V04-39

Official Solution:


A recent study indicates that [b]people who keep their workout records are far more successful at achieving their fitness goals than people who don’t keep track of their workout. Experts believe that many fail to achieve their fitness goals because they burn fewer calories than they intend to burn. One study followed a group of gym-members who reported that they could not achieve their fitness goals when burning 700 calories a day. The study found that the group burned, on average, 60% fewer calories than it claimed. In contrast, when people record their exercises, their actual calories burned more closely matches their reported calories burned.

The two boldface portions in the argument above are best described by which of the following statements?
[/b]

A. The first is an example illustrating the truth of a certain theory; the second is a competing theory.
B. The first is an explanation of why a certain theory is thought to be true; the second is an example of research results that support this theory.
C. The first is a conclusion reached by experts; the second is evidence that that conclusion is correct.
D. The first introduces a theory that the experts have disproved; the second is the basis for the experts’ argument.
E. The first is a premise upon which the experts base their opinion; the second illustrates that their opinion is correct.


The conclusion of this argument is that“many people do not achieve their fitness goals because they burn fewer calories than they intend to burn.”The first boldface portion is a factual premise that there is an observed correlation between keeping a workout record and achieving fitness goal. This premise supports the experts’ conclusion. The second boldface portion is another supporting premise, which provides a specific study indicating that people who do not keep a workout record burn far fewer calories than they realize.

1. The first boldface is a fact that supports the experts’ theory, but it does not illustrate the truth of that theory; however the second boldface does. The second boldface is a fact that supports the experts’ theory; it is not a competing theory.
2. The first boldface is a fact that supports the experts’ theory, but it does not explain why their conclusion is correct.
3. The first boldface is not the conclusion; it is an observation, i.e. a fact. The second boldface is evidence that the experts’ conclusion is correct, but not the evidence that proves that the first boldface is correct.
4. The first boldface is a factual statement, not a theory. Moreover, the first boldface supports the theory of the experts; it is not something they have disproved.
5. Correct. The first boldface is a basis for the experts’ conclusion that many fitness efforts fail because people burn fewer calories than they intended. The second boldface directly illustrates how fitness efforts of a certain group failed for the same reason.

Answer: E