Obfuscating CR

dextar · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:28 am Post subject: Obfuscating CR

Hi Pls some one help me with this CR. I'm not able to understand the erroneous statement in the question

Mental health public advocacy groups are trying to change public perception about the homeless. According to a recent study, the majority of people in a large city believed that , in general homeless people are drug addicts who could get a job if they wanted to work. In truth, the city’s coalition for the homeless estimated that 85 per cent of the homeless population is moderately to severely mentally ill. Thus an effort must be made to change the public’s perception and provide mental health counseling to the homeless in addition to food and shelter

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that public perception about the homeless is erroneous?

1 ) Most people in major cities support soup kitchen and shelter programs
2) The study found that majority of the people surveyed did not believe that food and shelter programs offer a permanent solution to homelessness.
3) Public awareness of the prevalence of mental illness among homeless is likely to increase sympathy for the homeless
4) The untreated mentally ill are 15 times as likely as the healthy to succumb to illegal drug abuse
5) The job market for unskilled labor is not significantly different today than it was 20 years ago

Hey according to me according to public perception we have to prove that whatever is the public peception is true in the sentence.
"in general homeless people are drug addicts who could get a job if they wanted to work" . If I work that way I found 2nd to be correct. Where am I wrong?

sankruth · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:56 am Post subject:

I would choose D

Public perception: Homeless people are drug addicts who can get a job if they wanted to.

There is a premise (fact), which states that 85% of homeless people are mentally ill. Therefore public perception is wrong.

Choice D allows the public perception and the premise to be true at the same time.

dextar · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:16 am Post subject:

Hi
Thanks for your reply. Of course D is the correct answer but I didn't get it.

What I understand is that the public perception is that drug addicts can find a job if they are willing to. Option D doesn't seem to be saying the same. It only compares the rate which is 15 times... Where am I wrong?

sankruth · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:08 am Post subject:

sukrant26 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject:

D weakens the argument of Mental Health Advocacy Group against public perception

Hence D

dextar · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:37 am Post subject:

rey.fernandez · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:08 pm Post subject:

The people's perception about the homeless has two parts to it:
- They are drug addicts
- They are not willing to find work

Answer choice (4) tells us that because most homeless people are mentally ill and the untreated mentally ill are very likely to use illegal drugs, then perhaps the public perception about homeless people being drug addicts is not all that off.

Certainly, (4) does not address the point about their willingness to find work, but it does address the other perception -- good enough to be the best answer among the five choices.

Rey