WeakenDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A survey found that people who listened to a certain popular book liked it more than those who read it, so the author concludes that listening is a better way to enjoy books in general.
Conclusion: Listening to a recorded version of a novel makes a person more likely to enjoy it than reading the book themselves.
Reasoning: A magazine survey indicated that most people who listened to a specific best-seller enjoyed it, whereas most who read it did not.
Analysis: The author is making a massive leap from a single survey about one specific book to a general rule about all novels. To weaken this, we need to find a reason why the survey group might not represent the general population or why this specific book might be an outlier. Perhaps the people who choose to listen to tapes are naturally more easily entertained, or maybe this specific novel was written in a way that is confusing on the page but clear when read aloud. Look for an answer that suggests the 'enjoyment' was caused by something other than the medium itself.
Conclusion: Listening to a recorded version of a novel makes a person more likely to enjoy it than reading the book themselves.
Reasoning: A magazine survey indicated that most people who listened to a specific best-seller enjoyed it, whereas most who read it did not.
Analysis: The author is making a massive leap from a single survey about one specific book to a general rule about all novels. To weaken this, we need to find a reason why the survey group might not represent the general population or why this specific book might be an outlier. Perhaps the people who choose to listen to tapes are naturally more easily entertained, or maybe this specific novel was written in a way that is confusing on the page but clear when read aloud. Look for an answer that suggests the 'enjoyment' was caused by something other than the medium itself.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage7.Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument?
Correct Answer
E
If this novel’s many dialects are more understandable when heard than when read, the advantage is tied to a special feature of this specific book (and its audio performance), not to listening in general. That undermines the argument’s attempt to use this survey to support a general modal superiority claim.
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