Derek won this year's school science fair and is a star on both the school's football and basketball teams. Outside of school, he runs his own successful business and is an accomplished musician. Obviously, Derek is good at everything he does. Therefore, he will undoubtedly make an excellent Student Government President if elected.
The argument above is suspect, because it overlooks the possibility that
A. Derek participates only in those activities at which he knows he will excel.
B. being Student Government President requires different skills than those needed to become an accomplished musician.
C. school, sports, music and business are the only activities in which Derek is engaged.
D. there may be other students who are just as qualified as Derek to be Student Government President.
E. Derek has no time in his schedule to devote to Student Government.
November 30, 2009
November 24, 2009
Homework #33 Answer
Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in Homework #32?
A. Most people who use slang expressions in conversation understand what they mean.
(A) is incorrect because it does not weaken the argument so much as offer a possible reason why the author's point may not matter to the speaker even if it is valid. It's a non sequitur, really. The author's argument is that the use of slang expressions degrades the language, i.e., reduces its overall quality. The example he cites, which "translates" the slang into English, suggests an acknowledgment on his part that people typically know what slang expressions mean. The author is therefore concerned with the quality of the language, not with the ability of those who speak it to understand each other in conversation. Even if it's true that people can communicate using slang expressions, it is no less arguable that such expressions degrade and devalue the language. Therefore (A) is not as good an answer as (E).
B. Many slang expressions that appeared in earlier forms of the English language disappeared over time, as the people who used them were assimilated into larger groups that used different expressions.
(B) is incorrect because it does not undermine the argument in any way. Whether any particular slang expressions endure or not, or whether slang expressions in general tend to pass in and out of usage, they still have the capacity to degrade the language, as the author suggests.
C. Whether a new word or phrase is widely used in the media and entertainment is an important factor in whether the word or phrase will become common slang.
(C) is incorrect because the author is not concerned with where slang expressions come from, or in what venues they tend to be used. Regardless of where they originate or how they are disseminated, they still have the capacity to degrade the language.
D. Slang expressions are more likely to be invented by children and adolescents than by any other segment of the population.
(D) is incorrect for the same reason as (C). Indeed, if it is true that children and adolescents tend to invent slang terms, that makes the author's argument even stronger, since those young people will not grow up with an adequate knowledge of or appreciation for the English language and thereby degrade it even further.
E. Languages of the highest quality often evolve over time out of a collection of slang expressions woven into the formal dialect of a given people.
(E) is correct. Unlike (A), which is a non sequitur, (E) directly addresses the author's argument that slang usage degrades the English language by suggesting that such expressions actually increase the quality of the language over the long term. The author argues that slang expressions make the language less formal and less precise, whereas (E) states that such expressions eventually develop into formal speech and result in high-quality languages. Therefore (E) is the best answer.
A. Most people who use slang expressions in conversation understand what they mean.
(A) is incorrect because it does not weaken the argument so much as offer a possible reason why the author's point may not matter to the speaker even if it is valid. It's a non sequitur, really. The author's argument is that the use of slang expressions degrades the language, i.e., reduces its overall quality. The example he cites, which "translates" the slang into English, suggests an acknowledgment on his part that people typically know what slang expressions mean. The author is therefore concerned with the quality of the language, not with the ability of those who speak it to understand each other in conversation. Even if it's true that people can communicate using slang expressions, it is no less arguable that such expressions degrade and devalue the language. Therefore (A) is not as good an answer as (E).
B. Many slang expressions that appeared in earlier forms of the English language disappeared over time, as the people who used them were assimilated into larger groups that used different expressions.
(B) is incorrect because it does not undermine the argument in any way. Whether any particular slang expressions endure or not, or whether slang expressions in general tend to pass in and out of usage, they still have the capacity to degrade the language, as the author suggests.
C. Whether a new word or phrase is widely used in the media and entertainment is an important factor in whether the word or phrase will become common slang.
(C) is incorrect because the author is not concerned with where slang expressions come from, or in what venues they tend to be used. Regardless of where they originate or how they are disseminated, they still have the capacity to degrade the language.
D. Slang expressions are more likely to be invented by children and adolescents than by any other segment of the population.
(D) is incorrect for the same reason as (C). Indeed, if it is true that children and adolescents tend to invent slang terms, that makes the author's argument even stronger, since those young people will not grow up with an adequate knowledge of or appreciation for the English language and thereby degrade it even further.
E. Languages of the highest quality often evolve over time out of a collection of slang expressions woven into the formal dialect of a given people.
(E) is correct. Unlike (A), which is a non sequitur, (E) directly addresses the author's argument that slang usage degrades the English language by suggesting that such expressions actually increase the quality of the language over the long term. The author argues that slang expressions make the language less formal and less precise, whereas (E) states that such expressions eventually develop into formal speech and result in high-quality languages. Therefore (E) is the best answer.
Homework #34
Until 1990, the results of the Reading Level Assessment Test (RLAT) given in middle schools of Brooklyn and Queens indicated that the reading ability of students in the two boroughs was nearly identical. Since 1990, however, the average score on the test has been markedly higher in Brooklyn than in Queens. The Superintendent of the Brooklyn schools believes that his students did better on the test because all Brooklyn middle schools reinstated minimum reading level requirements. Under these requirements, all students in Brooklyn reading below grade level are required to attend after-school reading workshops once a week.
If the statements above are true, which one of the following MUST also be true?
A. The average score on the RLAT in Brooklyn has increased the minimum reading level requirement.
B. There was a minimum reading level requirement in the Queens middle schools at some point before 1990.
C. There was no minimum reading level requirement in the Brooklyn middle schools at some point before 1990.
D. There was no minimum reading level requirement in the Queens middle schools at some point after 1990.
E. Since 1990, the RLAT score of every student in Brooklyn has been higher than the RLAT score of every student in Queens.
If the statements above are true, which one of the following MUST also be true?
A. The average score on the RLAT in Brooklyn has increased the minimum reading level requirement.
B. There was a minimum reading level requirement in the Queens middle schools at some point before 1990.
C. There was no minimum reading level requirement in the Brooklyn middle schools at some point before 1990.
D. There was no minimum reading level requirement in the Queens middle schools at some point after 1990.
E. Since 1990, the RLAT score of every student in Brooklyn has been higher than the RLAT score of every student in Queens.
November 23, 2009
Homework #32 Answer
The increasing use of colloquialisms (slang expressions) is degrading the English language. A phrase such as "she was like, 'No way!', you know?" - a meaningless collection of English words just a few decades ago - is commonly understood today to mean "she was doubtful." No language can have such imprecise word usage without a corresponding decrease in the quality of expression.
The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions?
A. Colloqualisms (slang expressions) always evolve out of a meaningless collection of words.
(A) is incorrect because the source of colloquial or slang expressions is not germane to the argument; the argument concerns their effect on the language, not where they come from or the reasons why they are used. The example provided in the stimulus arose out of "a meaningless collection of words," but even if they come from other sources as well, the claim that they degrade the language is still viable.
B. The slang expressions in common use today make the English language imprecise on a large scale.
(B) is correct. The argument makes a very broad statement with far-reaching implications, based on what appears to be a very small sample. The only way the argument holds water is if this is a large-scale problem; that slang usage is so pervasive that it degrades the language itself, not just the people who speak or write using slang.
C. The Russian, French and German languages do not contain as many colloquialisms as English.
(C) is incorrect because the author makes no attempt to compare English to any other language, let alone these three specific ones, nor indeed to other languages in general. The quantity of colloquialisms in other languages has no bearing on the effect colloquial usage has on English.
D. The English language would not lose any of its quality or precision if there were no alternative, informal way to say "she was doubtful."
(D) is incorrect because the author implies that widespread and insidious use of slang expressions is degrading the language, not this example alone. Even if one could argue that the language would not be degraded if there were no colloquialisms at all, the author is certainly not assuming that this one expression alone degrades the language all by itself, or that the problem could be fixed by limiting this expression to those three words.
E. The widespread use of slang expressions is the worst thing that could possibly happen to the English language.
(E) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and an opinion cannot be an underlying assumption.
The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions?
A. Colloqualisms (slang expressions) always evolve out of a meaningless collection of words.
(A) is incorrect because the source of colloquial or slang expressions is not germane to the argument; the argument concerns their effect on the language, not where they come from or the reasons why they are used. The example provided in the stimulus arose out of "a meaningless collection of words," but even if they come from other sources as well, the claim that they degrade the language is still viable.
B. The slang expressions in common use today make the English language imprecise on a large scale.
(B) is correct. The argument makes a very broad statement with far-reaching implications, based on what appears to be a very small sample. The only way the argument holds water is if this is a large-scale problem; that slang usage is so pervasive that it degrades the language itself, not just the people who speak or write using slang.
C. The Russian, French and German languages do not contain as many colloquialisms as English.
(C) is incorrect because the author makes no attempt to compare English to any other language, let alone these three specific ones, nor indeed to other languages in general. The quantity of colloquialisms in other languages has no bearing on the effect colloquial usage has on English.
D. The English language would not lose any of its quality or precision if there were no alternative, informal way to say "she was doubtful."
(D) is incorrect because the author implies that widespread and insidious use of slang expressions is degrading the language, not this example alone. Even if one could argue that the language would not be degraded if there were no colloquialisms at all, the author is certainly not assuming that this one expression alone degrades the language all by itself, or that the problem could be fixed by limiting this expression to those three words.
E. The widespread use of slang expressions is the worst thing that could possibly happen to the English language.
(E) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and an opinion cannot be an underlying assumption.
Homework #33
Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in Homework #32?
A. Most people who use slang expressions in conversation understand what they mean.
B. Many slang expressions that appeared in earlier forms of the English language disappeared over time, as the people who used them were assimilated into larger groups that used different expressions.
C. Whether a new word or phrase is widely used in the media and entertainment is an important factor in whether the word or phrase will become common slang.
D. Slang expressions are more likely to be invented by children and adolescents than by any other segment of the population.
E. Languages of the highest quality often evolve over time out of a collection of slang expressions woven into the formal dialect of a given people.
A. Most people who use slang expressions in conversation understand what they mean.
B. Many slang expressions that appeared in earlier forms of the English language disappeared over time, as the people who used them were assimilated into larger groups that used different expressions.
C. Whether a new word or phrase is widely used in the media and entertainment is an important factor in whether the word or phrase will become common slang.
D. Slang expressions are more likely to be invented by children and adolescents than by any other segment of the population.
E. Languages of the highest quality often evolve over time out of a collection of slang expressions woven into the formal dialect of a given people.
November 21, 2009
Homework #31 Answer
Albert: The CEO's proposal to conduct free career seminars for high school students doesn't make much sense. Teenagers do not use our products, since they don't have enough extra spending money to buy luxury items.
Bill: I disagree. Anything we do to make the company look better can lead to us making more money in the long run. The good publicity we'll get from having these seminars will make us look very good to the general public. Good publicity, it has been proven, increases sales significantly.
Albert and Bill disagree about whether
A. the business has suffered from recent bad publicity.
(A) is incorrect. Neither Albert nor Bill expressed this idea. The key to a question like this is to read the answer choice, and ask whether one of the speakers would say yes while the other would say no; whether one speaker would agree with the statement and the other would disagree. Here, the stimulus doesn't indicate whether either Albert or Bill would agree with this statement. Bill thinks the seminars will generate good publicity, but nothing he says indicates that the company's recent publicity has been bad. Albert does not mention publicity at all.
B. the CEO's plan to offer career seminars to high school students makes financial sense for the company.
(B) is correct. Bill would agree with this statement, while Albert would disagree. Albert thinks that the company would be wasting its time providing seminars for teenagers who don't buy the company's products; Bill thinks the positive publicity will generate long-term business. Therefore Albert does not think the seminars make financial sense, and Bill does.
C. the publicity they get from the seminars will be good.
(C) is incorrect because while Bill would agree with it, we cannot say that Albert would disagree with it based on what he says in the stimulus. Albert doesn't seem to have an opinion one way or another about whether the publicity generated by the seminars will be good or bad.
D. the advice given in the seminars will enable teenagers to buy the company's products.
(D) is incorrect because while Albert might disagree with it, Bill doesn't have an opinion one way or another. Albert is concerned that teenagers don't buy the company's products, so the seminars would be a waste of time and money; this implies that he doesn't think the seminars will get the teenagers to buy the products. Bill likes the seminar idea not because he thinks teenagers will buy the products after the seminars, but that the seminars will be beneficial to the company in other ways over the long term.
E. teenagers would be more likely to buy the company's products if the company improved its public image.
(E) is incorrect because neither Albert nor Bill expresses an opinion on either the need for the company to "improve" its public image, or whether doing so would make teenagers more likely to buy the company's products. Bill might agree with this, although the benefits he foresees are more generalized, but it does not appear that Albert would disagree with it. Albert's statement does not indicate or imply any connection between the company's public image and the likelihood that teenagers will buy its products.
Bill: I disagree. Anything we do to make the company look better can lead to us making more money in the long run. The good publicity we'll get from having these seminars will make us look very good to the general public. Good publicity, it has been proven, increases sales significantly.
Albert and Bill disagree about whether
A. the business has suffered from recent bad publicity.
(A) is incorrect. Neither Albert nor Bill expressed this idea. The key to a question like this is to read the answer choice, and ask whether one of the speakers would say yes while the other would say no; whether one speaker would agree with the statement and the other would disagree. Here, the stimulus doesn't indicate whether either Albert or Bill would agree with this statement. Bill thinks the seminars will generate good publicity, but nothing he says indicates that the company's recent publicity has been bad. Albert does not mention publicity at all.
B. the CEO's plan to offer career seminars to high school students makes financial sense for the company.
(B) is correct. Bill would agree with this statement, while Albert would disagree. Albert thinks that the company would be wasting its time providing seminars for teenagers who don't buy the company's products; Bill thinks the positive publicity will generate long-term business. Therefore Albert does not think the seminars make financial sense, and Bill does.
C. the publicity they get from the seminars will be good.
(C) is incorrect because while Bill would agree with it, we cannot say that Albert would disagree with it based on what he says in the stimulus. Albert doesn't seem to have an opinion one way or another about whether the publicity generated by the seminars will be good or bad.
D. the advice given in the seminars will enable teenagers to buy the company's products.
(D) is incorrect because while Albert might disagree with it, Bill doesn't have an opinion one way or another. Albert is concerned that teenagers don't buy the company's products, so the seminars would be a waste of time and money; this implies that he doesn't think the seminars will get the teenagers to buy the products. Bill likes the seminar idea not because he thinks teenagers will buy the products after the seminars, but that the seminars will be beneficial to the company in other ways over the long term.
E. teenagers would be more likely to buy the company's products if the company improved its public image.
(E) is incorrect because neither Albert nor Bill expresses an opinion on either the need for the company to "improve" its public image, or whether doing so would make teenagers more likely to buy the company's products. Bill might agree with this, although the benefits he foresees are more generalized, but it does not appear that Albert would disagree with it. Albert's statement does not indicate or imply any connection between the company's public image and the likelihood that teenagers will buy its products.
November 20, 2009
Homework #32
The increasing use of colloquialisms (slang expressions) is degrading the English language. A phrase such as "she was like, 'No way!', you know?" - a meaningless collection of English words just a few decades ago - is commonly understood today to mean "she was doubtful." No language can have such imprecise word usage without a corresponding decrease in the quality of expression.
The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions?
A. Colloqualisms (slang expressions) always evolve out of a meaningless collection of words.
B. The slang expressions in common use today make the English language imprecise on a large scale.
C. The Russian, French and German languages do not contain as many colloquialisms as English.
D. The English language would not lose any of its quality or precision if there were no alternative, informal way to say "she was doubtful."
E. The widespread use of slang expressions is the worst thing that could possibly happen to the English language.
The argument relies on which one of the following assumptions?
A. Colloqualisms (slang expressions) always evolve out of a meaningless collection of words.
B. The slang expressions in common use today make the English language imprecise on a large scale.
C. The Russian, French and German languages do not contain as many colloquialisms as English.
D. The English language would not lose any of its quality or precision if there were no alternative, informal way to say "she was doubtful."
E. The widespread use of slang expressions is the worst thing that could possibly happen to the English language.
November 19, 2009
Homework #30 Answer
Jacques Dessens, the food critic who writes for the magazine Dining Today, was wrong in his review of Fabri's restaurant. He criticized the cold strawberry soup because it contained cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes. But Fabri's roasted chicken dish contains cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes, and Mr. Dessens awarded that dish the highest rating possible. Clearly, such blatant inconsistency proves that Mr. Dessens is not qualified to be a food critic.
The argument above is based upon which of the following assumptions?
A. Some of Fabri's customers don't like the roasted chicken dish.
(A) is incorrect because whether it is true or not it does not affect the author's argument. Remember, any choice whose subject is "some," "most," "many" or "few" of something, and not "all" or "none," is probably not the correct answer to an assumption question. The same is true if the verb is qualified by "sometimes," "often," "rarely" or "seldom," as opposed to "always" or "never." Even if every single one of Fabri's customers likes the roasted chicken dish, it is still possible that Mr. Dessens' criticism of the strawberry soup was unfair.
B. The evaluation of the cold strawberry soup should not suffer just because Mr. Dessens does not like some of the ingredients.
(B) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and therefore cannot be an underlying assumption. It's also an idiotic statement; this is exactly what food critics do, so if Mr. Dessens does not like the soup or its ingredients then of course it will receive a poor evaluation, as it should. That is the whole point of his job. This choice reminds me of a student who once said to me, in response to my criticism of then-President George W. Bush's language skills (or lack thereof), in these exact words: "Just because he doesn't speak well doesn't mean he's a bad speaker." Actually, I replied, it means precisely that.
C. As flavor-enhancing ingredients, cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes are better for main courses than for appetizers.
(C) is also incorrect because it's also an opinion, and also tends to support the substance of Mr. Dessens' review and refute the author's criticism thereof. The argument is that Mr. Dessens' review of the strawberry soup was "wrong," because it was "blatant[ly] inconsisten[t]" for him to dislike the strawberry soup but like the roasted chicken when they both contained the same flavor-enhancing ingredients. If those ingredients are better for main courses than for appetizers, then his review was not inconsistent at all. Many students chose this answer because it supports Mr. Dessens' review; however, the substance of his review is NOT the argument being made by the stimulus, and further, this is an assumption question.
D. Cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes enhance the flavor of the roasted chicken and the cold strawberry soup in essentially the same way.
(D) is correct. The argument is that Mr. Dessens' review of the restaurant contained a "blatant inconsistency," i.e., a criticism of the strawberry soup based on its containing cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes, alongside praise for the roasted chicken dish containing the same ingredients. The argument assumes that these ingredients have the same essential effect on the flavor of each dish in question. If the ingredients effect the flavors of different dishes in different ways, then there is nothing inconsistent or "wrong" about Mr. Dessens' review.
E. Cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes are best used in chicken dishes that are not roasted.
(E) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and does not affect the validity of the argument whether it is true or false. The argument is not concerned with the appropriateness of using these ingredients in any particular dish, let alone one outside the scope of the argument.
The argument above is based upon which of the following assumptions?
A. Some of Fabri's customers don't like the roasted chicken dish.
(A) is incorrect because whether it is true or not it does not affect the author's argument. Remember, any choice whose subject is "some," "most," "many" or "few" of something, and not "all" or "none," is probably not the correct answer to an assumption question. The same is true if the verb is qualified by "sometimes," "often," "rarely" or "seldom," as opposed to "always" or "never." Even if every single one of Fabri's customers likes the roasted chicken dish, it is still possible that Mr. Dessens' criticism of the strawberry soup was unfair.
B. The evaluation of the cold strawberry soup should not suffer just because Mr. Dessens does not like some of the ingredients.
(B) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and therefore cannot be an underlying assumption. It's also an idiotic statement; this is exactly what food critics do, so if Mr. Dessens does not like the soup or its ingredients then of course it will receive a poor evaluation, as it should. That is the whole point of his job. This choice reminds me of a student who once said to me, in response to my criticism of then-President George W. Bush's language skills (or lack thereof), in these exact words: "Just because he doesn't speak well doesn't mean he's a bad speaker." Actually, I replied, it means precisely that.
C. As flavor-enhancing ingredients, cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes are better for main courses than for appetizers.
(C) is also incorrect because it's also an opinion, and also tends to support the substance of Mr. Dessens' review and refute the author's criticism thereof. The argument is that Mr. Dessens' review of the strawberry soup was "wrong," because it was "blatant[ly] inconsisten[t]" for him to dislike the strawberry soup but like the roasted chicken when they both contained the same flavor-enhancing ingredients. If those ingredients are better for main courses than for appetizers, then his review was not inconsistent at all. Many students chose this answer because it supports Mr. Dessens' review; however, the substance of his review is NOT the argument being made by the stimulus, and further, this is an assumption question.
D. Cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes enhance the flavor of the roasted chicken and the cold strawberry soup in essentially the same way.
(D) is correct. The argument is that Mr. Dessens' review of the restaurant contained a "blatant inconsistency," i.e., a criticism of the strawberry soup based on its containing cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes, alongside praise for the roasted chicken dish containing the same ingredients. The argument assumes that these ingredients have the same essential effect on the flavor of each dish in question. If the ingredients effect the flavors of different dishes in different ways, then there is nothing inconsistent or "wrong" about Mr. Dessens' review.
E. Cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes are best used in chicken dishes that are not roasted.
(E) is incorrect because it's an opinion, and does not affect the validity of the argument whether it is true or false. The argument is not concerned with the appropriateness of using these ingredients in any particular dish, let alone one outside the scope of the argument.
Homework #31
Albert: The CEO's proposal to conduct free career seminars for high school students doesn't make much sense. Teenagers do not use our products, since they don't have enough extra spending money to buy luxury items.
Bill: I disagree. Anything we do to make the company look better can lead to us making more money in the long run. The good publicity we'll get from having these seminars will make us look very good to the general public. Good publicity, it has been proven, increases sales significantly.
Albert and Bill disagree about whether
A. the business has suffered from recent bad publicity.
B. the CEO's plan to offer career seminars to high school students makes financial sense for the company.
C. the publicity they get from the seminars will be good.
D. the advice given in the seminars will enable teenagers to buy the company's products.
E. teenagers would be more likely to buy the company's products if the company improved its public image.
Bill: I disagree. Anything we do to make the company look better can lead to us making more money in the long run. The good publicity we'll get from having these seminars will make us look very good to the general public. Good publicity, it has been proven, increases sales significantly.
Albert and Bill disagree about whether
A. the business has suffered from recent bad publicity.
B. the CEO's plan to offer career seminars to high school students makes financial sense for the company.
C. the publicity they get from the seminars will be good.
D. the advice given in the seminars will enable teenagers to buy the company's products.
E. teenagers would be more likely to buy the company's products if the company improved its public image.
November 18, 2009
Homework #29 Answer
Six months ago, a blight destroyed the cattle population in the town of Cebra, destroying the town's beef supply. Since that time, the only meat available to eat in Cebra has been poultry, fish, lamb and pork.
If the above statements are true, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of those statements?
A. Villagers in the town of Cebra consume only beef raised by Cebra farmers.
(A) is incorrect, even though it could be true. The key is that the argument concerns the availability of beef, not the consumption of beef. Whether Cebra villagers are partial to Cebra beef, i.e., whether they are willing to eat non-Cebra beef, has no bearing on its availability. It still could be available even if they're not willing to eat it. Therefore this does not HAVE to be true.
B. Cebra villagers like lamb and poultry better than beef.
(B) is incorrect because it also does not have to be true (or false) based on the argument presented in the stimulus. As with (A), the villagers' dietary preferences and culinary tastes have no bearing on the availability of any particular food product. Whether they like it or not has no bearing on whether they can or can't get it.
C. The town of Cebra has not imported any beef from other towns in the past six months.
(C) is correct. At issue is the availability of beef in the wake of the blight. The argument claims that no beef has been available in Cebra for six months, but this can only be true if they had no other source of beef besides their own cattle that were destroyed in the blight. If they imported beef from elsewhere, then it WAS available.
D. Most of the residents of Cebra are meat eaters.
(D) is incorrect because it doesn't matter whether it's true or not. In addition, the fact that the condition is attributed to "most" Cebra residents, instead of "all" or "none," indicates that it likely cannot be the correct answer to an assumption question.
E. Before the blight occurred, Cebra villagers ate more beef than any other type of meat.
(E) is incorrect because it doesn't have to be true. Based on the way the facts are presented in the stimulus it seems likely, but what Cebra residents tended to eat before the blight is beyond the scope of the argument. The argument is concerned only with the availability of beef AFTER the blight.
If the above statements are true, which one of the following must also be true on the basis of those statements?
A. Villagers in the town of Cebra consume only beef raised by Cebra farmers.
(A) is incorrect, even though it could be true. The key is that the argument concerns the availability of beef, not the consumption of beef. Whether Cebra villagers are partial to Cebra beef, i.e., whether they are willing to eat non-Cebra beef, has no bearing on its availability. It still could be available even if they're not willing to eat it. Therefore this does not HAVE to be true.
B. Cebra villagers like lamb and poultry better than beef.
(B) is incorrect because it also does not have to be true (or false) based on the argument presented in the stimulus. As with (A), the villagers' dietary preferences and culinary tastes have no bearing on the availability of any particular food product. Whether they like it or not has no bearing on whether they can or can't get it.
C. The town of Cebra has not imported any beef from other towns in the past six months.
(C) is correct. At issue is the availability of beef in the wake of the blight. The argument claims that no beef has been available in Cebra for six months, but this can only be true if they had no other source of beef besides their own cattle that were destroyed in the blight. If they imported beef from elsewhere, then it WAS available.
D. Most of the residents of Cebra are meat eaters.
(D) is incorrect because it doesn't matter whether it's true or not. In addition, the fact that the condition is attributed to "most" Cebra residents, instead of "all" or "none," indicates that it likely cannot be the correct answer to an assumption question.
E. Before the blight occurred, Cebra villagers ate more beef than any other type of meat.
(E) is incorrect because it doesn't have to be true. Based on the way the facts are presented in the stimulus it seems likely, but what Cebra residents tended to eat before the blight is beyond the scope of the argument. The argument is concerned only with the availability of beef AFTER the blight.
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