Commentator: Because of teacher hiring freezes, the quality of education in that country will not improve. Thus, i...

Victoria on February 6, 2021

Hi @Mazen,

Happy to help!

This is a flawed parallel reasoning question. We are looking for the answer choice which demonstrates the same method of flawed reasoning as the stimulus.

The commentator concludes that the quality of education will deteriorate.

Why? Because teacher hiring freezes mean that the quality of education will not improve.

What is the flaw? The commentator overlooks the possibility that the quality of education could remain the same. Just because something does not increase does not necessarily mean that it must decrease.

Moving on to the answer choices, it is possible that answer choice (A) is incorrect for two different reasons.

(1) If pepperoni and cheese pizza are the only pizza options available for lunch, then this answer choice overlooks the possibility that Raoul will not have pizza. This is vaguely similar to the stimulus, but it does not relate to an increase or decrease in anything.

(2) If pepperoni and cheese pizza are not the only pizza options available for lunch, then this answer choice overlooks the possibility that Raoul will not have pizza AND the possibility that there is an additional type of vegetarian pizza that Raoul may have. This is incorrect because it involves too many additional possibilities that have been overlooked; the passage only overlooks the possibility that the quality of education will remain the same.

Answer choice (B) is incorrect because it is focused on the likelihood of something occurring. The commentator in the stimulus does not suggest that it is more likely that the quality of education will deteriorate; they conclude that it will deteriorate.

Answer choice (C) is incorrect for the same reason as answer choice (B). The commentator is certain in their conclusion; they do not suggest that the quality of education may deteriorate.

Answer choice (E) is incorrect because the premise is the same as the conclusion: it is impossible for the car to start; therefore, it will not start. This is not the same flaw as committed by the commentator in the stimulus.

Answer choice (D) is correct because it commits the same flaw as the stimulus.

This answer choice concludes that the temperature must fall.

Why? Because there is a storm moving in which means that the temperature cannot rise.

What is the flaw? The answer choice overlooks the possibility that the temperature could remain the same.

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

Mazen on March 10, 2021

Thank You Victoria