WeakenDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A news station showed more people complaining about a new road than people supporting it, so the station must be taking sides.
Conclusion: The television news program is biased against the proposed freeway project.
Reasoning: The program aired twice as many interviews with people who oppose the freeway as it did with people who support it.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the ratio of interviews shown is a result of the station's bias rather than a reflection of the actual population. To weaken this, look for an answer that suggests the 2:1 ratio might actually be a fair representation of public opinion. If, for example, the general public is 10:1 against the freeway, then showing a 2:1 ratio would actually be biased *in favor* of the freeway. Alternatively, look for evidence that the station made a good-faith effort to find more supporters but they simply weren't available. It's a classic case of confusing a sample with the intent of the sampler.
Conclusion: The television news program is biased against the proposed freeway project.
Reasoning: The program aired twice as many interviews with people who oppose the freeway as it did with people who support it.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the ratio of interviews shown is a result of the station's bias rather than a reflection of the actual population. To weaken this, look for an answer that suggests the 2:1 ratio might actually be a fair representation of public opinion. If, for example, the general public is 10:1 against the freeway, then showing a 2:1 ratio would actually be biased *in favor* of the freeway. Alternatively, look for evidence that the station made a good-faith effort to find more supporters but they simply weren't available. It's a classic case of confusing a sample with the intent of the sampler.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage5.Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
Correct Answer
D
If opposition already exceeded support by more than 2:1 before the program aired, then showing twice as many opponents as supporters tracks the underlying distribution of views. That undercuts the inference that the program was biased based on the interview count alone.
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