Now that you know how
to break down arguments into premises and conclusions, you are
able to translate a passage into your own words.
Each
question is divided into two parts: the stimulus
(the first part of the question that usually consists of an argument)
and the stem, which asks a questions such as, "which
of the following is an assumption of the paragraph above?"
When you finish reading the stimulus, try to summarize in your
mind what the argument in the stimulus is about (premises, conclusions,
and assumptions). Most of the stimulus parts of the questions
have a flaw that you can readily identify, such as a flawed assumption.
When you put the argument in your own words, you can usually
identify what the stem will ask before you even get to it. This
process helps you identify the meaning of the stimulus. Usually
the stimulus describes something very simple in a complicated
manner, and putting it in your own words helps you to get a handle
on what the passage means.
Apartment building owners argue
that rent control should be abolished. Although they acknowledge
that they would increase rents in the short term, owners argue
that in the long term the rent increases would lead to greater
profitability. Higher profits would lead to increased apartment
construction. Increased apartment construction would then lead
to a greater supply of residences and lower prices as the potential
apartment residents have a better selection. Thus, abolishing
rent control would ultimately reduce prices.
Try
to express that complicated argument in your own words? Simple.
Abolishing rent control will increase the supply of housing
(premise); greater supply leads to lower prices (premise); and
thus abolishing rent control leads to lower rents (conclusion).
It is a supply/demand argument.
Once you put it into your own
terms, the question becomes much easier to understand.
w D. Evaluate an argument
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