 15:42
On Weaken questions you are sometimes looking for a shift in the author's words. The original argument discusses the rise in unemployment and Z responds with wording discussing the level of unemployment. This shift in language opens up an opportunity for assumptions - assuming that both words are the same.

Thus D shows the assumption between the level of unemployment and the rise in unemployment and therefore weakens the article.
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   03 Jul 2013, 07:48
Zarrolou wrote:
W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

W and Z do not talk about the same thing: W cites the rise of the level of unemployment, but Z replies by citing the level of employment overall.
W cites a trend, W cites an overall number not related to a rise/fall of the level itself => they are talking about two different things.

D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
is correct


Hi,
What does "direction of change mean" ?
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   03 Jul 2013, 21:02
summer101 wrote:
W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

Which of the following most seriously weakens the force of Z's counterargument?

A. Z fails to cite any actual figures
B. Z's decision to consider a time span of 40 years seem arbitrary
C. Z relies on conventional criteria for the notion of a significant relationship
D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
E. Z assumes that there is no connection between economic and political trends



Can someone post the explanation for option C...??
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   03 Jul 2013, 22:46
cumulonimbus wrote:
Zarrolou wrote:
W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

W and Z do not talk about the same thing: W cites the rise of the level of unemployment, but Z replies by citing the level of employment overall.
W cites a trend, W cites an overall number not related to a rise/fall of the level itself => they are talking about two different things.

D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
is correct


Hi,
What does "direction of change mean" ?


hi,

actually it means:
Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change in unemployment.
W==>He is focussing on rapid RISE (CHANGE ) in employment.
Z==>He is focussing on on current level of unemployment and not the CHANGE (RISE)IN EMPLOYMENT.

hope it helps
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   03 Jul 2013, 22:55
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jaituteja wrote:

Can someone post the explanation for option C...??


Hi,
actually conventional means: what is typical and ordinary and that which follows accepted standards of behavior or taste.

now C says:
C. Z relies on conventional criteria for the notion of a significant relationship====>means whatever Z is thinking is typical and normal ..and is accepted by all.....but this is not the case...it is not typically accepted.....rather Z has collected data of last 40 years and he himself came to the conclusion.,so no consensus is their....hence that is why this wrong..
hope it helps.

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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   04 Jul 2013, 02:36
very good Explanation by Zarrolous , I chose C at first but after reading the explanations I could see how wrong m y approach is :| :oops:
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   04 Jul 2013, 08:01
shaileshmishra wrote:
cumulonimbus wrote:
Zarrolou wrote:
W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

W and Z do not talk about the same thing: W cites the rise of the level of unemployment, but Z replies by citing the level of employment overall.
W cites a trend, W cites an overall number not related to a rise/fall of the level itself => they are talking about two different things.

D. Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change
is correct


Hi,
What does "direction of change mean" ?


hi,

actually it means:
Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change in unemployment.
W==>He is focussing on rapid RISE (CHANGE ) in employment.
Z==>He is focussing on on current level of unemployment and not the CHANGE (RISE)IN EMPLOYMENT.

hope it helps


Hi,
Sorry I didn't get you.
Isn't W - talking about unemployment.
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   04 Jul 2013, 08:17
cumulonimbus wrote:
Hi,
Sorry I didn't get you.
Isn't W - talking about unemployment.


Nope, they use similar words, but what they say is very different.

W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economic problem; it will undoubtedly cost the majority party votes in the coming elections.
Z: I disagree. Statistics for the past 40 years show that there is no significant relationship between the prevailing level of employment and political gains or losses by the party that happens to be in the majority at election time.

W talks about the rise like: +4%
Z talks about the number like: 90%

The first cites a TREND (+ something ), the second cites a "steady" number.
Hope it's clear
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Re: rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious economi [#permalink] New post   04 Jul 2013, 08:25
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cumulonimbus wrote:

Hi,
Sorry I didn't get you.
Isn't W - talking about unemployment.


my bad ...that was a typo.

let me elaborate again.
first of all we must know employment rate unemployment are complementary.
means you can say either : employment is increasing or unemplyment is decreasing
and employment is decreasing or unemployment is increasing.

so now argument:
hi,

actually it means:
Z's statistics focus on level of unemployment, rather than direction of change in unemployment.
or you can rephrase this==>Z's statistics focus on level of employment, rather than direction of change in employment.

W==>He is focussing on rapid RISE (CHANGE ) in unemployment.
Z==>He is focussing on current level of unemployment and not the CHANGE IN UNEMPLOYMENT.
OR YOU CAN REPHRASE IT AS
He is focussing on current level of employment and not the CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT

hope it helps
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   31 Dec 2017, 00:26
what is the source of this question?
I cannot locate the exact source of this question even though I have used google.

Using POE, test takers can choose D.
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink] New post   16 Apr 2024, 08:47
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Re: W: the rapid rise in the rate of unemployment is a serious [#permalink]
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