* Always identify the conclusion of any argument you read!
* Paraphrased answers are always correct in Must Be True questions. Answers that
paraphrase the conclusion are correct in Main Point questions.
* If an argument contains two conclusions you will be forced to identify which one
is the main conclusion and which one is the subsidiary conclusion.
* Remember: Main Point questions are Must Be True questions with an additional
criterion—you must also identify the author’s point.
Two types of answers typically appear in Main Point questions. Both are
incorrect:
1. Answers that are true but do not encapsulate the author’s point.
2. Answers that repeat premises of the argument.
Each answer type is attractive because they are true based on what you have
read. However, neither summarizes the author’s main point and therefore both
are incorrect.
Because you have already learned the skills necessary to complete these
questions, we will use the following two questions for discussion purposes.
Please take a moment to complete the following problem:
1. Journalist: A free marketplace of ideas ensures that
all ideas get a fair hearing. Even ideas tainted
with prejudice and malice can prompt
beneficial outcomes. In most countries,
however, the government is responsible for over
half the information released to the public
through all media. For this reason, the power of
governments over information needs to be
curtailed. Everyone grants that governments
should not suppress free expression, yet
governments continue to construct near
monopolies on the publication and
dissemination of enormous amounts of
information.
Which one of the following most accurately
expresses the conclusion of the journalist’s
argument?
(A) The freedom of the marketplace of ideas is in
jeopardy.
(B) Preserving a free marketplace of ideas is
important.
(C) The control that governments have over
information needs to be reduced.
(D) Ideas that have malicious content or stem from
questionable sources can be valuable.
(E) Governments have near monopolies on the
dissemination of many kinds of information.
The conclusion to this argument is the fourth sentence, which begins with the
conclusion indicator “For this reason...” By applying the Primary Objectives
you should have identified this conclusion while reading, and then, upon
classifying the question stem you should have looked for a paraphrase of this
sentence. Answer choice (C) fits the bill, and is the correct answer.
Answer choice (A): The author would agree with this statement but this is not
the Main Point of the argument; rather, it is closer to a premise that might
support the conclusion.
Incidentally, the author’s general agreement with this answer choice is signalled
by the use of “however” in the third sentence. In the stimulus, the author begins
by mentioning that a free marketplace of ideas, including dangerous ideas,
ensures a fair hearing of ideas. In the third sentence, the author then says,
“however, the government is responsible for over half the information released
to the public,” indicating the author feels the government is a threat to this free
marketplace.
Answer choice (B): The author would also agree with this statement, but again
this is not the Main Point of the argument. As discussed in the analysis of
answer choice (A), the author believes that the freedom of the marketplace of
ideas is at risk, and in stating that we should curtail the government’s power
over information, the author assumes that preserving a free marketplace of ideas
is important. Thus this answer choice would be better described as an unstated
premise that supports the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer. Remember, any answer that is a
paraphrase of the conclusion of the argument will be the correct answer to a
Main Point question.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus specifically notes that malicious or prejudicial
ideas can “prompt beneficial outcomes.” The outcome of an idea is different
than stating the ideas themselves “can be valuable.”
Answer choice (E): The stimulus states that “governments continue to construct
near monopolies on the publication and dissemination of enormous amounts of
information.” This phrasing is not the same as answer choice (E), which asserts
that the government already has a monopoly on the dissemination of many
kinds of information.
The lesson learned from this particular problem is that you must isolate the
conclusion and then look for a paraphrase of that conclusion.
Unlike the question above, many Main Point question stimuli avoid using
traditional conclusion indicators and this lack of argument indicator
“guideposts” makes your task more challenging. Remember, if you are
struggling to identify the conclusion in an argument, you can always use the
Conclusion Identification Methodology discussed in Chapter Two:
Take the statements under consideration for the conclusion and place
them in an arrangement that forces one to be the conclusion and the
other(s) to be the premise(s). Use premise and conclusion indicators to
achieve this end. Once the pieces are arranged, determine if the
arrangement makes logical sense. If so, you have made the correct
identification. If not, reverse the arrangement and examine the
relationship again. Continue until you find an arrangement that is
logical.
If you cannot identify the conclusion in a Main Point question, you must go
back and apply this methodology. Otherwise, without the conclusion how can
you answer the question?
Please take a moment to complete the following problem:
2. I agree that Hogan’s actions resulted in grievous
injury to Winters. And I do not deny that Hogan fully
realized the nature of his actions and the effects that
they would have. Indeed, I would not disagree if you
pointed out that intentionally causing such effects is
reprehensible, other things being equal. But in
asking you to concur with me that Hogan’s actions
not be wholly condemned I emphasize again that
Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber
who had been terrorizing west-side apartment
buildings for the past several months.
Which one of the following most accurately
expresses the conclusion of the argument?
(A) Hogan should not be considered responsible for
the injuries sustained by Winters.
(B) The robber who had been terrorizing west-side
apartment buildings should be considered to
be as responsible for Winters’s injuries as
Hogan.
(C) The actions of Hogan that seriously injured
Winters are not completely blameworthy.
(D) Hogan thought that Winters was the person who
had been terrorizing west-side apartment
buildings for the last few months.
(E) The actions of Hogan that seriously injured
Winters were reprehensible, other things
being equal. The conclusion of this argument is difficult to identify because the
author does
not use a traditional conclusion indicator. The first three sentences are
admissions by the author regarding the nature of Hogan’s actions. The fourth
sentence contains the conclusion and a premise, and the conclusion is that
“Hogan’s actions should not be wholly condemned.”
If you struggled to identify the conclusion, consider how you might have
applied the Conclusion Identification Methodology to the pieces of the
argument. For example, consider the two parts of the last sentence. If you
thought one of them might be the conclusion, place one as the conclusion and
the other as a premise, as follows:
“Because I ask that Hogan’s actions not be wholly condemned, therefore I
emphasize again that Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber
who had been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings for the past several
months.”
Does that configuration sound right? No. Try again by reversing the premise
and conclusion pieces:
“Because Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber who had
been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings for the past several months,
therefore I ask you to concur with me that Hogan’s actions not be wholly
condemned.” The relationship now sounds much more logical.
Answer choice (A): The author admits that Hogan fully realized his actions and
the author asks that “Hogan’s actions not be wholly condemned.” Both of these
statements are counter to the idea that Hogan should not be considered
responsible for Winter’s injuries.
Answer choice (B): The only reference to the robber is that Hogan mistakenly
believed that Winters was the robber. Thus, there is no evidence in the stimulus
to support this answer.
Answer choice (C): This correct answer is a paraphrase of the conclusion of the
argument.
Answer choice (D): According to the information in the stimulus, this answer
must be true. Regardless, the answer is still incorrect because it fails to
summarize the author’s main point. This type of answer—one that is true but
misses the main point—is frequently featured as an incorrect answer in Main
Point questions.
Answer choice (E): Like answer choice (D), this statement is true according to
the stimulus. But, it is incorrect because it does not capture the main point.
* Paraphrased answers are always correct in Must Be True questions. Answers that
paraphrase the conclusion are correct in Main Point questions.
* If an argument contains two conclusions you will be forced to identify which one
is the main conclusion and which one is the subsidiary conclusion.
* Remember: Main Point questions are Must Be True questions with an additional
criterion—you must also identify the author’s point.
Two types of answers typically appear in Main Point questions. Both are
incorrect:
1. Answers that are true but do not encapsulate the author’s point.
2. Answers that repeat premises of the argument.
Each answer type is attractive because they are true based on what you have
read. However, neither summarizes the author’s main point and therefore both
are incorrect.
Because you have already learned the skills necessary to complete these
questions, we will use the following two questions for discussion purposes.
Please take a moment to complete the following problem:
1. Journalist: A free marketplace of ideas ensures that
all ideas get a fair hearing. Even ideas tainted
with prejudice and malice can prompt
beneficial outcomes. In most countries,
however, the government is responsible for over
half the information released to the public
through all media. For this reason, the power of
governments over information needs to be
curtailed. Everyone grants that governments
should not suppress free expression, yet
governments continue to construct near
monopolies on the publication and
dissemination of enormous amounts of
information.
Which one of the following most accurately
expresses the conclusion of the journalist’s
argument?
(A) The freedom of the marketplace of ideas is in
jeopardy.
(B) Preserving a free marketplace of ideas is
important.
(C) The control that governments have over
information needs to be reduced.
(D) Ideas that have malicious content or stem from
questionable sources can be valuable.
(E) Governments have near monopolies on the
dissemination of many kinds of information.
The conclusion to this argument is the fourth sentence, which begins with the
conclusion indicator “For this reason...” By applying the Primary Objectives
you should have identified this conclusion while reading, and then, upon
classifying the question stem you should have looked for a paraphrase of this
sentence. Answer choice (C) fits the bill, and is the correct answer.
Answer choice (A): The author would agree with this statement but this is not
the Main Point of the argument; rather, it is closer to a premise that might
support the conclusion.
Incidentally, the author’s general agreement with this answer choice is signalled
by the use of “however” in the third sentence. In the stimulus, the author begins
by mentioning that a free marketplace of ideas, including dangerous ideas,
ensures a fair hearing of ideas. In the third sentence, the author then says,
“however, the government is responsible for over half the information released
to the public,” indicating the author feels the government is a threat to this free
marketplace.
Answer choice (B): The author would also agree with this statement, but again
this is not the Main Point of the argument. As discussed in the analysis of
answer choice (A), the author believes that the freedom of the marketplace of
ideas is at risk, and in stating that we should curtail the government’s power
over information, the author assumes that preserving a free marketplace of ideas
is important. Thus this answer choice would be better described as an unstated
premise that supports the conclusion.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer. Remember, any answer that is a
paraphrase of the conclusion of the argument will be the correct answer to a
Main Point question.
Answer choice (D): The stimulus specifically notes that malicious or prejudicial
ideas can “prompt beneficial outcomes.” The outcome of an idea is different
than stating the ideas themselves “can be valuable.”
Answer choice (E): The stimulus states that “governments continue to construct
near monopolies on the publication and dissemination of enormous amounts of
information.” This phrasing is not the same as answer choice (E), which asserts
that the government already has a monopoly on the dissemination of many
kinds of information.
The lesson learned from this particular problem is that you must isolate the
conclusion and then look for a paraphrase of that conclusion.
Unlike the question above, many Main Point question stimuli avoid using
traditional conclusion indicators and this lack of argument indicator
“guideposts” makes your task more challenging. Remember, if you are
struggling to identify the conclusion in an argument, you can always use the
Conclusion Identification Methodology discussed in Chapter Two:
Take the statements under consideration for the conclusion and place
them in an arrangement that forces one to be the conclusion and the
other(s) to be the premise(s). Use premise and conclusion indicators to
achieve this end. Once the pieces are arranged, determine if the
arrangement makes logical sense. If so, you have made the correct
identification. If not, reverse the arrangement and examine the
relationship again. Continue until you find an arrangement that is
logical.
If you cannot identify the conclusion in a Main Point question, you must go
back and apply this methodology. Otherwise, without the conclusion how can
you answer the question?
Please take a moment to complete the following problem:
2. I agree that Hogan’s actions resulted in grievous
injury to Winters. And I do not deny that Hogan fully
realized the nature of his actions and the effects that
they would have. Indeed, I would not disagree if you
pointed out that intentionally causing such effects is
reprehensible, other things being equal. But in
asking you to concur with me that Hogan’s actions
not be wholly condemned I emphasize again that
Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber
who had been terrorizing west-side apartment
buildings for the past several months.
Which one of the following most accurately
expresses the conclusion of the argument?
(A) Hogan should not be considered responsible for
the injuries sustained by Winters.
(B) The robber who had been terrorizing west-side
apartment buildings should be considered to
be as responsible for Winters’s injuries as
Hogan.
(C) The actions of Hogan that seriously injured
Winters are not completely blameworthy.
(D) Hogan thought that Winters was the person who
had been terrorizing west-side apartment
buildings for the last few months.
(E) The actions of Hogan that seriously injured
Winters were reprehensible, other things
being equal. The conclusion of this argument is difficult to identify because the
author does
not use a traditional conclusion indicator. The first three sentences are
admissions by the author regarding the nature of Hogan’s actions. The fourth
sentence contains the conclusion and a premise, and the conclusion is that
“Hogan’s actions should not be wholly condemned.”
If you struggled to identify the conclusion, consider how you might have
applied the Conclusion Identification Methodology to the pieces of the
argument. For example, consider the two parts of the last sentence. If you
thought one of them might be the conclusion, place one as the conclusion and
the other as a premise, as follows:
“Because I ask that Hogan’s actions not be wholly condemned, therefore I
emphasize again that Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber
who had been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings for the past several
months.”
Does that configuration sound right? No. Try again by reversing the premise
and conclusion pieces:
“Because Hogan mistakenly believed Winters to be the robber who had
been terrorizing west-side apartment buildings for the past several months,
therefore I ask you to concur with me that Hogan’s actions not be wholly
condemned.” The relationship now sounds much more logical.
Answer choice (A): The author admits that Hogan fully realized his actions and
the author asks that “Hogan’s actions not be wholly condemned.” Both of these
statements are counter to the idea that Hogan should not be considered
responsible for Winter’s injuries.
Answer choice (B): The only reference to the robber is that Hogan mistakenly
believed that Winters was the robber. Thus, there is no evidence in the stimulus
to support this answer.
Answer choice (C): This correct answer is a paraphrase of the conclusion of the
argument.
Answer choice (D): According to the information in the stimulus, this answer
must be true. Regardless, the answer is still incorrect because it fails to
summarize the author’s main point. This type of answer—one that is true but
misses the main point—is frequently featured as an incorrect answer in Main
Point questions.
Answer choice (E): Like answer choice (D), this statement is true according to
the stimulus. But, it is incorrect because it does not capture the main point.
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