12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 11: To foster students’ mo

Question

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition with Lots of Fun

To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives”, requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues. These schools typically have low teacher morale, and for this reason they have to enforce these practices. However, research shows that students can distinguish between feigned interest and genuine interest and that feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students. Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful in getting teachers to regularly inquire about their students’ opinions on important issues.

(B) At the high schools that have launched the question initiatives, none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions on important issues before the initiatives were launched.

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students are a principal determinant of how engaged the students will be with their education.

(D) Students' feelings about feigned interest are no better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express.

(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions on important issues from a teacher.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Expert's Global Official Explanation

Mind-map:  Teachers are asked to seek students’ opinions --> low teacher morale --> teachers show feigned interest --> students can identify feigned interest --> the initiatives will likely fail to motivate students (implicit conclusion)

Missing-link:  Between all the facts mentioned and the conclusion that the initiative will likely fail to motivate students

Expectation from the correct answer choice:  To strengthen the conclusion that the initiative will likely fail to motivate students, through a valid assumption

A. This statement suggests that “teachers are regularly inquiring about students’ opinions” but  does not relate to the issue of “genuine” or “fake” interest , and so this statement is just additional detail and does not strengthen the argument. Besides, this condition  is not necessary for the argument to hold  and thus, is not a valid assumption. Because this answer choice does not strengthen the conclusion through a valid assumption, this answer choice is incorrect.

B. Trap. The argument is concerned with what happens “after” the questions initiative is launched in “a particular school”, and  not with what happened in “other” schools “before” such initiatives were launched ; so, this statement is irrelevant to the argument and its conclusion. Besides, this condition  is not necessary for the argument to hold  and thus, is not a valid assumption. Because this answer choice does not strengthen the conclusion through a valid assumption, this answer choice is incorrect.

C. Trap. This answer choice is  concerned with the effect of  “question initiatives” whereas the  argument is about the likely failure  of the initiative; thus, this answer choice, although relevant to the broad context of the argument, has no bearing on the reasoning or its conclusion. Besides, this condition  is not necessary for the argument to hold  and thus, is not a valid assumption. Because this answer choice does not strengthen the conclusion through a valid assumption, this answer choice is incorrect.

D. Correct.  If the idea that “feigned interest generates no better/stronger feeling in students than that generated by other behaviors of teachers with low morale” is connected to the premise “feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students”, it suggests that other behaviors of teachers with low morale prompt “equally strong feelings” in students, and  strengthens the conclusion  that “the initiatives will likely fail to motivate students”. Additionally, this statement  does have to be true  for the conclusion to hold; negating this statement would mean that feigned interest generates “better/stronger feelings” in students than that generated by other behaviors of teachers with low morale and thus, negate the conclusion. Because this answer choice strengthens the conclusion through a valid assumption, this answer choice is correct.

E. Trap. The argument is concerned with students’ responses to “feigned interests”, and  not with students’ responses to “genuine interest” ; so, this statement is irrelevant to the argument and its conclusion. Besides, this condition  is not necessary for the argument to hold  and thus, is not a valid assumption. Because this answer choice does not strengthen the conclusion through a valid assumption, this answer choice is incorrect.

D is the best choice.

Vatsal7794 · Answer

To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives”, requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues. These schools typically have low teacher morale, and for this reason they have to enforce these practices. However, research shows that students can distinguish between feigned interest and genuine interest and that feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students. Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

Conclusion is - "Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal."

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful in getting teachers to regularly inquire about their students’ opinions on important issues.
This is irrelevant as we are not concerned about the success of "question initiatives"

(B) At the high schools that have launched the question initiatives, none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions on important issues before the initiatives were launched.

Teacher's interest is irrelevant

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students are a principal determinant of how engaged the students will be with their education.
Out of scope . Feelings does not matter

(D) Students' feelings about feigned interest are no better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express.
This is the correct answer if we negate this option
"Students' feelings about feigned interest are better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express" Then authors conclusion will break
Hence this is the correct answer
 
(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions on important issues from a teacher.
Again Irrelevant

Answer is D

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option D

Premise:  To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives”, 
requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues.

Premise:  These schools typically have low teacher morale, and 
for this reason, they have to enforce these practices.

A ssumption:  However, research shows that students can distinguish between 
feigned interest and genuine interest and that 
 feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students .

Conclusion:  Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful 
in getting teachers to regularly inquire 
about their students’ opinions on important issues.
 Wrong:  Initiatives are successful.

(B) At the high schools that 
have launched the question initiatives, 
none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions 
on important issues before the initiatives were launched.
 Wrong:  Initiatives are successful.

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students 
are a principal determinant 
of how engaged the students will be with their education.
 Wrong:  this is not output of initiatives

(D) Students' feelings about (feigned interest) are 
no better than 
Students’ feelings about the (other behaviors teachers with low morale) are likely to express.
 Correct:  feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students

(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions 
on important issues from a teacher.
 Wrong:  Irrelevant

Theredpill · Answer

Imo the answer should be D
This is a goal/plan type of question, 
 Goal- To foster students’ motivation levels. 
Plan- To introduce “question initiatives”.  
Now the author says that typically the teachers lack morale and the ones who lack are going to stimulate their interest. The author concludes that the plan “question initiatives” will not achieve its goal.
 Reasoning by the author- Feigned interest will prompt negative feelings in students.

Here the goal is to increase students' motivation level, so for the author to conclude that the goal will not be achieved, he/she is assuming that negative feelings in students will cause a lack of motivation. and maybe even more lack of motivation than currently caused by lack of morale.  
There is a logical gap in the author's reasoning.

Option A- This option does nothing to tell us whether the plan did achieve its goal or not. In any case, it is weakening the author's conclusion.
Option B- We have nothing to do with what was happening before the initiative was launched. Irrelevant. 
Option C- Close choice but I think a trap. Here is not directly mentioned the word "motivation." "how engaged the students will be with their education" if you are assuming that this is nothing but the motivation for a student, then in my opinion you are wrong. The plan is to increase students' motivation not to increase their engagement in education.
 Option D- Correct choice. If the low morale is already causing worse feelings in students, then feigned interest will do more justice to their motivation than that.  
Option E- Irrelevant. 
Tip- The assumption must always be true for an argument to hold true.

winterschool · Answer

To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives”, requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues. These schools typically have low teacher morale, and for this reason they have to enforce these practices. However, research shows that students can distinguish between feigned interest and genuine interest and that feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students. Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful in getting teachers to regularly inquire about their students’ opinions on important issues.  Incorrect

weakens argument

(B) At the high schools that have launched the question initiatives, none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions on important issues before the initiatives were launched.  Incorrect

but after question initiatives teachers can express genuine interest

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students are a principal determinant of how engaged the students will be with their education.  Incorrect

additional info cant be an assumption; this choice express how students motivate by their teachers

(D)  Students' feelings about feigned interest are no better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express.   Correct

so, if students fell about other behaviors they will identify low morale behavior and already know teachers have low morale behaviors

(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions on important issues from a teacher.  Incorrect

additional info

ChakAvi · Answer

To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives”, requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues. These schools typically have low teacher morale, and for this reason they have to enforce these practices. However, research shows that students can distinguish between feigned interest and genuine interest and that feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students. Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful in getting teachers to regularly inquire about their students’ opinions on important issues. The other cases of success is not a relevant source to study the success in this case.

(B) At the high schools that have launched the question initiatives, none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions on important issues before the initiatives were launched. What happened after initiative is of concern

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students are a principal determinant of how engaged the students will be with their education. Increase in motivation of students is the objective of the initiative

(D) Students' feelings about feigned interest are no better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express.
 Correct. Even if the students can catch that the teacher is faking, the initiative by the teacher may impress them. So, slight improvement may be there

(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions on important issues from a teacher. This need not be assumed. Fake intent is in context, not the genuine one

IMO Answer D

Raman109 · Answer

Understanding the argument - 
To foster students’ motivation levels, several high schools have introduced “question initiatives,” requiring teachers to regularly ask about their students’ opinions on important issues. - Goal - "To foster students’ motivation levels." Plan - introduced “question initiatives.”

These schools typically have low teacher morale, and for this reason they have to enforce these practices. - Background info.

However, research shows that students can distinguish between feigned interest and genuine interest and that feigned interest prompts negative feelings in students. - Contrast and the supporting premise for the conclusion that is followed.

Thus, it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal. - Conclusion.

The argument relies on which of the following as an assumption?

(A) The question initiatives have been almost completely successful in getting teachers to regularly inquire about their students’ opinions on important issues. - At best, a mild weakener.

(B) At the high schools that have launched the question initiatives, none of the teachers expressed genuine interest in their students’ opinions on important issues before the initiatives were launched. - "Before the initiatives were launched" is out of scope.

(C) The feelings that teachers generate in their students are a principal determinant of how engaged the students will be with their education. - This is a distortion. We aren't concerned about the general methods teachers use to generate feelings. We are bothered about the "questioning method." Moreover, "their education" is not directly mentioned. Distortion.

(D) Students' feelings about feigned interest are no better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express. - This means that the mood is already somber, and adding negativity to the feigned interest will not make much difference. More importantly, the conclusion "it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal" is intact.

For a better understanding of this option, let's negate it. Students' feelings about feigned interest are better than their feelings about the other behaviors teachers with low morale are likely to express. The students feel slightly more optimistic about feigned interest than other feelings about other behaviors. This weakens the conclusion that "it is unlikely that the “question initiatives” will achieve their goal."

(E) Students rarely, if ever, react negatively to an expression of genuine interest in their opinions on important issues from a teacher. - The scope of the argument is what they do for feigned interest.

RiyaJ0032 · Answer

But what makes you say that if the negative feelings are better than the other feelings aroused by teachers with low morale, the question initiative will achieve the goal

as per the stem, what is required for the question initiative to achieve it's goal?
that it need not generate negative feelings
The stem clearly says, if feelings are negative, the goal will not be achieved

You are saying it's ok if feelings are negative as long as they are better than other feelings, goal is achieved
You are adding your own logic, not backed up by the stem

Can some expert please help with this one

DmitryFarber 
 KarishmaB 
 MartyMurray 
 GMATNinja

KarishmaB · Answer

Author's arg - Feigned interest generates negative emotions. So it will likely not lead to fostering motivation. 
Possible Opposition claim - The negative emotion is still far better than the extremely negative emotion generated by all other behaviors of the teachers. So it is still possible that student motivation increases from before.

By saying that the negative emotion will likely not improve the situation, the author is assuming that the negative emotion is not an improvement on the usual emotion generated. After all it is a continuous scale and an emotion could lie anywhere on the negative side. It could be extremely negative, moderately negative, mildly negative etc - granulation can be a lot.

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 11: To foster students’ mo

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