Quote:
In a recent speech, the president of a major college said, “It is extremely valuable for college-educated adults entering the workplace to be able to speak at least one foreign language fluently. I am, therefore, proposing that all of our students be encouraged to spend their junior year abroad.”
Which of the following, if true, most weakens the president’s argument?
A) Most students who study abroad for a full year return home with a good working knowledge of the language spoken in the country.
B) Only students who already know a language well will choose to study in a country where that language is spoken.
C) Some colleges do a much better job than others in teaching foreign languages.
D) Some students learn to speak foreign languages fluently by taking intensive immersion courses in the United States.
E) Many students who spend their junior year abroad learn to speak the language fluently, but cannot read and write with ease.
I'm going to try to answer this question. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Premise: It is extremely valuable for college-educated adults entering the workplace to be able to speak at least one foreign language fluently.
Conclusion: President is proposing that all of our students be encouraged to spend their junior year abroad.
The goal is to weaken this question.
My pre-thinking: The students can study by themself in their country.
So I left the answer choices between B and D.
B) Only students who already know a language well will choose to study in a country where that language is spoken. >> Tempting question, but it cannot weaken the question because this choice does not weaken the conclusion.
D) Some students learn to speak foreign languages fluently by taking intensive immersion courses in the United States. >> It's like my pre-thinking. I will choose this answer choice next time.