Flawed ReasoningDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Studies show that in places where people eat lots of fiber, cancer rates are low, and where they eat little fiber, cancer rates are high. Because of this, the author concludes that fiber is the direct cause of cancer prevention.
Conclusion: Insufficient fiber consumption causes colon cancer, while sufficient consumption prevents it.
Reasoning: There is a strong negative correlation between high-fiber diets and colon cancer rates in Western countries, non-Western countries, and Scandinavia.
Analysis: This argument falls into the 'Correlation vs. Causation' trap. Just because two things happen at the same time (low fiber and high cancer) doesn't mean one causes the other. The author overlooks the possibility of a third factor—perhaps people who eat more fiber also eat less processed meat or have different lifestyle habits that actually prevent the cancer. Look for an answer that points out the argument's failure to account for these alternative explanations or confounding variables.
Conclusion: Insufficient fiber consumption causes colon cancer, while sufficient consumption prevents it.
Reasoning: There is a strong negative correlation between high-fiber diets and colon cancer rates in Western countries, non-Western countries, and Scandinavia.
Analysis: This argument falls into the 'Correlation vs. Causation' trap. Just because two things happen at the same time (low fiber and high cancer) doesn't mean one causes the other. The author overlooks the possibility of a third factor—perhaps people who eat more fiber also eat less processed meat or have different lifestyle habits that actually prevent the cancer. Look for an answer that points out the argument's failure to account for these alternative explanations or confounding variables.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage25.The argument's reasoning is vulnerable to criticism because the argument overlooks the possibility that
Correct Answer
E
It proposes a classic confound: foods high in fiber often contain other substances (e.g., antioxidants, micronutrients) that could themselves reduce colon cancer risk. If those are the true protective factors, the correlation doesn’t show that fiber per se causes the reduction, undermining the argument’s causal conclusion.
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