Critical Reasoning

TIM: When a rare tragedy, such as a plane crash, occurs, many people profess a belief that they themselves are more likely to experience such a tragedy and take extraordinary measures to prevent it. This is unfounded, however. Winning a lottery jackpot, an extremely rare event, does not mean you are any more likely to win a second time.

SUSAN: I disagree. The belief is well founded. People who sense danger are more likely to trust their instincts and act in such a way as to prevent the danger from befalling them.

Susan’s attempt to counter Tim’s argument is best characterized as one that


A. makes apparent Tim’s failure to consider the consequences of such a tragedy to its survivors

B. challenges Tim’s assumption that the occurrence of a single event is sufficient to predict future occurrences of that event

C. questions the appropriateness of the analogy drawn by Tim

D. presents an alternate basis for judging the validity of people’s reactions

E. disputes the meaning of the term unfounded


OA D

Source: Princeton Review