Large inequalities in wealth always threaten the viability of true democracy, since wealth is the basis of political ...
mahosmarDecember 23, 2019
Identifying correct parallel reasoning questions in answer choices
I am having trouble translating prose into conditional argument structure on these questions that would allow me to see the pattern of reasoning. Particularly in this question, some of the wording in the answers does not seem to identically match the wording in the stimulus, for example regular exercise vs regular moderate exercise. Assuming that these things are the same allows the transitive chain to be completed, therefore being able to find the right answer. But when reading this question the first time, I did not see those as the same entities both referencing the same exercise. Based on practice thus far, it seems that this slight difference in wording is usually enough to eliminate the answer choice, just as we eliminated answer D because it references sometimes instead of always. Generally speaking, to what extent can one assume what the author is saying (or the pattern of reasoning used) when the language isn't identical?
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The word since introduces the necessary condition in this example?
shunheJanuary 6, 2020
Hi @mahosmar,
Part of it happens when the authors of stimuli just switch out different adjectives or synonyms to refer to the same concepts, like regular exercise vs. regular moderate exercise. Also, it's contextual as well: if an answer is basically the right answer, but uses slightly different wording that is pretty much just synonyms, you can usually assume those are the same, especially if the other answers are have clearer flaws or are worse. Remember that we're always on the hunt for the BEST answer. Part of it just comes with time, though. Hope this helps!
