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geet wrote:The growing popularity of computer-based activities was widely expected to result in a decline in television viewing, since it had been assumed that people lack sufficient free time to maintain current television-viewing levels while spending increasing amounts of free time on the computer. That assumption, however, is evidently false: in a recent mail survey concerning media use, a very large majority of respondents who report increasing time spent per week using computers report no charge in time spent watching television.
Which of the following would it be most useful to determine in order to evaluate the argument?
A. Whether a large majority of the survey respondents reported watching television regularly
B. Whether the amount of time spent watching television is declining among people who report that they rarely or never use computers
C. Whether the type of television programs a person watches tends to change as the amount of time spent per week using computers increases
D. Whether a large majority of the computer owners in the survey reported spending increasing amounts of time per week using computers
E. Whether the survey respondents� reports of time spent using computers included time spent using computers at work
The parts I've put in boldface are the main point. The author is saying that "People will watch less TV" is false.ngalinh wrote:Dear Experts,
I have some questions below:
1/ Is the main author's reasoning " increasing in computer acts will result in decreasing in TV watching because of the lack of spare time--That's not true"? --> so we should go and find something to evaluate whether they (majority) still have free time or not?
This depends on what you mean.2/ Could we automatically eliminate the possibility that the majority of the respondents represents for the whole population? (the author implies this?)
It seems that you understand the conclusion just fine.3/ Whether my thinking (in 1) would lead to pick the wrong answer if the answer choices were changed a bit, but the question were kept the same? If yes, how should I think?
This question couldn't have a choice like that, because the passage presents the exact opposite ("a very large majority ... report no charge in time spent watching television") as factual evidence. Answer choices aren't going to contradict stated facts.ngalinh wrote:in this question, if there is a choice that "whether majority reduce TV watching time because a new research shows that watching TV will significantly reduce productivity", it would affect the conclusion.
Oh yes, my bad. I often forget "barriers" in premises while reasoning, leading to pick wrong choices.lunar power wrote: This question couldn't have a choice like that, because the passage presents the exact opposite ("a very large majority ... report no charge in time spent watching television") as factual evidence. Answer choices aren't going to contradict stated facts.
Both work for me, but in deferent time. (that's the problem)lunarpower wrote:Take what works for you. Leave what doesn't.
I see what you say.When it comes to predicting answer choices**, it really depends on you.
Some people get "tunnel vision": Once they have an answer in mind, they won't be able to notice other correct answers. For these individuals, predicting answers is a bad idea.
Other people can have a prediction in mind, but still be open to other possibilities. For these individuals, there's no downside to making a prediction.
Good point. Pre-thinking mean eating (eat then you can think)** "Pre-think" is not a word. Let's just say "predict".
Ha. I like it.ngalinh wrote:Good point. Pre-thinking mean eating (eat then you can think)** "Pre-think" is not a word. Let's just say "predict".
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