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by rahulvsd » Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:13 am
Superintendent of schools: We should replace the Smith Publishing textbooks with the Jones and Company textbooks.

Assistant superintendent: Why?

Superintendent of schools: Because it takes 31 percent more time for teachers to prepare lessons using the Smith Publishing textbooks than it takes for teachers to prepare lessons using the Jones and Company textbooks. This time would be better spent on direct work with students.

Assistant superintendent: That is not a sufficient reason to change textbooks. We can simply hire teachers who already have planned lessons based on the Smith Publishing textbooks.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the assistant superintendent's objection to the argument made by superintendent of schools?


A)All teachers in the school district are currently required to attend classes to learn how to adapt Smith Publishing textbooks to new educational requirements.


B)Once teachers have made lesson plans, they are more willing to move from their current positions to positions with new school districts.


C)Teachers with established lesson plans hired by the school district are required to put in additional hours in administrative support, hours equal to the time they would have spent in making lesson plans.



D)The average improvement in standardized test scores in the superintendent's school district is below the average improvement in standardized test scores in other districts.



E)The supplemental course materials required for use with the Jones and Company textbooks require teachers to invest a great deal of time in logistical arrangements, such as arranging for video-cassette recorders and photocopying quizzes.

Please post your answer, I am quite confused with this answer Princeton Review has given for this question. Experts please look into this question.

OA:C, [spoiler]How can the answer be C here as the question specifically asks for what weakens the assistant superintendent's objection to the argument made by superintendent of schools, not the superintendent's objection itself.
[/spoiler]
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

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by VivianKerr » Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:06 am
Superintendent

Conclusion: Replace Smith books with Jones books
Evidence: 31% more time to prep Smith books; more time for students
Assumption: More time prepping = less time with students

Assistant Superintendent

Conclusion: No need to replace Smith books with Jones books
Evidence: Hire teachers who have pre-planned with Smith books
Assumption: New teachers will then have more time for students

Question Rephrase: What WEAKENS the assistant's objection?

Prediction: If the new teachers will NOT have more time for students

A - this would support the Superintendent's argument, not weaken the Assistant Superintendent's argument
B - this would support
C - this would weaken
D - test scores are irrelevant
E - this weakens the Superintendent's argument, but not the Assistant Superintendent's argument

The answer is C because the Assistant Superintendent's assumption is that problem will be solved because new teacher would have more time for students (which the Superintendent really wanted). If the new teachers have to do admin support, then they wouldn't have more time for students.

The tricky thing here is that there are TWO arguments going on. Make sure to actually write down the assumptions for each BEFORE you read the answer choices.
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