Question Type: Point of Contention
These questions always involve a dialogue between two people who disagree about
something. You are expected to choose the answer that best describes the crux of the
disagreement.
Some sample question stems are
1. Todd’s and Andy’s positions indicate that they disagree about the truth of which
one of the following?
2. A point on which Randy and Salvatore’s views differ is whether
3. William and Max disagree over whether
4. The dialogue most supports the claim that Heather and Mike disagree about
whether
Strategies
Your first step is to understand, then succinctly summarize the first party’s argument.
Next, determine where the first and second parties differ in their statements.
Paraphrasing will help you get to the root of the argument and quickly locate the
correct answer.
Sample Point of Contention Question
Consider the following example:
1. Jason: The Internet is making more information available to more people than
ever before in history. So, people can simply learn all they need to know without
seeking the advice of experts.
Mark: In the past, the need for experts actually increased as the volume of knowledge
increased. Therefore, the Internet will surely increase our dependence on
experts.
The dialogue most strongly supports the claim that Jason and Mark disagree with
each other about whether
(A) the Internet will contribute significantly to the increase in the spread of
information throughout society
(B) the Internet will increase the likelihood that people will seek the advice of
experts when searching for knowledge
(C) the Internet makes more information available to more people
(D) experts will increase their reliance on the Internet in the future
(E) explaining knowledge to specialists can only be accomplished by Internet
experts
The best answer is B. Jason thinks that experts will become irrelevant because of
direct public access to information. Mark thinks that the opposite will occur.
These questions always involve a dialogue between two people who disagree about
something. You are expected to choose the answer that best describes the crux of the
disagreement.
Some sample question stems are
1. Todd’s and Andy’s positions indicate that they disagree about the truth of which
one of the following?
2. A point on which Randy and Salvatore’s views differ is whether
3. William and Max disagree over whether
4. The dialogue most supports the claim that Heather and Mike disagree about
whether
Strategies
Your first step is to understand, then succinctly summarize the first party’s argument.
Next, determine where the first and second parties differ in their statements.
Paraphrasing will help you get to the root of the argument and quickly locate the
correct answer.
Sample Point of Contention Question
Consider the following example:
1. Jason: The Internet is making more information available to more people than
ever before in history. So, people can simply learn all they need to know without
seeking the advice of experts.
Mark: In the past, the need for experts actually increased as the volume of knowledge
increased. Therefore, the Internet will surely increase our dependence on
experts.
The dialogue most strongly supports the claim that Jason and Mark disagree with
each other about whether
(A) the Internet will contribute significantly to the increase in the spread of
information throughout society
(B) the Internet will increase the likelihood that people will seek the advice of
experts when searching for knowledge
(C) the Internet makes more information available to more people
(D) experts will increase their reliance on the Internet in the future
(E) explaining knowledge to specialists can only be accomplished by Internet
experts
The best answer is B. Jason thinks that experts will become irrelevant because of
direct public access to information. Mark thinks that the opposite will occur.
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