Tanner: The public should demand political debates before

Question

Tanner: The public should demand political debates before any election. Voters are better able to choose the candidate best suited for office if they watch the candidates seriously debate one another. 
Saldana: Political debates almost always benefit the candidate who has the better debating skills. Thus, they don't really help voters determine which candidate is most qualified for office.

The dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Tanner and Saldana disagree over which one of the following?

(A) Political candidates with strong debating skills are more likely to win elections than those with weak debating skills. 
(B) A voter who watches a political debate will likely be better able, as a result, to determine which candidate is more qualified for office. 
(C) Debating skills are of little use to politicians in doing their jobs once they are elected to office.
(D) The candidates with the best debating skills are the ones who are most qualified for the political offices for which they are running. 
(E) Political debates tend to have a major effect on which candidate among those participating in a debate will win the election.

WillEconomistGMAT · Accepted Answer

Hint: Questions like this are actually deceptively straightforward. Try summarizing the arguments. I suggest one way to summarize them below.

Tanner: Political debates help voters pick the best candidates.
Saldana: Political debates help the best debaters, not necessarily the best candidates.

Divyadisha · Answer

Hi! All,

It was a close call between 'B' and 'D'. Can anyone please share thoughts on why D is wrong. Thanks

sun01 · Answer

Tanner: The public should demand political debates before any election. Voters are better able to  choose the candidate best suited for office if they watch the candidates seriously debate one another.  
Saldana: Political debates almost always benefit the candidate who has the better debating skills. Thus, they don't really help  voters determine which candidate is most qualified for office.

The dialogue provides the most support for the claim that Tanner and Saldana disagree over which one of the following?

The two highlighted sentences talks about the voter and the scenario wherein they choose the candidate for office.

Option B makes sense. very subtle English wording indeed.

rbramkumar · Answer

It was between B and D, and I chose 'D', which turned out to be wrong.

I should have used the pen & paper for this one.

Tanner (premise): Debates help Voters decide better  
Tanner (conclusion): Public should demand debates

Saldana (premise): Debates help better debaters (not most qualified)
 Saldana (conclusion): Debates don't help voters decide better

So, yes - Saldana's conclusion disagrees with Tanner's premise. So, (B)

In D, Saldana's premise is mentioned. However, we don't have any info on Tanner's opinion.

rekhabishop · Answer

I don't understand the question. Could someone please explain what is being asked here?

abhimahna · Answer

Hi  rekhabishop  ,

I would read this question as

"The above information supports which of the following conclusion? "

Does that make sense?

rekhabishop · Answer

Yes, it does! Thanks. Though, out of curiosity, is the question stem grammatically correct?

abhimahna · Answer

Yes, it is. I mean I couldn't find anything wrong. Let me know if you find any. Remember: Awkwardness is NEVER a reason to say the sentence is not good. :-D

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

(A) Political candidates with strong debating skills are more likely to win elections than those with weak debating skills. 
This is never the case debating skills is putting forth the matter better therefor eout

(B) A voter who watches a political debate will likely be better able, as a result, to determine which candidate is more qualified for office. 
THis is exactly what they necessarily disgree upon therefore out

(C) Debating skills are of little use to politicians in doing their jobs once they are elected to office.
This is out of context and doesn't have the slightest implication therefore out

(D) The candidates with the best debating skills are the ones who are most qualified for the political offices for which they are running. 
This may not be the ideal case always , however there is a possibility also that best debating candidate is also the better of the two which they might agree upon therefore out

(E) Political debates tend to have a major effect on which candidate among those participating in a debate will win the election.
This may or may not be the case therefore out

THerefore IMO B

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Tanner: The public should demand political debates before

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Tanner: The public should demand political debates before

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