Critical Reasoning

all_is_well_13 wrote:I would go with C.

A) As they move up in grade students learn how to cheat without getting caught.
B) First time offenders in plagiarism and cheating on exams are not disciplined. -- Irrelevant

C) The proctors for freshman exams are least vigilant.
If Proctors are least vigilant then why majority are found cheating.

D) Acts of vandalism are most often committed by members of the sophomore class. - Irrelevant
E) Public school students are no less likely than private school students to believethat they can succeed in life without working hard. - Public vs Private..Irrelevant

ankit0411 wrote:Children who attended private high schools may initially feel that they can succeed without doing the work required, but as they grow older, they realise the necessity of serious study. each year the overwhelming majority of students disciplined for plagiarism and cheating on their exams is found in the freshman class.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

A) As they move up in grade, students learn how o cheat without getting caught.
B) First time offenders in plagiarism and cheating on exams are not disciplined.
C) The proctors for freshman exams are least vigilant.
D) Acts of vandalism are most often committed by members of the sophomore class.
E) Public school students are no less likely than private school students to believethat they can succeed in life without working hard.

Please discuss each answer choice. OA to follow .

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ankit0411 wrote:Children who attended private high schools may initially feel that they can succeed without doing the work required, but as they grow older, they realise the necessity of serious study. each year the overwhelming majority of students disciplined for plagiarism and cheating on their exams is found in the freshman class.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

A) As they move up in grade, students learn how o cheat without getting caught.
B) First time offenders in plagiarism and cheating on exams are not disciplined.
C) The proctors for freshman exams are least vigilant.
D) Acts of vandalism are most often committed by members of the sophomore class.
E) Public school students are no less likely than private school students to believethat they can succeed in life without working hard.

Please discuss each answer choice. OA to follow .

This passage links the number of students who are DISCIPLINED to the number of students who CHEAT.
The correct answer must BREAK this link.
Answer choice A: As they move up in grade, students learn how to cheat without getting caught.
This answer choice offers AN ALTERNATE REASON that fewer studems in the upper grades are DISCIPLINED for cheating: they have learned how to AVOID GETTING CAUGHT.
Thus, it is entirely possible that MORE STUDENTS in the upper grades are CHEATNG, breaking the link between the number who are DISCIPLINED and the number who CHEAT.

The correct answer is A.

ankit0411 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ankit0411 wrote:Children who attended private high schools may initially feel that they can succeed without doing the work required, but as they grow older, they realise the necessity of serious study. each year the overwhelming majority of students disciplined for plagiarism and cheating on their exams is found in the freshman class.

The argument above would be most weakened if which of the following were true?

A) As they move up in grade, students learn how o cheat without getting caught.
B) First time offenders in plagiarism and cheating on exams are not disciplined.
C) The proctors for freshman exams are least vigilant.
D) Acts of vandalism are most often committed by members of the sophomore class.
E) Public school students are no less likely than private school students to believethat they can succeed in life without working hard.

Please discuss each answer choice. OA to follow .

This passage links the number of students who are DISCIPLINED to the number of students who CHEAT.
The correct answer must BREAK this link.
Answer choice A: As they move up in grade, students learn how to cheat without getting caught.
This answer choice offers AN ALTERNATE REASON that fewer studems in the upper grades are DISCIPLINED for cheating: they have learned how to AVOID GETTING CAUGHT.
Thus, it is entirely possible that MORE STUDENTS in the upper grades are CHEATNG, breaking the link between the number who are DISCIPLINED and the number who CHEAT.

The correct answer is A.

Mitch,

Why are we considering students who are DISCIPLINED and students who CHEAT as different ?

Doesn't the question say that students who are disciplined to cheat ?

Not really sure how did you make these two entities independent ?

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ankit0411 wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ankit0411 wrote:C
Because DISCIPLINED is not the same as CHEATING.
The correct answer states that older students who CHEAT have learned how to avoid GETTING CAUGHT.
Since these older students are NOT CAUGHT, they are not DISCIPLINED for cheating, even though they are in fact CHEATING -- weakening the conclusion that, as students grow older, they realize the need for serious study and stop cheating.

Thanks Mitch, get the difference now