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parallel reasoning

by gmatnmein2010 » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:50 am
Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.
Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends-each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
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by DanaJ » Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:16 am
OMG parallel reasoning questions always kill me! I'm never even 75% sure of my answer, so take everything I write with a mountain of salt.

I'm thinking A must be correct here, but again, I'm not sure. The initial argument is incorrect because it is a circular argument:

free ed is best ---> defend it because of X principle ----> because principle is good, then free ed is best

IMHO, A seems close to this as well:

I love music ---> listen to it all the time ---> I love music

But as I've said, I am not 100% sure about this! I am waiting for other opinions and the OA as well...
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by sumanr84 » Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:05 am
IMO : A ( not 100% sure )

Same line of reasoning as posted by DanaJ.

I didn't like the overall quality of the argument. The way data has been presented in split/incomplete sentences really frustrates me. there is, opportunity. Because
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by ldoolitt » Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:01 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.
Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends-each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
The original argument is a circular line of reasoning

(C1) Public education is the best kind of education so we must defend public education
(C2) Because we must defend public education, its the best kind of education

So look for an answer that has a circular line of reasoning

(a)

(C1) I love music and therefore listen to it constantly
(C2) I listen to my headphones all the time therefore I must love music

That seems to perfectly fit the argument structure! Not going to go through the rest because that works.
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by ajith » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:45 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.

Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?

(A) I love music, and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends-each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
X is the best; X is based on Y. Y is worth defending, Therefore, X is the Best

I think B mimics the reasoning style of the passage the best

Books are Valuable. Books are like Friends. Friends are worth saving, so are books
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by ldoolitt » Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:59 am
ajith wrote:
X is the best; X is based on Y. Y is worth defending, Therefore, X is the Best

I think B mimics the reasoning style of the passage the best

Books are Valuable. Books are like Friends. Friends are worth saving, so are books
I like your explanations however (B) doesn't match what you originally laid out because it doesn't circle back around. If the argument went "Books are valuable. Books are like friends. Friends are worth saving and so are books. Anything worth saving is valuable and thus books are valuable" then you might have something.

Although you might ASSUME that anything valuable is worth saving (I know I do) its not stated.
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by komal » Sun Feb 14, 2010 5:43 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.
Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends-each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
in the question we have X so Y
Y = Z
Z so X (a circular argument)

In A, X so Y
Y restated
Y so X (also a circular argument)

Hence (A) wins
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by reply2spg » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:26 am
I think it is A.....OA please (I know how stupid I am to ask OA.)
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by Phirozz » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:41 am
gmatnmein2010 wrote:Free public education is the best form of education there is. Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending, it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.
Which one of the following illustrates the same weak reasoning as found in the passage?
(A) I love music, and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time, I must really love it.
(B) Books are my most valuable possessions. My books are like my friends-each pleases me in different ways. Just as I would give up everything to save my friends, so too with my books.
(C) I would much rather be poor and respected than be rich and despised. To have the respect of others is far more valuable than to have millions of dollars.
(D) I have never been betrayed by any of my friends. They have been true to me through good times and bad. Therefore I will never betray any of my friends.
(E) Because every plant I have ever seen has green leaves, I have concluded that all plants must have green leaves. This looks like a plant but it does not have green leaves, so it cannot be a plant.
IMO A. WHATS THE OA ?
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by paddle_sweep » Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:34 am
OA with explanation please as I am not clear as to why 'A' could be correct and other options could be wrong?
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by bichoo » Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:00 am
A for the same reasons mentioned above
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by akhpad » Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:57 am
I also with A

Free public education is the best form of education there is.
Therefore, we must fight to ensure its continued existence; that is, we must be ready to defend the principle of equality of educational opportunity. Because this principle is we worth defending,
it is clear that free public education is better than any other form of education.

(A) I love music,
and that's why I listen to it constantly. I have my stereo or radio on every waking minute. Since I play music all the time,
I must really love it.


It seems to be that A follows same pattern.
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