BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

Marriage Counselor

Expert replies
by harsh.champ » Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:10 am
A marriage counselor noted that couples who have occasional violent arguments are less likely to divorce within the next six months than those who have frequent but less violent arguments. He concluded that frequent arguing is a major factor in the causation of severe marital disharmony.

The counselor's conclusion is most weakened by which of the following observations?

A. Couples who have already come to the point of divorce argue continuously over small matters.
B. People who have recently divorced are more likely to argue violently when they meet.
C. Many people in happy marriages have occasional violent arguments.
D. Recently divorced people rarely cite frequent arguments as a cause of marital disharmony
E. A significant fraction of couples close to divorce do not talk to each other.
It takes time and effort to explain, so if my comment helped you please press Thanks button :)



Just because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't try,it means you should just try harder.

"Keep Walking" - Johnny Walker :P
Join the discussion
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by outreach » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:44 pm
The counselor says that frequent arguments are a cause of marital disharmony.
One way to weaken that conclusion is to show that the disharmony came before the arguments (i.e. the disharmony caused the arguments). Hence A which is the best answer.
Join the discussion

by boazkhan » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:51 pm
IMO A. OA?
Join the discussion

by harsh.champ » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:57 pm
boazkhan wrote:IMO A. OA?
I don't know the OA.
I had attempted a test in which I got this question but the soln. was not discussed afterwards.
Thats why I had posted this question so as to know how people(especially tutors) approach this question??


[Though,I also got the answer as A only]
It takes time and effort to explain, so if my comment helped you please press Thanks button :)



Just because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't try,it means you should just try harder.

"Keep Walking" - Johnny Walker :P
Join the discussion

by komal » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:55 pm
harsh.champ wrote:A marriage counselor noted that couples who have occasional violent arguments are less likely to divorce within the next six months than those who have frequent but less violent arguments. He concluded that frequent arguing is a major factor in the causation of severe marital disharmony.

The counselor's conclusion is most weakened by which of the following observations?

According to the counselor :
cause : frequent arguing
effect : marital disharmony


A. Couples who have already come to the point of divorce argue continuously over small matters.
Correct : This weakens the argument by showing that the causal relationship is actually reverse. Cause = Point of divorce (marital disharmony) & Effect = Argue continuously (frequent arguing)

B. People who have recently divorced are more likely to argue violently when they meet.
Incorrect : Does nothing to weaken the counselor's conclusion.

C. Many people in happy marriages have occasional violent arguments.
Incorrect : Issue is not about happy or sad marriages. It is about marital disharmony is general.

D. Recently divorced people rarely cite frequent arguments as a cause of marital disharmony
Incorrect : Recently divorced ppl is clearly out of scope.

E. A significant fraction of couples close to divorce do not talk to each other.
Incorrect : How does 'couple not talking' affect the counselor's conclusion? Eliminated.
Join the discussion

by gmatmachoman » Sat Feb 20, 2010 10:57 pm
Good explanation Komal!!

In term of Pattern Identification( Courtesy: Powerscore CR),

Let us call A to be the cause leading the effect B. If u want to weaken the Cause (A), U can do in 2 most common ways.

One is Introduce a "Alternate Cause (Z)" that led to B.

Second one is to state the reversal the cause & effect. That is, A doesn't cause B, Instead B caused A.

This pattern is used in Option A

For many people D may be a "tempting factor". But , giving a keen shot,we can easily drop it off becox the argument deals with people who are going to be divorced and NOT about who have already divorced!!

Many cases, I suggest you to identify the pattern which becomes your weapon to negate other choices and select the right one!
Join the discussion