Critical Reasoning

. Psychologist: The obligation to express gratitude
cannot be fulfilled anonymously. However
much society may have changed over the
centuries, human psychology is still driven
primarily by personal interaction. Thus, the
important social function of positively
reinforcing those behaviors that have beneficial
consequences for others can be served only if
the benefactor knows the source of the
gratitude.
Which one of the following most accurately
describes the role played in the psychologist’s
argument by the claim that the obligation to express
gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously?
(A) It is an illustration of a premise that is used to
support the argument’s conclusion.
(B) It is used to counter a consideration that might
be taken to undermine the argument’s
conclusion.
(C) It is used to support indirectly a claim that the
argument in turn uses to support directly the
conclusion.
(D) It is used to identify the social benefit with
which the argument is concerned.
(E) It is the conclusion that the argument is
intended to support.

E?

I would go with E as well, because the claim by the psychologist tend to reinforce and construct the idea that the boldface portion of the argument states.

OA please?

Looks like an inference, considering the way how gmat poses inference-questions - I would choose E

W OA ?

Its E

In the first statement itself it says

The obligation to express gratitude
cannot be fulfilled anonymously

and it reiterates the same conclusion in the end after giving illustration that

important social function of positively
reinforcing those behaviors that have beneficial
consequences for others can be served only if
the benefactor knows the source of the
gratitude

This sub-conclusion acts as a evidence for the conclusion(Bold Face) to be true!!


OA please

OA is E. But i was confused in C & E.

Can body explain why not C?

In questions like this you have to be very much careful about which one is the main conclusion and which one is the Sub-Conclusion.

(C) It is used to support indirectly a claim that the
argument in turn uses to support directly the
conclusion

Think again!!

Is it really what is been done in the stimulus??

Is the Bold Face a supporting evidence or a claim itself??


Also one thing you can do when you get stuck in questions like this, you can always think of the structure of the stimulus, how the stimulus would be if it is has to be according to the option you are looking for, and if the structure of the stimulus comes out to be same, then you have zeroed into a correct answer

Thnx. Got it.

Option E looks good than other answers.