CR, section III, no. 5

TT · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject: CR, section III, no. 5

I am having problems with these kind of questions. Can anyone explain to me why the answer is D and not A.
Thanks.

Columnist: A democratic society cannot exist unless its citizens have established strong bonds of mutual trust. Such bonds are formed and strengthened only by participation in civic organizations, political parties, and other groups outside the family. It is obvious then that widespread reliance on movies and electronic media for entertainment has an inherently corrosive effect on democracy.
Which one of the following is an assumption on which the columnist’s argument depends?
(A) Anyone who relies on movies and electronic media for entertainment is unable to form a strong bond of mutual trust with a citizen.
(B) Civic organizations cannot usefully advance their goals by using electronic media.
(C) Newspapers and other forms of print media strengthen, rather than weaken, democratic institutions.
(D) Relying on movies and electronic media for entertainment generally makes people less likely to participate in groups outside their families.
(E) People who rely on movies and electronic media for entertainment are generally closer to their families than are those who do not.

sochatte · Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:50 pm Post subject:

"Anyone who relies ......is unable..." is too strong.
D clearly identifies the logic gap.

ri2007 · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject:

I agree with what sochatte has said but have an additional explaination to add.

The columnist’s argument is that people need to form bonds outside the family, there also seems to be a clear assumtion that people share the activities of watching movies with family members. So there is nothing to prevent prevent people from forming bonds of trust within the family - and members of the family are also citizens. So choice A does not work.

Not sure if I could explain my though process.

Hope it helps