Many people change their wills on their own every few years, in response to significant changes in their personal or ...

Victoria on August 3, 2019

Hi @Marissa-Avnaim,

Happy to help!

The passage tells us that "many people change their wills on their own every few years." However, this practice can create a problem for the executor when these people are careless and do not date their wills."

What is the problem that is created through this practice? The passage tells us that there are two main issues. Firstly, "the executor will then often [not] know which one of several undated wills is the most recent." Second, the executor will not know "whether the will drawn up last has ever been found."

The passage then uses this information to conclude that "people should not only date their wills but also state in any new will which will it supersedes, for then there would not be a problem to begin with."

Does this conclusion address both of the issues presented in the passage?

If people date their wills and state in any new will which will it supersedes, then the executor will be able to tell which one of several undated wills is the most recent. However, this practice will not allow the executor to tell whether the will drawn up last has ever been found.

Therefore, the reasoning in the argument is flawed because the argument "treats a partial solution to the stated problem as though it were a complete solution," making answer choice A the correct answer.

Hope this is helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.