Critical Reasoning

sorry guys having some clarity issues with boldfaces...so almost all my queries today are related to these...will appreciate some responses pls...!!

Something must be done to ease traffic congestion. In traditional small towns, people used to work and shop in the same town in which they lived; but now that stores and workplaces are located far away from residential areas, people cannot avoid traveling long distances each day. Traffic congestion is so heavy on all roads that, even on major highways where the maximum speed limit is 55 miles per hour, the actual speed averages only 35 miles per hour. So new businesses should be encouraged to locate closer to where their workers would live.

The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
(A) Background that the argument depends on and conclusion that can be drawn from the argument.
(B) Part of evidence that the argument includes, and inference that can be drawn from this passage.
(C) Pre-evidence that the argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(D) Background that argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(E) Pre-evidence that argument includes and a method that helps to supports that conclusion.

Hi,

On bold-faceones, take the sentences one at a time, beginning with the easier one.

In this case, the second sentence strikes me as easier. Because it offers a recommendation on the basis of facts in the argument, it is the conclusion. (Conclusions tend to be recommendations, interpretations of evidence, and disagreements with stated positions.) If you look at the five answer choices, only (A) states that the second sentence is the conclusion.

For a sanity check, look at the first sentence to see if it can properly be called background information. It can.

Cheers,

I think it is B

Because the second bold face is an inference not a conclusion. The conclusion has to be stronger, she just infers something from some evidence. The reason the first sentence is not a background is that it helps us come to conclusion. It is an evidence by itself. However, the conclusion is "Something must be done to ease traffic congestion."

The order is:
Conclusion. Evidence;counter evidence. Premise. Inference.

Agree with Jason.. I would go with B. I think the main conclusion is "Something must be done..."

Hi,

I'm not too sure but I think it cannot be "B" because:

Traffic congestion is so heavy on all roads that, even on major highways where the maximum speed limit is 55 miles per hour, the actual speed averages only 35 miles per hour. So new businesses should be encouraged to locate closer to where their workers would live.

The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
(A) Background that the argument depends on and conclusion that can be drawn from the argument.
(B) Part of evidence that the argument includes, and inference that can be drawn from this passage.

"So" signals a conclusion, so any answer to this question has to map the premise to the conclusion.

I'm still a bit flimsy on this question though

I think that it is A. What is the official answer?

hi all! the ans is B...but am still confused about background info and simple premise / evidence!!

i found this link on the forum https://www.beatthegmat.com/boldface-questions-t61.html. this is a pretty similar question and the founder says answer should be A. stacey can u help pls!!!!!!!!

I thought it was E...this one is confusing...

Hi, all,

If this is an official GMAC question and they say the answer is (B), I stand corrected. Otherwise, the answer has to be (A).

Here's tbe deal. "Inference" has a special meaning on the GMAT. It means something that must be true based on a series of facts. Inferences generally do not show up in arguments with conclusions and premises. For example, if I told you that leap year happens every four years and took place in 2008, a good inference would be that there will be no leap year in 2009. That must be true. Notice in the passage that business relocation does not satisfy a must-be-true test; there could be other solutions.

For passages that make an argument, the GMAT speaks of conclusions and premises. The conclusion is the main point -- whatever the author ultimately wants to convince you of. When you are testing a potential conclusion ask yourself, "why does the author believe this is so?" If the answer is essentially everything else, you have found the conclusion.

Here, there is a subsidiary conclusion, namely that something needs to be done; there is evidence supporting that statement. However, the last sentence plays no role if that first sentence were the conclusion. It is not an inference as shown above, and it is not a premise. It is not even background information. It is naked with respect to the supposed conclusion.

Ultimately, based on the specified problem and the various facts, the big recommendation appears in the final sentence. This is what the author wants to convince you of. I am not saying it is a sensible recommendation; the argument is flawed, not air-tight. But that is the role the final sentence plays.

As mentioned in my first post here, to help find conclusions, look for solutions, interpretations and disagreements -- and ask why does the author believe it?

Cheers,

thanx David!! awesome post i think.

note - pls dont trust all the answers given in random documents around on the net:) its better to throw them out for discussion on such forums.

I'm going with A. No confidence on my answer. Can anyone tell OA?