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Bold face CR. Need help

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Bold face CR. Need help

by abhi.iitb » Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:32 pm
Delta Products Inc. has recently switched at least partly from older technologies using fossil fuels to new technologies powered by electricity. The question has been raised whether it can be concluded that for a given level of output Delta's operation now causes less fossil fuel to be consumed than it did formerly. The answer, clearly, is yes, since the amount of fossil fuel used to generate the electricity needed to power the new technologies is less than the amount needed to power the older technologies, provided level of output is held constant.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
(A) The first identifies the content of the conclusion of the argument; the second provides support for that conclusion.
(B) The first provides support for the conclusion of the argument; the second identifi es the content of that conclusion.
(C) The first states the conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question.
(D) The first provides support for the conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question.
(E) Each provides support for the conclusion of the argument.

Question is taken from OG-12th edition, I did not understand the explanation given in OG. Somehow I always find bold face question to difficult to get. Need expert help to understand the approach for bold face questions.

Thanks in advance.
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:09 am
abhi.iitb wrote:Delta Products Inc. has recently switched at least partly from older technologies using fossil fuels to new technologies powered by electricity. The question has been raised whether it can be concluded that, for a given level of output, Delta's operation now causes less fossil fuel to be consumed than it did formerly. The answer, clearly, is yes, since the amount of fossil fuel used to generate the electricity needed to power the new technologies is less than the amount needed to power the older technologies, provided level of output is held constant.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

(A) The first identifies the content of the conclusion of the argument; the second provides support for that conclusion.
(B) The first provides support for the conclusion of the argument; the second identifies the content of that conclusion.
(C) The first states the conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question.
(D) The first provides support for the conclusion of the argument; the second calls that conclusion into question.
(E) Each provides support for the conclusion of the argument.

Question is taken from OG-12th edition, I did not understand the explanation given in OG. Somehow I always find bold face question to difficult to get. Need expert help to understand the approach for bold face questions.

Thanks in advance.
Bolded phrase questions are a MATCH GAME.
Step 1: Identify whether each bolded phrase is a PREMISE or a CONCLUSION.
Step 2: MATCH the answers back to the bolded phrases.
Step 3: Eliminate any answer choice that DOESN'T MATCH what the bolded phrases are doing.

Second bolded phrase:
The question has been raised whether it can be CONCLUDED that, for a given level of output, Delta's operation now causes less fossil fuel to be consumed than it did formerly. The answer, clearly, is YES.

The second bolded phrase is part of the conclusion.
Since the function of the second bolded phrase is clear, we can start by matching the answers back to the second bolded phrase.

(A) The second provides support for that conclusion.
No. The second bolded phrase is not a PREMISE in support of the conclusion but is PART of the conclusion. Eliminate A.

(B) The second identifies the content of that conclusion.
Yes. According to the passage, it can be CONCLUDED that, for a given level of output, Delta's operation now causes less fossil fuel to be consumed than it did formerly. Hold onto B.

(C) The second calls that conclusion into question.
No. The second bolded phrase is PART of the conclusion. Eliminate C.

(D) The second calls that conclusion into question.
No. The second bolded phrase is PART of the conclusion. Eliminate D.

(E) Each provides support for the conclusion of the argument.
No. The second bolded phrase is not a PREMISE in support of the conclusion but is PART of the conclusion. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.
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by abhi.iitb » Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:13 am
Thanks a lot Miitch
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by tanviet » Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:34 am
I come up with work order for bold phrase:

purpose: identify what role bold phrases play and what bold phrase are

1- read argument, identify the conclusion, premise
2- identify roles of bold phrases relative to the conclusion. label bold phrases as: C, conclusion, S support conclusion, Neu, neutral, Neg: negative to the conclusion.
3- go to answer choices, eliminate the choices which identify the role incorrectly.
4- when there are 2,3 remaining choices, identify what the bold phrases is correctly

most questions do not require to do the 4th step- identify what the bold phrases are (opinion, statement,...). This question dose not require us to do the 4th step.

but bold phrases appeart at the end of the test and is for persons looking for 700. Is that right?
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by scholardream » Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:13 pm
Hi DuongThanh,
Your 4 steps approach is great. Nonetheless, I find it somewhat time consuming while applying it, mostly around 2m to 3m each question.
Could you suggest me some practice methodology & practice source to accelerate the process ?
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by tanviet » Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:51 pm
I am looking for source of this question to practice. I find no source. The steps I mention is from the Stacey's article and another article. I find it very effective and not time consuming at all. Normally we do not have to identify what the bold phrases are we do not have to do the 4th step.

but for hard question we need to find 2 thing: what role the bold phrase play and what the bold phrase are.

but, I am non native and normally have no enough time go get to the end of the test to do this type of question. This question is at the end of the test and is for persons wanting 700
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