Parallel Reasoning Question from LSAT

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:36 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members

Parallel Reasoning Question from LSAT

by siddus » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:22 am
According to sources who can be expected to know, Dr. Maria Esposito is going to run in the mayoral election. But if Dr. Esposito runs, Jerome Krasman will certainly not run against her. Therefore Dr. Esposito will be the only candidate in the election.

The flawed reasoning in the argument above most closely parallels that in which one of the following?

(A) According to its management, Brown's Stores will move next year. Without Brown's being present, no new large store can be attracted to the downtown area. Therefore the downtown area will no longer be viable as a shopping district.

(B) The press release says that the rock group Rollercoaster is playing a concert on Saturday. It won't be playing on Friday if it plays on Saturday. So Saturday will be the only day this week on which Rollercoaster will perform.

(C) Joshua says the interviewing panel was impressed by Marilyn. But if they were impressed by Marilyn, they probably thought less of Sven. Joshua is probably right, and so Sven will probably not get the job.

(D) An informant says that Rustimann was involved in the bank robbery, If Rustimann was involved, Jones was certainly not involved. Since these two are the only people who could have been involved. Rustimann is the only person the police
need to arrest.

(E) The review said that this book is the best one for beginners at programming. If this book is the best, that other one can't be as good. So this one is the book we should buy.


I was unable to decided between C and E, the OA stumped me completely because I had eliminated it in my first reading. Maybe I did something horribly wrong or the OA is not correct. Any takers?
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1893
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 11:48 pm
Thanked: 215 times
Followed by:7 members

by kvcpk » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:50 am
IMO B.

Because, the statement gives info about only friday and saturday. But not about other days in "this week"

What is OA?

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1302
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: Toronto
Thanked: 539 times
Followed by:164 members
GMAT Score:800

by Testluv » Tue Jun 15, 2010 12:58 am
You don't get parallel reasoning or parallel flaw questions on the GMAT. Unless you're also prepping for the LSAT, practicing on this question type is a waste of time!

Anyways, yes, the answer is definitely choice B. In parallel flaw questions, as I tell my LSAT students, you should always determine the flaw in the passage.

After reading the passage, your objection/reaction should be: "Hang on a second, what if there are other candidates?"

Similarly, after reading choice B, your objection/reaction should be: "Hang on a second, what if there are other days?"

Thus, choice B parallels the flawed reasoning of the passage.
Kaplan Teacher in Toronto

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:36 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members

by siddus » Tue Jun 15, 2010 1:50 am
OA is B

testluv, you are absolutely correct that GMAT does not test parallel reasoning question, I just do them to sharpen my logical skills in general.

I applied the same reasoning as you have suggested. However, I found option E to bear the same flaw. If this book is the best then the other one can't be as good and hence we should buy the best book (and no other book). But on second thoughts I feel the problem with this statement is that it claims that the book which is chosen is the best one around. So B is the right answer.

Thanks very much for your help kvcpk and testluv.

Cheers
Sid

GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1302
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: Toronto
Thanked: 539 times
Followed by:164 members
GMAT Score:800

by Testluv » Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:01 am
I applied the same reasoning as you have suggested. However, I found option E to bear the same flaw. If this book is the best then the other one can't be as good and hence we should buy the best book (and no other book). But on second thoughts I feel the problem with this statement is that it claims that the book which is chosen is the best one around.
We can actully read choice E as containing no flaw. Assuming that the review was objective, authoritative and competent, and assuming that they are "beginners", then there is no flaw in their reasoning. If there is a flaw, then it is either that they are assuming the review is objective/authoritative/competent or else forgetting that they are not beginners.

Also, there can only be one thing that is the "best". So, we can't say: "Hang on a second, what if there are other bests?"
:)
Kaplan Teacher in Toronto

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:36 am
Thanked: 3 times
Followed by:1 members

by siddus » Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:18 am
perfect, thank you