Prep2012-Pack1-CR-054 VCR14019 Hard
Argument Construction
Reasoning
Another way to look at the question is "could the average from tips still increase if this assumption were not true?"
A. Even if the increase came only from occasional patrons, then average of tips would still be higher. This assumption is not needed.
B. Correct. If effect is a function of the rarity of seeing thank you, then regularly writing thank you would not increase average tips. This assumption must be met for the argument to hold.
C. This assumes that knowing that tips are part of the income for servers will lead to higher tips. There is not enough information about this requirement for the argument to hold.
D. Even if initial tipping rates differ, the increase could be shown to be applicable across restaurants and rates, particularly if restaurants of different expense levels were included in the study. There is not enough information to fully evaluate the need for the assumption.
E. The assumption is not needed; as with A, if a small portion of patrons left much larger tips, the average would still be higher.
The correct answer is B.
Prep2012-Pack1-CR-055 VCR07635 Hard
Argument Evaluation
Situation
In considering how best to measure productivity, the assumption is made that the more letters postal workers deliver, the more productive they are. This assumption is then challenged: What if the number of delayed and lost letters increases proportionately with the number of letters delivered?
Reasoning
Which statement would NOT be accepted by those objecting to the measure? The point of the objection is that the number of letters delivered is, by itself, an inadequate measure of postal workers’ productivity. The challenge introduces the issue of the quality of the work being performed by suggesting that the number of misdirected letters should also be taken into account. The challenge is based on rejecting the idea that quality can be ignored when measuring productivity.
A. The argument uses postal workers as an example; the challenge does not question the fairness of the example.
B. Letter-delivery is assumed to be the primary activity of postal workers because their productivity is measured on that basis; the challenge does not reject this point.
C. The argument does discuss a category of workers, postal workers, rather than individuals; the challenge does not reject this point.
D. Correct. This statement properly identifies the point that is the basis of the challenge to the measure; the objection does NOT accept the position that quality can be ignored in evaluating productivity.
E. There is no doubt that counting letters delivered is part of measuring productivity; the challenge is to its being the only measure.
The correct answer is D.
