Harley1980 wrote:
Last year, the composite El-Hi education (CEHE) ranking for Silver County was its lowest score on record, since composite were first calculated in 1964. The CEHE ranking is a sophisticated weighed average of standardized testing results from Grade 1 to Grade 12. This year, the testing result for grades 1-6 in Silver County are about the same as they were last year, and the testing results for high school (grades 9-12) in Silver County are lower than last year's high school results in Silver County. Surely the middle school testing results (grades 7-9) in Silver County will also be as low as, or lower than, last year's results. Therefore, Silver County will undoubtedly establish a new low in its CEHE ranking.
In the argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support for the main conclusion of the argument; the second is that main conclusion.
B) The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position the argument opposes; the second is a claim advanced in support of the main conclusions of the argument.
C) The first is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide support for the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a conclusion drawn in order to support the main conclusion.
D) The first is an objection that the main argument rejects; the second present a conclusion that could be drawn if that object were allowed to stand.
E) The first is an objection that the main argument rejects; the second is that main conclusion.
Dear
Harley1980,
I'm happy to respond.
I wrote a tricky boldface question here.
The main conclusion of the argument is the last sentence, the second BF passage. There are three pieces of evidence for this conclusion
(a) "
the testing result for grades 1-6 in Silver County are about the same as they were last year"
(b) "
the testing results for high school (grades 9-12) in Silver County are lower than last year's high school results in Silver County"
(c) "
the middle school testing results (grades 7-9) in Silver County will also be as low as, or lower than, last year's results"
The first two sound completely factual, as if the data is already in. The third, which is the first BF, is a prediction, and if this prediction were true, it would certainly support the conclusion.
Thus,
BF #1 = a prediction that would support the main conclusion, if it's true
BF #2 = the main conclusion
Very straightforward. OA =
(A)Many of the other answer choices create confusing scenarios that are not correct. BF #1 is not an objection and it wouldn't oppose the main conclusion, BF #2 is the main conclusion, plain and simple, not something supporting something else. It's important to have a good understand of the relationship of the two BF statements before sifting through the answer choices.
Does all this make sense?
Mike
_________________
Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test PrepEducation is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)