Flawed ReasoningDiff: Easy
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A writer thinks doctors are being too dramatic about the dangers of drinking because their own grandfather drank a lot and lived a very long life.
Conclusion: Medical reports regarding the life-shortening effects of alcohol are likely exaggerated.
Reasoning: The author's grandfather was a heavy drinker throughout his life yet lived to the age of 95.
Analysis: This argument suffers from a classic 'exceptional instance' flaw, where a single anecdote is used to refute a general statistical trend. Just because one person beat the odds doesn't mean the odds themselves are incorrect or exaggerated. In your analysis, look for an answer choice that highlights the error of using a non-representative sample—in this case, one lucky grandfather—to draw a conclusion about a broad population. It's a bit like saying seatbelts are useless because your uncle survived a crash without one; it ignores the thousands of cases where the rule actually applies.
Conclusion: Medical reports regarding the life-shortening effects of alcohol are likely exaggerated.
Reasoning: The author's grandfather was a heavy drinker throughout his life yet lived to the age of 95.
Analysis: This argument suffers from a classic 'exceptional instance' flaw, where a single anecdote is used to refute a general statistical trend. Just because one person beat the odds doesn't mean the odds themselves are incorrect or exaggerated. In your analysis, look for an answer choice that highlights the error of using a non-representative sample—in this case, one lucky grandfather—to draw a conclusion about a broad population. It's a bit like saying seatbelts are useless because your uncle survived a crash without one; it ignores the thousands of cases where the rule actually applies.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage1.The reasoning in the columnist's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument
Correct Answer
E
Relies merely on anecdotal evidence to challenge a general claim accurately captures the flaw: one grandfather’s experience cannot show that medical reports about increased risk are exaggerated.
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