Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help

Question

Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help to use this resource efficiently. Since top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength, it follows that a requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument?

A. Only champion athletes have a superior mastery of athletic techniques. 
B. Superior muscular strength is a requirement for an athlete to become a champion. 
C. No athlete can become a champion without a superior mastery of athletic techniques. 
D. The differences in muscular strength between top athletes are not great.
E. Athletic techniques help athletes use limited resources efficiently.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The correct answer choice is (C).

Unlike the first two questions in this set, this is a Main Point question. As with all Main Point questions, if you follow the Primary Objectives, the question should be easy and you should have a solid answer in mind before attacking the answer choices. The first sentence of the argument is a premise. The second sentence is divided into a premise and a conclusion: the premise is introduced by the indicator “since,” and the conclusion of the argument is introduced by the indicator “it follows that.” As stated in the argument, the conclusion is “a requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques.” Because the conditional indicator “requirement” is used, we can draw a conditional diagram of the conclusion: C = champion, SM = superior mastery of athletic techniques, C—>SM, Note that “requirement’ is a necessary condition indicator, and the “requirement” referred to is “superior mastery of athletic techniques.”

Answer choice (A): This is a Mistaken Reversal of the conclusion. Note how right away the test makers are trying to test you to see if you will fall for an answer that uses the elements of the conclusion but in the wrong relationship. You must be on guard at all times!

Answer choice (B): Although this answer is likely to be true in the real world, this is not stated in the argument. The only comment made on muscle strength is that top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength.

Answer choice (C): This correct answer  is a paraphrase of the conclusion, and the diagram for this answer choice is the same as the diagram of the conclusion.

Answer choice (D): This is a classic incorrect Main Point question answer choice. Although the author would agree with this statement, this is not the main point of the argument.

Answer choice (E): This answer is similar to answer choice (D). Again, the answer choice repeats part of the argument, but this answer does not capture the main point of the argument.

chetan2u · Answer

hi..

Easy to get confused between B and C BUT look at the words..

B talks of superior muscular strength. while the argument states that

this is exactly the word used by C

ans C

najsh2 · Answer

C is too extreme. Why is E not the right answer?

Posted from my mobile device

rhine29388 · Answer

options A, D and E are either out of scope or irrelevant w.r.t. argument
We get a initial confusion between options B and C,but if we observe closely we can notice that the argument is talking about 'superior mastery of athletic techniques' and not 'Superior muscular strength'. So the correct answer choice is option C

nightblade354 · Answer

Hi najsh2,

Let's look at the argument:

Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help to use this resource efficiently.  Since  top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength, it follows that a  requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques . Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument?

The word "since" always signifies a conclusion. 
Conclusion: Requirement to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic technique (green highlighted). This is word for word what (C) states. Also, note the word 'requirement' (highlighted above). If something is a requirement, then nothing can occur without it, hence why no athlete can become a champion without it. And, hence the 'extreme' language.

C. No athlete can become a champion without a superior mastery of athletic techniques. 
E. Athletic techniques help athletes use limited resources efficiently. --  This may be true, but it is not the conclusion.

More words that signal a conclusion, if it helps:

Thus
Therefore
Hence
Consequently (“ly”)
As a result
So, If
Accordingly
Clearly
Must Be
 Shows(is a action word) that
Conclude (is a action word) that
Follows that
For this reason

*I did not compile this list. It is derived from a CR word document found online that I can provide, if anyone wants it.

arvind910619 · Answer

Hi chetan2u 
Can you explain why A is wrong , i will be of great help .
I get question like this most often wrong.
Please help.

nightblade354 · Answer

Hi Arvind,

(A) isn't the answer because of what the comment means. (A) says "Only champion athletes have a superior mastery of athletic techniques. ", but this goes too far. You could not be a champion athlete, but still have a mastery of athletic techniques. For example, someone who body builds at home, but doesn't compete. Or someone who runs 80 miles a day at Olympic speed, but doesn't want to compete. Both of these examples can be true, yet run counter to (A). Hence, this is why (A) is wrong.

Does this help?

MT1988 · Answer

E is a fact but not what the CR question is focusing on, refer the bold section

Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help to use this resource efficiently. Since top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength, it follows that a requirement for an athlete to become  a champion  is a  superior mastery of athletic techniques . Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument?

A. Only champion athletes have a superior mastery of athletic techniques. 
B. Superior muscular strength is a requirement for an athlete to become a champion. 
C. No athlete can become a champion without a superior mastery of athletic techniques. 
D. The differences in muscular strength between top athletes are not great.
E. Athletic techniques help athletes use limited resources efficiently.

Temurkhon · Answer

it is specific type of question which is Main Point.
One should not do inference, he/she should find choice which just repeat final conclusion

sanjayparihar16 · Answer

If X, then Y

Contra-positive of this is - If not Y, then not X

Only C follow this line of reasoning.

KanikaJain · Answer

Please explain how A is 'Mistaken reversal of conclusion' Bunuel

VerbalBot · Answer

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Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help

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