LR Bible Ch. 3 | The Question Stem & Answer Choices

The Question Stem is what?

The question asked after reading the stimulus in a LR problem.

The question stem follows what?

The stimulus

The question stem poses what?

It poses a question directed at the stimulus.

The question stem determines what?

The nature of the correct answer choice.

The question stem is the most important part of each problem because it specifies what?

The task you must perform to get credit for the problem.

Name 4 tasks that question stems cover:

•identify details of the stimulus

•describe the structure of the argument

• strengthen or weaken the argument

• identify inferences, main points, and assumptions

• recognize errors of reasoning

• reconcile conflicts

• find arguments that are identical in structure

Make sure to read the question stem very carefully, or what could happen?

You could miss stimulus clues making the problem difficult.

How many question types are there?

13

Must Be True/Most Supported questions ask you to what?

Identify the answer choice that is best proven by the information in the stimulus

An example of a Must Be True/Most Supported question is what?

a. "If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?"

b. "Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?"

a. Main Point questions are a variant of what question?

b. Main Point questions ask you to what?

a. "Must Be True/Most Supported" question

b. Find the main conclusion made by the author.

An example of a Main Point question is what?

"The main point of the argument is that"

Point at Issue questions ask you to what?

To identify a point of contention between two speakers, and thus these questions appear almost exclusively with two speaker stimuli.

An example of a Point at Issue question is what?

"Jones and Smith disagree about whether"

Point of Agreement questions require you to do what differently? Give an example

To identify a point of agreement between two speakers, and thus these questions appear almost exclusively with two speaker stimuli.

Ex.: "Achelle's and Hakim's statements provide the most support for the claim that they agree about which one of the following?"

A Necessary Assumption (Assumption) asks you to what?

Identify an assumption of the author's argument.

An example of a Necessary Assumption (Assumption) is what?

Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument above?

A Justify the Conclusion (Sufficient Assumption) question asks you to what?

To supply a piece of information that, when added to the premises, proves the conclusion.

An example of a Justify the Conclusion (Sufficient Assumption) is what?

"Which of the following, if assumed, allows the conclusion to be properly drawn?"

Strengthen/Support question asks you to what?

To select the answer choice that provides support for the author's argument OR strengthens it in some way.

An example of a strengthen/support question is what?

"Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?"

"Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the statement above?"

Resolve the Paradox questions asks you to what?

Find the discrepancy or seeming contradiction that best resolves the situation.

An example of a resolve the paradox question is what?

"Which of the following, if true, would most effectively resolve the apparent paradox above?"

Weaken questions asks you to what?

To attack or undermine the author's argument.

An example of a weaken question is what?

"Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?"

Method of reasoning questions asks you to what?

To describe, in abstract terms, the way in which the author made his/her argument.

An example of a method of reasoning question is what?

"Which one of the following describes the technique of reasoning used above?"

Flaw in the reasoning questions asks you to what?

To describe, in abstract terms, the error of reasoning committed by the author.

An example of a flaw in the reasoning question is what?

"The reasoning in the mayor's argument is flawed because this argument"

Parallel reasoning/flaw questions asks you to what?

To identify the answer choice that contains reasoning most similar in structure to the reasoning presented in the stimulus.

An example of a parallel reasoning/flaw question is what?

"Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to the argument above?"

Evaluate the argument questions asks you to what?

To decide which answer choice will allow you to determine the logical validity of the argument

An example of an evaluate the argument question is what?

"The answer to which one of the following questions would contribute to an evaluation of the argument?"

Cannot Be True Questions ask you to what?

ask you to identify the answer choice that cannot be true or is most weakened by the information in the stimulus

An example of a cannot be true question is what?

"If the statements above are true, which one of the following CANNOT be true?"