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19 Nov 2019, 02:02
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Cats are much better city pets than dogs. A cat's ability to use a litter box renders it unnecessary to take a cat for walks, and the fact that cat food costs less than dog food makes feeding cats relatively affordable. Moreover, cats are smaller and quieter than dogs. Therefore, based on these reasons, a person who lives in a small city apartment and wants a pet should get a cat instead of a dog.
Which of the following, if true, most effectively undermines the conclusion of the above argument?
A. Some people who live far from others prefer pets that can act as watchdogs and can make loud noises when provoked.
B. Cats, more often than dogs, tend to wander from their home to explore for hours or days at a time.
C. Though food for dogs tends to cost the same as food for cats, dogs consume larger amounts per meal and have meals more often.
D. When confined to a small space, a cat is more likely than a dog to habitually destroy expensive furniture and other costly material property.
E. Cats are more successful than are dogs at killing mice and other small pests on farms and in suburban areas.
Which of the following, if true, most effectively undermines the conclusion of the above argument?
A. Some people who live far from others prefer pets that can act as watchdogs and can make loud noises when provoked.
B. Cats, more often than dogs, tend to wander from their home to explore for hours or days at a time.
C. Though food for dogs tends to cost the same as food for cats, dogs consume larger amounts per meal and have meals more often.
D. When confined to a small space, a cat is more likely than a dog to habitually destroy expensive furniture and other costly material property.
E. Cats are more successful than are dogs at killing mice and other small pests on farms and in suburban areas.
30 Nov 2019, 20:02
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hinshara97 First, we have no indication that anyone in the argument lives far from others. If anything, we’d expect that no one “in a small city apartment” would live far from others.
Additionally, we don’t generally use what *some* people prefer to determine what people in general should or should not do. We’re concerned with undermining the author’s logical support for their recommendation, and that is about what pets are more practical and affordable, not what is preferred.
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Additionally, we don’t generally use what *some* people prefer to determine what people in general should or should not do. We’re concerned with undermining the author’s logical support for their recommendation, and that is about what pets are more practical and affordable, not what is preferred.
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30 Nov 2019, 21:01
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The implicit (intermediate) conclusion here is that, for people who live in small city apartments, cats are more convenient, more affordable, and better-suited than dogs. Let's tease out some of this argument's assumptions:
1. Cat food is cheaper than dog food; therefore, cats cost less to take care of than dogs.
2. The fact that cats use litter boxes makes caring for them, on the whole, more convenient than caring for dogs.
3. Convenience, size, loudness and maintenance cost are the main factors that indicate how well-suited an animal is for small apartment living.
The conclusion, of course, is stated in the last line: a person who lives in a small city apartment should get a cat instead of a dog.
We can undermine any of these assumptions directly with contradictory statements like "many dogs are smaller than cats," or "cats can be louder than dogs during restless nights." To undermine an assumption using additional premise—as opposed to direct negation—we must take an extra step. After assessing whether the given information supports or refutes the argument claim, we must determine its relation to the criteria present in the argument.
The negative consequence of keeping a cat in a small apartment, as described in this choice, strongly undermines assumption 2 (the idea that cats will cost less money than dogs overall). Choice D indeed weakens the ultimate conclusion that cats are better-suited (than are dogs) for people who live in small city apartments. Hence D is correct.
1. Cat food is cheaper than dog food; therefore, cats cost less to take care of than dogs.
2. The fact that cats use litter boxes makes caring for them, on the whole, more convenient than caring for dogs.
3. Convenience, size, loudness and maintenance cost are the main factors that indicate how well-suited an animal is for small apartment living.
The conclusion, of course, is stated in the last line: a person who lives in a small city apartment should get a cat instead of a dog.
We can undermine any of these assumptions directly with contradictory statements like "many dogs are smaller than cats," or "cats can be louder than dogs during restless nights." To undermine an assumption using additional premise—as opposed to direct negation—we must take an extra step. After assessing whether the given information supports or refutes the argument claim, we must determine its relation to the criteria present in the argument.
The negative consequence of keeping a cat in a small apartment, as described in this choice, strongly undermines assumption 2 (the idea that cats will cost less money than dogs overall). Choice D indeed weakens the ultimate conclusion that cats are better-suited (than are dogs) for people who live in small city apartments. Hence D is correct.
