Every year, injuries caused by scissors are reported by a number of

Question

Every year, injuries caused by scissors are reported by a number of elementary schools. Almost all of these injuries are accidental. Therefore, the use of scissors should not be allowed by elementary school pupils.

Which of the following, if true, calls the argument's conclusion into question?

Which of the following, if true, calls the argument's conclusion into question?

A. Many brands make low quality scissors that can injure a child when they malfunction.

B. Using scissors is not such an important part of the elementary school syllabus.

C. Many elementary schools do not have sufficient funds to offer assistance to children with learning disabilities.

D. Learning how to handle possibly dangerous objects can teach the children to show responsibility and to exercise judgement and caution.

E. An annual elementary school report must be reviewed by the governing educational body of that school's area.

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VivekSri · Answer

In order to weaken the argument, we have to find the option which gives any positive impact of using the scissors.

Let us start option elimination:

A. Many brands make low quality scissors that can injure a child when they malfunction. ->  Strengthening the argument. Not the ans.

B. Using scissors is not such an important part of the elementary school syllabus. ->  Again in a way supporting the argument. Not the ans

C. Many elementary schools do not have sufficient funds to offer assistance to children with learning disabilities. -> Out of scope.

D. Learning how to handle possibly dangerous objects can teach the children to show responsibility and to exercise judgement and caution. ->   So in a way this is opposing the argument. This is the ans 
 
E. An annual elementary school report must be reviewed by the governing educational body of that school's area. ->  Out of scope.

LamboWalker · Answer

We are required to weaken the author's argument of banning use of scissors at elementary schools.

A. Many brands make low quality scissors that can injure a child when they malfunction.  This is strengthening the argument.

B. Using scissors is not such an important part of the elementary school syllabus.  Out of syllabus.

C. Many elementary schools do not have sufficient funds to offer assistance to children with learning disabilities.  Out of syllabus.

D. Learning how to handle possibly dangerous objects can teach the children to show responsibility and to exercise judgement and caution.  . Correct answer.

E. An annual elementary school report must be reviewed by the governing educational body of that school's area.  'Must be' indicates that this is an opinion, not a fact.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Every year, injuries caused by scissors are reported by a number of elementary schools. Almost all of these injuries are accidental. Therefore, the use of scissors should not be allowed by elementary school pupils.

Which of the following, if true, calls the argument's conclusion into question?

Which of the following, if true, calls the argument's conclusion into question?

A. Many brands make low quality scissors that can injure a child when they malfunction.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data; the last sentence uses a conclusion conjunction (Therefore) and makes a recommendation (notice the word should) so it's the conclusion:

Premise A: every year, children are injured by scissors
 +
Premise B: these injuries are accidental
 =
Conclusion: scissors should not be allowed in schools

Possible assumption: the benefits of learning how to use scissors do not exceed the risks

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that scissors should not be allowed in elementary schools. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice strengthens the conclusion, but you are asked to weaken it. Claiming that many types of scissors can cause injury just gives us another reason to believe that scissors should not be allowed in the schools.

B. Using scissors is not such an important part of the elementary school syllabus.

Incorrect.

This answer choice strengthens the conclusion, but you are asked to weaken it. Claiming that using scissors is not that important to the pupils means that it won't really be missed. This just gives us another reason to believe that scissors can be disallowed in schools.

C. Many elementary schools do not have sufficient funds to offer assistance to children with learning disabilities.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the author's conclusion as it says nothing in favor or against disallowing scissors in elementary school.

D. Learning how to handle possibly dangerous objects can teach the children to show responsibility and to exercise judgement and caution.

This answer choice weakens the conclusion. By giving us a positive point about why children should learn to use scissors, this answer choice undermines the conclusion that scissors should not be allowed in elementary schools.

E. An annual elementary school report must be reviewed by the governing educational body of that school's area.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data; the last sentence uses a conclusion conjunction (Therefore) and makes a recommendation (notice the word should) so it's the conclusion:

Premise A: every year, children are injured by scissors
 +
Premise B: these injuries are accidental
 =
Conclusion: scissors should not be allowed in schools

Possible assumption: the benefits of learning how to use scissors do not exceed the risks

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the conclusion that scissors should not be allowed in elementary schools. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the author's conclusion. The fact that the annual report is reviewed by an educational body is irrelevant to whether or not scissors should be allowed in elementary schools.

Every year, injuries caused by scissors are reported by a number of

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Every year, injuries caused by scissors are reported by a number of

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