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15 Mar 2024, 01:30
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
15%
(low)
Question Stats:
79% (01:17) correct
21%
(01:41)
wrong
based on 172
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
A local councilman has proposed a “sin tax” on alcoholic beverages served in area bars. The councilman believes that since the amount of the tax alone will exceed the cost of most non-alcoholic beverages, many people will switch from alcohol to other beverages.
Which of the following statements, if true, would most clearly indicate a vulnerability in the councilman’s argument?
A. Both beer and hard liquor will be taxed under the councilman’s proposal.
B. The cost of alcoholic beverages is already considerably higher than that of any non-alcoholic beverage.
C. Many people abstain from alcohol for moral or religious reasons.
D. The “sin tax” should apply to cigarettes instead because smoking causes more preventable deaths than does alcohol.
E. Many bar patrons consume more alcohol on days when they are paid.
Which of the following statements, if true, would most clearly indicate a vulnerability in the councilman’s argument?
A. Both beer and hard liquor will be taxed under the councilman’s proposal.
B. The cost of alcoholic beverages is already considerably higher than that of any non-alcoholic beverage.
C. Many people abstain from alcohol for moral or religious reasons.
D. The “sin tax” should apply to cigarettes instead because smoking causes more preventable deaths than does alcohol.
E. Many bar patrons consume more alcohol on days when they are paid.
15 Mar 2024, 07:29
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The councilman's argument relies on the assumption that people will switch from alcohol to non-alcoholic beverages due to the higher cost imposed by the proposed "sin tax" on alcoholic beverages. To identify a vulnerability in the argument, we need to find a statement that weakens this assumption.
Let's analyze each option:
A. Both beer and hard liquor will be taxed under the councilman’s proposal.
This statement does not directly address the assumption about people switching from alcohol to non-alcoholic beverages. It simply provides information about which types of alcoholic beverages will be taxed.
B. The cost of alcoholic beverages is already considerably higher than that of any non-alcoholic beverage.
This statement suggests that alcoholic beverages are already more expensive than non-alcoholic beverages, which weakens the assumption that the tax alone will incentivize people to switch. If alcoholic beverages are already considerably higher in cost, then the additional tax may not significantly impact consumer behavior.
C. Many people abstain from alcohol for moral or religious reasons.
This statement provides an alternative reason why some individuals may not consume alcohol, which does not necessarily relate to the tax proposed by the councilman.
D. The “sin tax” should apply to cigarettes instead because smoking causes more preventable deaths than does alcohol.
This statement suggests an alternative proposal for the "sin tax" but does not directly address the assumption about people switching from alcohol to non-alcoholic beverages.
E. Many bar patrons consume more alcohol on days when they are paid.
This statement suggests that consumer behavior regarding alcohol consumption may be influenced by factors other than the cost or taxation, such as income levels. It weakens the assumption that the tax alone will lead to a significant shift in behavior.
Option B weakens the councilman's argument by suggesting that the cost difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages already exists, casting doubt on the assumption that the tax alone will drive a significant change in consumer behavior. Therefore, option B is the most suitable choice as it clearly indicates a vulnerability in the councilman's argument.
Let's analyze each option:
A. Both beer and hard liquor will be taxed under the councilman’s proposal.
This statement does not directly address the assumption about people switching from alcohol to non-alcoholic beverages. It simply provides information about which types of alcoholic beverages will be taxed.
B. The cost of alcoholic beverages is already considerably higher than that of any non-alcoholic beverage.
This statement suggests that alcoholic beverages are already more expensive than non-alcoholic beverages, which weakens the assumption that the tax alone will incentivize people to switch. If alcoholic beverages are already considerably higher in cost, then the additional tax may not significantly impact consumer behavior.
C. Many people abstain from alcohol for moral or religious reasons.
This statement provides an alternative reason why some individuals may not consume alcohol, which does not necessarily relate to the tax proposed by the councilman.
D. The “sin tax” should apply to cigarettes instead because smoking causes more preventable deaths than does alcohol.
This statement suggests an alternative proposal for the "sin tax" but does not directly address the assumption about people switching from alcohol to non-alcoholic beverages.
E. Many bar patrons consume more alcohol on days when they are paid.
This statement suggests that consumer behavior regarding alcohol consumption may be influenced by factors other than the cost or taxation, such as income levels. It weakens the assumption that the tax alone will lead to a significant shift in behavior.
Option B weakens the councilman's argument by suggesting that the cost difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages already exists, casting doubt on the assumption that the tax alone will drive a significant change in consumer behavior. Therefore, option B is the most suitable choice as it clearly indicates a vulnerability in the councilman's argument.
07 Apr 2024, 22:00
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KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:
Identify the Question Type:
The word "vulnerability" at first might signal that this is a Flaw question. However, the question wants to know which of the answer choices, if true, would show that vulnerability. Since the choices are statements that add something new, and the question is about the effect of those statements on the argument, this is a Weaken question.
Untangle the Stimulus:
The councilman's conclusion is hinted by the keywords, "the councilman believes that." However, what comes immediately after that is not the conclusion, but the entire argument, starting with the evidence. This stimulus contains a very common structure: Since A, B. “Since” is a keyword for evidence, so what comes immediately after it is evidence. But the evidence only continues up to the comma. What comes after the comma is the conclusion. In this case, the conclusion is that many people will switch from alcohol to other beverages. The evidence, then, is that the amount of the new “sin tax” is itself greater than the cost of most non-alcoholic beverages.
Predict the Answer:
Why does the councilman think a huge tax will convince the drinkers of alcohol to switch? The councilman must be assuming that cost is an important, if not the primary, factor drinkers consider when ordering drinks.
A weakener attacks the assumption of the argument, making the conclusion less likely to follow from the evidence. Here, the answer will be a statement that makes it less likely that the cost of the tax will make people switch to non-alcoholic drinks. It will suggest that the relative costs of alcoholic versus non-alcoholic beverages is not so important to alcohol drinkers. Usually a general prediction like this is all that's possible with weaken or strengthen questions. Since the choices are stating new information, there is usually no way of knowing what the test-maker will come up with. Keep the general prediction in mind when going through the choices, and the answer will stand out.
Eliminate the Wrong Answer Choices:
(B) is correct, conforming to the general prediction. If the cost of alcoholic beverages is already considerably higher than that of any non-alcoholic beverage, then the price difference didn't seem to dissuade people in the first place. People were already paying a much higher price for alcoholic beverages, which makes it less likely they will be swayed to switch drinks by an additional tax.
(A) is irrelevant. It clarifies the types of beverages being taxed, but says nothing to make it less likely that the drinkers of such beverages will switch to non-alcoholic beverages.
(C) is out of scope. People who do not drink alcohol will not be affected by the councilman’s proposal. The argument concerns the effect of the new tax on those who do drink alcoholic beverages.
(D) is out of scope. Cigarettes have absolutely no bearing on this argument, which is only concerned with the effect of a new tax on alcohol. Don't lose sight of the argument's evidence and conclusion!
(E) is a 180. If people drink more alcohol on payday, this suggests that perhaps the cost of alcohol is a factor in their decision to choose alcohol over non-alcoholic beverages. The councilman’s proposal would then be strengthened.
TAKEAWAY: With Weaken questions, be clear on the evidence and conclusion, and then pick the choice that makes it less likely that the conclusion follows from that evidence.
