WeakenDiff: Medium

Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: A detective believes they can identify the exact printer used for a document by matching the tiny scratches on the printer's internal parts to the marks left on the paper.

Conclusion: A suspicious document can be reliably traced back to a specific printer by matching page blemishes to nicks on the printer's drum.

Reasoning: Printer drums are fragile and easily nicked; these nicks create unique, matching marks on every page the printer produces.

Analysis: The detective is assuming that these nicks are like unique fingerprints. To weaken this argument, we need to find a reason why a blemish on a page might not point to one specific, unique printer. Perhaps many printers of the same model have identical nicks due to a manufacturing flaw, or maybe the drums are frequently replaced, meaning the 'fingerprint' changes over time. Look for an answer that suggests the marks are not unique or that the connection between the drum and the printer is not permanent.

Passage Stimulus

Passage Redacted

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22.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the detective's argument?

Correct Answer
C
If the manufacturing process often produces the same nick on several drums, then different printers can create indistinguishable blemishes. A “match” would not uniquely pinpoint a single printer, so the tracing is not reliably to the precise printer.
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