| Critical Reasoning Butler: August 2025 |
| August 29 | CR 1 | CR 2 |
________________________________
CR 1 A prolonged period of low mortgage rates resulted in a period of the most robust home sales ever. At the same time, the average sale price of resale homes actually dropped, when adjusted for inflation.
Which of the following, if true, would explain the apparent contradiction between the robust home sales and the drop in the average sale price of resale homes?
(A) The inflation rate during this period exceeded the increase in the average salary, thus preventing many buyers from securing mortgages.
(B) Resale homes represent the best value on the real estate market.
(C) Without the adjustment for inflation, the price of resale homes actually increased by a very slight amount.
(D) The decrease in mortgage rates was accompanied by a widening of the types of mortgages from which borrowers could choose.
(E) The increase in home sales was due entirely to an increase in the sale of new homes.
________________________________
CR 2 A bullet train travels in excess of 150 miles per hour. Therefore, if a train travels slower than 150 miles per hour, it is not a bullet train.
Which of the following most closely parallels the reasoning used in the argument above?
(A) An orange ripens only on the vine. If it ripens on the vine, then it is not an orange.
(B) Newspapers are often read by more than one person. Therefore, magazines are also likely to be read by more than one person.
(C) An earthquake of 5.0 or above on the Richter scale causes massive damage. If there is not massive damage, then the earthquake did not attain a 5.0 or above.
(D) A supersonic plane travels at speeds in excess of Mach 1. If it is not supersonic, then it will travel at speeds below Mach 1.
(E) Fluoride generally prevents cavities. If there are no cavities, then there was no fluoride used.