WeakenDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: People get hit by cars in crosswalks more often than elsewhere. The author thinks this is because crosswalks make people feel too safe, so they stop paying attention to traffic.
Conclusion: The reason more pedestrians are hit in crosswalks is that crosswalks create a false sense of security, leading to less caution.
Reasoning: Statistics show higher accident rates in crosswalks compared to outside of them, and pedestrians in crosswalks are observed to look both ways less frequently.
Analysis: This is a 'Weaken' question targeting a causal explanation. The author sees a correlation (crosswalks and accidents) and blames a psychological shift (false security). To undermine this, we should look for an alternative explanation for the statistics. For example, if 99% of people use crosswalks, it makes sense that more accidents happen there simply due to volume, not because of a lack of caution. Any answer that suggests the statistics are skewed by factors other than pedestrian behavior will effectively weaken the argument.
Conclusion: The reason more pedestrians are hit in crosswalks is that crosswalks create a false sense of security, leading to less caution.
Reasoning: Statistics show higher accident rates in crosswalks compared to outside of them, and pedestrians in crosswalks are observed to look both ways less frequently.
Analysis: This is a 'Weaken' question targeting a causal explanation. The author sees a correlation (crosswalks and accidents) and blames a psychological shift (false security). To undermine this, we should look for an alternative explanation for the statistics. For example, if 99% of people use crosswalks, it makes sense that more accidents happen there simply due to volume, not because of a lack of caution. Any answer that suggests the statistics are skewed by factors other than pedestrian behavior will effectively weaken the argument.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage19.Which one of the following, if true, most undermines the explanation proposed above?
Correct Answer
A
A reveals a base-rate confound: if most crossings occur at crosswalks, more total accidents there could simply reflect more exposure, not increased per-crossing risk from overconfidence. That directly undermines the proposed explanation.
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