Exercise: Statement & Conclusion

Questions for: Analyzing Arguments

The image of a knitter as an older woman sitting in a comfortable, old-fashioned living room with a basket of yarn at her feet and a bun in her hair is one of the past. As knitting continues to become more popular and increasingly trendy, it is much more difficult to describe the average knitter. Knitters today might be 18, 28, 40, or 65. They might live in a big urban center and take classes in a knit- ting shop that doubles as a café or they may gather in suburban coffee shops to support one another in knitting and other aspects of life. They could be college roommates knitting in their dorm room or two senior citizens knitting in a church hall. Even men are getting in the act. It would be incredibly difficult to come up with an accurate profile of a contemporary knitter to replace that image of the old woman with the basket of yarn!
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A:
people are returning to knitting in an attempt to reconnect with simpler times.
B:
knitting is now more of a group activity, as opposed to an individual hobby.
C:
creating an accurate profile of a particular type of person depends on the people in this group having traits and characteristics in common.
D:
today's knitters are much less accomplished than knitters of the past.
Answer: C
The statement that it is difficult to create an accurate profile of a contemporary knitter comes immediately after a discussion about how different today's knitters are from one another and from knitters of the past. Choices a and d are not supported by the paragraph. Although the paragraph does discuss knitting done in group settings, it does not specifically say that more of today's knitting is done in groups; therefore, choice b is incorrect. Young people may be turning to knitting in record numbers, but again, that statement is not verified by the information provided in the paragraph, so choice e must be ruled out as well.
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Most Reality TV centers on two common motivators: fame and money. The shows transform waitresses, hairdressers, investment bankers, counselors, and teachers, to name a few, from obscure figures to house-hold names. A lucky few successfully parlay their fifteen minutes of fame into celebrity. The luckiest stars of Reality TV also reap huge financial rewards for acts including eating large insects, marrying someone they barely know, and revealing their innermost thoughts to millions of people.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A:
the stars of Reality TV are interested in being rich and famous.
B:
Reality TV is the best thing that has happened to network television in a long time.
C:
for Reality TV stars, fame will last only as long as their particular television show.
D:
traditional dramas and sitcoms are being replaced by Reality TV programming at an alarming rate.
Answer: A
This is expressed in the first sentence. Choices b, d, and e are not supported by the passage. Choice c is incorrect because the paragraph states that some Reality TV stars manage to parlay their fifteen minutes of fame into celebrity.
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By the time they reach adulthood, most people can perform many different activities involving motor skills. Motor skills involve such diverse tasks as riding a bicycle, threading a needle, and cooking a dinner. What all these activities have in common is their dependence on precision and timing of muscular movement.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A:
most adults have not refined their motor skills.
B:
all adults know how to ride a bicycle.
C:
refined motor skills are specifically limited to adults.
D:
children perform fewer fine motor activities in a day than adults do.
Answer: E
The second sentence states that threading a needle involves motor skill. The other choices are not in the paragraph.
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During the last six years, the number of practicing physicians has increased by about 20%. During the same time period, the number of healthcare managers has increased by more than 600%. These percentages mean that many doctors have lost the authority to make their own schedules, determine the fees that they charge, and decide on prescribed treatments.
This paragraph best supports the statement that doctors
A:
resent the interference of healthcare managers.
B:
no longer have adequate training.
C:
care a great deal about their patients.
D:
are less independent than they used to be.
Answer: D
The author of this statement suggests that doctors are less independent. The author stresses that many doctors have lost authority. There is no support for the opinion that doctors resent the healthcare managers, however which rules out choice a. The doctors training is never mentioned (choice b). Doctors may care about their patients (choice c), but this information is not part of the paragraph. Choice e is not mentioned.
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Forest fires feed on decades-long accumulations of debris and leap from the tops of young trees into the branches of mature trees. Fires that jump from treetop to treetop can be devastating. In old-growth forests, however, the shade of mature trees keeps thickets of small trees from sprouting, and the lower branches of mature trees are too high to catch the flames.
This paragraph best supports the statement that
A:
forest fire damage is reduced in old-growth forests.
B:
small trees should be cut down to prevent forest fires.
C:
mature trees should be thinned out to prevent forest fires
D:
forest fires do the most damage in old-growth forests.
Answer: A
The last sentence provides direct support for choice a. The author never suggests that any trees should be cut down or thinned out, which eliminates choices b and c. Choice d contradicts the author's opinion. The author suggests that old growth forests have less debris, which rules out choice e.
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