Membership in the theta delta psi

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Membership in the theta delta psi

by gmatjeet » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:16 am
Membership in the theta delta psi fraternity is easily obtained by those who have previously had strong social connections with the existing fraternity members before college. However, one must have attended high school with one or more of the members in the order to forge such strong social connections. People who lack these social connections because they have not attended high school with one or more current fraternity members will therefore find it difficult to join the fraternity.

This argument displays flawed reasoning because it neglects to consider the possibility that

A) many of those who went to high school with theta delta psi fraternity members did not themselves become members of the fraternity.
B)it is more important in the long run to socialise with non-fraternity members than to develop strong connections with fraternity members.
C) it is more difficult to forge social connectors with fraternity members than with non-fraternity members
D) one may easily obtain membership in the fraternity through means other than having strong social connections with existing fraternity members.
Some current members of the fraternity did not go to the high school with other members.

OA: D

QUERY: In the argument the author clearly states people will find it difficult to join the fraternity if they havent attended school together with fraternity member. How can the answer consider that there might be other easy ways? Is this not contradicting the argument?

please help
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by bubbliiiiiiii » Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:33 am
Hey gmatjeet,

Initially I was stuck between A and D. When I re-read the argument I picked D.
In the argument the author clearly states people will find it difficult to join the fraternity if they havent attended school together with fraternity member.
The argument states that its easy to join the fraternity if they have some kind of social association but it doesnot say that the opposite also is true. Thus, many a times people assume that its difficult to join the fraternity if no social connections are available. Thus, if we can say that without the social connections there is an easier way to join the fraternity, the argument can be weekened.

Hope it helps.
Regards,

Pranay

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by gmat25 » Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:22 am
Hi, first of all thanks, its a nice / tricky weakening question and i really enjoyed in developing a proper reasoning here.

Let me explain u in terms of STORY. Suppose, YOU, gmatjeet wants to reach a certain destination. You ask to the author (argument) how to reach that destination. The author (argument) knows about only one way so he told u how to reach the destination through that ONLY WAY HE KNOWS. He told u about all the complications, say the no. of buses u have to change, the diff buses and other mediums etc etc. Now, u said to the author that u cannot go by bus as u have an injury and want to by taxi. Since, NO TAXI runs on the ROUTE that author suggested, THE AUTHOR predicts / concludes that GMATJEET cannot reach his destination. So, the question here is why AUTHOR is wrong????? the answer is there is another route through which GMATJEET can reach to his destination via taxi.

OP D is talking about that other route hence the correct answer.
Princeton Review CAT - 710(Q-51, V-37) --> silly mistakes screwed up my VERBAL

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by gmatblood » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:14 am
is this E,

Some current members of the fraternity did not go to the high school with other members.

please post questions with proper options tagged to them.

i got confused, reading both D and E together!! dislike :(