Following a review of the findings of a recent study by the Ministry

Question

Following a review of the findings of a recent study by the Ministry of Education, the ministry's conclusion is that children who do not have television sets in their bedrooms are more likely to have greater success in college programs later on than children who do. The study determined that children who have television sets in their bedrooms achieve, on average, school grades much lower than those without television sets in their bedrooms. In response to the report, some parents claimed that it was not the fact that their children had television sets in their rooms that affected their grades, but that the programs that were shown contained little or no educational value.

The above conclusion is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed?

The above conclusion is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed?

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children.

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in.

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination.

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged.

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Following a review of the findings of a recent study by the Ministry of Education, the ministry's conclusion is that children who do not have television sets in their bedrooms are more likely to have greater success in college programs later on than children who do. The study determined that children who have television sets in their bedrooms achieve, on average, school grades much lower than those without television sets in their bedrooms. In response to the report, some parents claimed that it was not the fact that their children had television sets in their rooms that affected their grades, but that the programs that were shown contained little or no educational value.

The above conclusion is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed?

The above conclusion is properly drawn if which of the following is assumed?

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children.

Incorrect.

To solve this Assumption question, first break down the argument. Sentences 1 is the conclusion because it contains the phrase the ministry's conclusion. Sentence 2 is factual and is, therefore, a premise. Although it contains the personal belief of some parents, sentence 3 is also a premise since it reports a fact: some parents claimed X.

Now ask yourself: the author believes that children that don't have TV's in their rooms will do better in college than those that do, based on the difference in school grades. What, then, is the missing link? What must the author assume for this argument to stand?

What the parents feel is irrelevant as it does not explain what the author must have assumed to reach the conclusion.

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in.

Incorrect.

This answer choice presents a new premise about the supervision of television viewing. It is irrelevant whether this new data supports the conclusion; what you are looking for is the assumption, which should explain how the author drew the conclusion based on the existing premises.

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination.

Incorrect.

This answer choice presents a new premise about the factors affecting success in a college program. It is irrelevant whether this new data supports, or weakens, the conclusion.

Remember, you are looking for the assumption that explains how the author drew the conclusion based on the existing premises.

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged.

The Ministry of Education's study only compared the children's school grades. To conclude that bedroom television sets will also affect college grades, the author must assume that the skills a child uses to get good grades at school are the same as those that child will use to get good grades at college. Also, the author must assume that the effects caused during childhood will still influence that child during college.

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms.

Incorrect.

The Ministry of Education's interests are irrelevant as they do not explain what the author must have assumed to reach the conclusion.

hk111 · Answer

Conclusion - who do not have television sets in their bedrooms are more likely to have greater success in college programs later on than children who do

my approach - look for something that relates college, school and television

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children. - Irrelevant to our conclusion

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in - it does not show how the success in college is impaired

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination - does not connect the dots

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged. - Successfully connects all the dots and supports the conclusion

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms. - just a trap answer

IMO D

sumitkrocks · Answer

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children.
 Out of scope

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in.
 Timing children watch TV is never mentioned in the passage 
 
C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination.
 Generic statement - Not related to passage

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged.
 This option connects the gap B/W Performance in schools and success in college courses 
Correct choice

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms.
 Conclusion does not intend to educate parents

kantapong · Answer

C: Children who do not have TV sets have greater success in college
E: Children who do not have TV sets have lower school grades.
LJ: school grade -> college

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children. (does not bridge)

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in. (does not bridge)

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination. (actually weaken)

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged. (YES - bridge the gap)

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms. (does not bridge gap)
Ans: D

HarshaBujji · Answer

A. Parents often feel the need to defend the choices they make in regards to the raising of their children.  OFS

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents find it difficult to supervise the amount of viewing children may partake in.  There is no discussion on the impact of the amount of time. Hence OFS

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that student's determination.  OFS

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged.
  Yeah, This bridges the highlighted premises

E. The Ministry of Education is interested in educating parents about the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms.  We are not bothered about why this survey is conducted.

IMO D

mSKR · Answer

A. Parents  often  feel the need to  defend the choices  they make in regards to the raising of their children.

B. When children have television sets in their bedrooms, parents f ind it difficult to supervise the amount  of viewing children may partake in.

C. The success of a student in a college program depends on that  student's determination.

D. The skills needed to achieve good grades at school and at college are the same, and the effects of having a television in the bedroom are prolonged.

E. The Ministry of Education is i nterested in educating parents a bout the effects of providing children with television sets in their bedrooms.

Only option D connects college and school study.

C , E , B and A doesn’t connect with conclusion given in the argument.

hence D is the correct answer

MHBS · Answer

@bunnel Could you please tell me in arguments like this how can I find the main conclusion of the argument. Here the author mentions the ministry's conclusion in 1st sentence & but not his/her opinion. How can we consider this as author's opinion/conclusion too?

YB114 · Answer

Bunuel   KarishmaB

i thought there is a contrast in the argument thus final conclusion will be, 
Its not TV set in Bedroom but TV shows that causes Low grades in school and college,

But the correct conclusion is what was stated by the ministry, before the contrast :
TV set in the bedroom causes Low grades in school and college.

How to identify conclusions in such a type of question ?

KarishmaB · Answer

The author doesn't give his own conclusion at all. He gives the Govt's and the parents' conclusion/claim. The question stem needs to mention to which conclusion it is referring. I wouldn't know what to do here except that there are no options that strengthen the parents' claim.

YB114 · Answer

KarishmaB  ,

I see this multiple time in Boldface question also when there claim like some people believed that, some XX claimed that, then that
part is taken as a premise only , here also some parents' claim taken as a fact and whenever there is claims from one side (like scientist, environmentalist (side other than author)) and their claims supported with evidence taken as conclusion.

So there is anything like that when there a claim from a portion of people then it is taken as fact and when a claim from a side with supportive evidence then it is taken as conclusion ?

i know i am trying to make unnecessary pattern here but just curious .

KarishmaB · Answer

Claim/Opinion/Hypothesis of a person are all conclusions. They need supporting data. By themselves, they are just claims. If I say, "I think ScarJo is very pretty," does it become a fact/data? No. It is just my opinion. Parent's claim is just that - their opinion. There needs to be data to support it.

The results of a study/research etc are usually taken to be premises by an argument. The author gives the result to support his case. A study revealed that most people do not like apples these days. So the reason for the current reduction in the sale of apples is the changing tastes of people. 
'Most people do not like apples' has been taken as a premise by the author. Here we know that the conclusion is 'the reason for the current reduction in the sale of apples is the changing tastes of people' - author's opinion.

Sometimes, a question stem could ask us to strengthen the conclusion of researchers who conducted a study.
e.g. Which of the following supports the conclusion of the researchers? 
We need to find what the researchers concluded based on the study results and then strengthen that. The question stem makes it all clear.

If the question stem says "Which of the following strengthens the argument above?" then we need to look for the author's own conclusion in the argument and strengthen that. We cannot look for data strengthening anyone else's claim/conclusion.

In the question above, we have the following:

Results of a study (premise): children who have television sets in their bedrooms achieve, on average, school grades much lower than those without television sets in their bedrooms.
Ministry's conclusion: children who do not have television sets in their bedrooms are more likely to have greater success in college programs later on than children who do.
Parent's claim : it was not the fact that their children had television sets in their rooms that affected their grades, but that the programs that were shown contained little or no educational value.

There is no defined conclusion of the argument hence we don't know at which "above conclusion" are we looking.

Following a review of the findings of a recent study by the Ministry

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