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Strategy For Critical Reasoning: Provided By: Piyusht
Strategy For Critical Reasoning: Provided By: Piyusht
Provided by : piyusht
Aim
Logic, not Grammar
Critical Reasoning problems are among the
trickiest question types you’ll come across in the
GMAT.
That’s because CR problems are logic-based.
While an understanding of English grammar
rules is essential, your major challenge will be
simply to learn how ETS expects you to
approach the information within the sentences.
Premise
Conclusion
It’s natural to read the question after the argument because that’s how
they’re presented on the page. This is done for a reason.
Read the question and determine what to look for within the answer
choices.
In general, you’ll be looking for the answer choices that either
strengthen or weaken the argument.
Think of answer choices as additional premises. Adding any one
answer choice to the argument will do one of three things:
1. It will weaken the argument.
2. It will strengthen the argument.
2. It will not affect the argument at all (neutral).
3. It has nothing to do with the argument (out of scope).
Determine which of the eight kinds of Critical Reasoning questions
you’re facing before turning to the argument itself.
Step 2: Read the argument.
Note: This is the only step you’re permitted to skip. While it’s necessary
to understand the meaning of each argument (and paraphrasing is a
good tool to help you do this), restating or paraphrasing an argument
brings you unavoidably further away from the actual text.
Step 4: Predict the answer.
So, you’ve read the argument. You understand it. You can identify it’s
premises and it’s conclusion. Now imagine additional premises
(additional pieces of information) and what affect each would have on
the argument overall.
Brainstorm for a moment. Imagine which additional premise would
best strengthen the argument. What one thing could you add that
would completely fix it? Now imagine the opposite. How could you
weaken the argument? How could you completely destroy it?
This is perhaps the most important step in the process. Answer
choices are intentionally misleading, and you can use your predictions
as a measuring stick with which to compare the choices given to you
by ETS.
Step 5: Use the Process of Error Identification to eliminate
the wrong answers.
What’s wrong with answer choice (C) ? The trigger word “most” is
undefined. “Most” is a relative term, but we don’t know what it’s
relative to.
Try one more…
Sorry, the
correct
answer is In 1991, I started smoking cigarettes. My friends
(D). said it is unhealthy. In 2000, I am still Okay:
Therefore; cigarettes are not unhealthy.
There’s a fatal flaw to this logic. Look back and compare this
rephrasing with the actual argument itself.
(D) is the only answer choice that weakens the argument.
All the others, in fact, are out of scope!
Make it personal…
There’s a fatal flaw to this logic. Look back and compare this
rephrasing with the actual argument itself.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
The best way to prepare for Critical Reasoning
questions is to practice Critical Reasoning
questions.
Take your time as you go through the test
questions in the next section.
If have difficulties, don’t worry. Critical Reasoning
is the most dreaded question type in the exam!
Good luck!
Critical Reasoning Question Types
The GMAT is, if anything, predictable.
There is a limited variety of questions you’ll be
asked relating to a Critical Reasoning argument.
There are, in fact, eight definitive types of Critical
Reasoning questions. Each question type has
its own traps and a specific strategy is required
to ace each one of them.
Click on the Next Screen button to see a brief description of these eight
Critical Reasoning question types.
Critical Reasoning Question Types
1. Draw a conclusion
2. Assumption
3. Strengthen
4. Weaken
5. Inference
6. Explain the (apparent) contradiction
7. Complete the passage
8. “Except” questions
Fire!
A scientist planted two groups of plants under identical conditions
of light, temperature, humidity, and moisture. Every day he would
play sound effects of thunderstorms to one of the groups of plants
and sounds of city traffic for the other. The group to which he
played thunderstorms all died within a few weeks, but the other
group thrived during the experiment. He therefore concluded that
Weigh each the sound of city traffic is more effective for helping plants grow
choice than is the sound of thunderstorms.
carefully
before Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken
eliminating it. the scientist’s conclusion?
(A) The scientist put different varieties of plants in each group.
(B) The light affecting the plants changed according to the time
of
day.
(C) The plants in the group for which he played city traffic
sounds
died several weeks after the experiment.
(D) The plants were all purchased at the same time.
(E) The plants in the group for which he played city traffic
sounds
required more water than the scientist actually gave them.
Click on the oval that corresponds with your choice.
You’ve got it! We know we have two groups of plants. What’s
assumed is that both groups are the same!
Kobayashi coffee has more caffeine than Marlowe Select coffee. But
since Chula Vista coffee has more caffeine than Valentino coffee, it
follows that Kobayashi coffee has more caffeine than Valentino coffee.
Any of the following, if introduced into the argument as an
additional premise, makes the argument above logically correct
EXCEPT?
(A) Marlowe Street coffee has more caffeine than Valentino
coffee.
(B) Marlowe Street corree has more caffeine than Chula Vista
coffee.
(C) Marlowe Street and Chula Vista coffees have the same
amount of caffeine.
(D) Kobayashi and Chula Vista coffees have the same amount of
caffeine.
(E) Chula Vista coffee has more caffeine than Kobayashi coffee.
Sorry, the correct answer is (E). Let’s look at this problem using
the MBA Center’s five steps.
You did well, and you only had problems with the
final difficult problem.
Critical Reasoning
Good job! You got the second wrong, but the
other two were right.
Critical Reasoning
Inference is Be careful! This one is an Inference question.
once logical
step away The best answer will paraphrase words and
from the ideas from the text and contain an inference just
conclusion. one step in logic away from the message of the
text.