Critical Reasoning

Q. Franjel: It has been reported that 10% of our adult population is illiterate. This is clearly the outcome of a flawed educational system.
Almosk: Technological progress has provided many solutions to assist people that are illiterate through audio. It is not the educational system, but these alternative forms of communication that have reduced the importance of being literate, allowing people to avoid having to learn how to read and write.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens Almosk's response to Franjel's explanation?

A device has been invented that is capable of speedily scanning a printed page and immediately reading it aloud using voice-synthesizing software.

The increased number of audio stimulii and high volume levels to which humans of all ages are being subjected has resulted in hearing problems in one third of the population.

The educational system has undergone drastic reforms in the last 25 years, including changes in teacher training programs which were proven to be successful.

Statistics about illiteracy percentages are formed, along with other demographic statistics, by conducting extensive survey operations.

Many jobs do not require literacy although it is important that an employer is aware of an employee's inability to read or write.

According to me B would be the correct answer as it directly relates the usage of audio devices for learning to the impact audio devices have on humans of all ages.

The only problem that I find with this answer is its reference to one third of the population.

Yes the answer is B . I could not connect the hearing problems with the correct answer.

This seems like a flawed question to me.

I am not sure how being illiterate even relates to audio. These are different things. Are they suggesting that people say "Oh, I don't want to be able to read, I can just listen to things on audio?"

And then how does choice B relate to that? People usually learn to read when they are young and then they lose their hearing when they are old. And "hearing problems" is not the same as being deaf. I mean I have older relatives who cannot hear high pitched bird songs but they can hear human voices just fine. I am not sure how this question comes together.

Having written plenty of questions myself I am always open to suggestions for editing. I think this one could use a little edit to bring it all together.

I would not worry too much about this one...

Hi David and Rich,

Thank you for your opinion about the question. I too was not able to find the connection between hearing problem and literacy problem. This question is not typical of the kind of questions on Economist Tutor. This must be a one off.

Vivek