THE L.A.SAT continues, part 3

FAULTY LOGIC

In faulty logic questions, your task is to identify the error in reasoning in the stimulus. Sometimes the error will be one of the "classics" like mistaking correlations for causation or ignoring the plausable alternative explanations. Sometimes you may be asked to identify a more specific error. In every case, however the argument is flawed and it is your job to identify the flaw.

Review, the Sample Question:

The difficult task of understanding commercial film successes, meaning which ones make money and why, is made even more difficult by the baloney sausage, media hype and drivel that surrounds them. For example, a newspaper columnist will put his thumb into the air and suddenly more people will go to the movie. But if you ask me, any time I see a chubby finger in the air, I'm not shelling out eight dollars!
The writer has failed to recognize an example of:
A. generalization
B. deduction
C. reasoning through conterexample
D. figurative language
E. irony

The answer is D.

Here goes...

Question 1 (one)

To those who argue that the philosophies of producers and directors are not diametrically opposed, I offer evidence in the form of the following proverbs. Producers clearly express their idea of a successful movie by saying that "If you cast a big name star, you'll be sure to make a hit." Compare this to the famous director proverb "a show is only as good as its writing." Theses proverbs clearly illustrate that, not only is neither group remotely poetic, but there are disperate beliefs in the two outlooks.

Which of the following statements offer the most effective criticism of the arguement above?


A. It assumes that the proverbs must have originated in Los Angeles.
B. It ignores the possibility that there often are many proverbs within LA that contradict each other in sentiment.
C. It confuses wanting to make a sure bet with wanting to take a chance.
D. It fails to present the arguement of the opposing view point.
E. It concludes that proverbs, even ones as weak as these, are indicative of the attitude about show business needing to make money as the botom line even as it presents evidence to the contrary.

Question 2 (two)

The most effective and precise method of determining how many people in Los Angeles are spiritually centered is to take an anonymous survey at a yoga studio where Yogis teach. With this type of survey we were able to reach our target group of people employed by the film industry and, because our survey did not ask them for a list of their connections, being hassled later by our survey takers real desire to be film producers did not get in the way. We did then create an accurate picture of the number of spiritually centered people in Los Angeles.

Which of the following statements provides the most serious criticism?


A. The plan overlooks the fact that a significant number of spiritually centered people do not practice Yoga at that studio.
B. The plan's anoniminity prevents good, upcoming film producers, who take surveys to suppliment their income, from improving their job status.
C. The plan does not provide a reliable means of identifying spiritually centered people who do not work in the film industry.
D. The plan does not distinguish between those who are spiritually centered and have good connnections and those who are spiritually centered and have useless ones.
E. The plan overlooks the fact tht a lot of people at Yoga studios wouldn't know what spiritaully centered meant if they were struck by divine lightning.

INFERENCE

Question 1 (one. Another one.).

There can be little doubt that a movie released to video entitled "She's got a Bootie" will be rented. Of course, rented movies are rented by choice, and in our current rental situation, there appears to be no better way to display the video than by its cover. But when all videos have covers, it will be both just in principle and necessary in fact that some mode be adopted of giving greater weight to quality movies, some means by which the more moral film or truely entertaining film, or, well, frankly a film whos merits lie in the story rather than the square footage of bare skin, could be singled out and awarded a more outstanding video cover which would be proportinal to its story and appealing to all.

The author's primary purpose is to argue that:


A. Not all videos are quality movies.
B. Not all people want to rent quality movies.
C. We should tell people what the good movies are.
D. The quality films should be featured so that most people find them appealing.
E. Videos that have butts on their covers generally indicate they re appealing to butt-head type renters.

ANSWERS: 1. B 2. C. Inference Q.1 D

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by Catherine Rubino© March 1999 The Snooze. All rights reserved.