WeakenDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Back in the day, people didn't have Netflix or video games to keep them busy. Because they had fewer ways to have fun, they must have spent more time reading books.
Conclusion: It is likely that people a century ago read more than people do today.
Reasoning: There were significantly fewer alternative forms of entertainment and diversion available to people in the past compared to the present.
Analysis: The argument relies on the assumption that a lack of modern diversions automatically translates into more time spent reading. To weaken this, we need to find a reason why people 100 years ago might not have been hitting the books despite the lack of television. Perhaps they were working 14-hour days in factories and were too exhausted to read, or perhaps most of them couldn't read at all. Look for an answer that introduces a factor—like literacy rates or available leisure time—that disrupts the link between 'few diversions' and 'more reading.'
Conclusion: It is likely that people a century ago read more than people do today.
Reasoning: There were significantly fewer alternative forms of entertainment and diversion available to people in the past compared to the present.
Analysis: The argument relies on the assumption that a lack of modern diversions automatically translates into more time spent reading. To weaken this, we need to find a reason why people 100 years ago might not have been hitting the books despite the lack of television. Perhaps they were working 14-hour days in factories and were too exhausted to read, or perhaps most of them couldn't read at all. Look for an answer that introduces a factor—like literacy rates or available leisure time—that disrupts the link between 'few diversions' and 'more reading.'
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage4.Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the argument?
Correct Answer
B
B undercuts the key link by showing that, on average, people a century ago had considerably less leisure time. With less free time, they would not necessarily read more despite having fewer diversions, weakening the conclusion.
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