CR Flashcards
if it says CONTRADICT the argument
The statement must really undermine conclusion. If there’s a perhaps, then author isn’t totally disregarding conclusion.
Need to see that the author is directly attacking
Watch out for 1 wrong word
Choice may have correct except 1 word: budget shortfall vs recycling plan effect
Negating choices -
better than –>
Some of them liked it more –>
equal to or less than (don’t forget equal)
None of them liked it more
Specific numbers in answer choices to be an assumption
Be wary of them, is that number absolutely true? If it can be another number, that assumption doesn’t have to be true
Weakening
ex: employees lose confid in viability –> quit
weaken: competitor provides health ins so that’s why they quit, not bc lose confid
Watch out for which perspective you’re proving, ex: contention by the gvt
Gvt’s perspective - even if it says contention by, that just means the disagreement made by the gvt
if you see “not more than likely”, trick is to sub
just as likely
Ron’s CR new info family method - translate into specifics
- spot every word that needs to be translated
- write out the specific question
(why opp of concl is true? other factors? reason A –> B, why something happens DESPITE? why not doing something isn’t good?) - has to tie back to conclusion!!
Ron’s CR new info family method - statistics
When you see "total", profit, quantity, etc. break it down # of hours, # of ppl, rate - don't forget other rev sources (coffee +pastries)
Ron’s CR new info family method - personal immersion
You are the person who is directly involved, has the GREATEST INFLUENCE ON OUTCOME
CR - be careful of choices that are hypothetical
You need hypothetical to be true for choice to be good
Ron’s new info family CR- translate to specific Q
- which choice shows that the connection btwn x and the result/goal/concl
- which choice offers another reason
- which choice is additional suport
- which choice shows that this will NOT happen
CR - question you ask shouldn’t include
facts already given in premise, if they talk about it previously, then you have to accept it.
Ex: Unclog st will lower cost. Problem is the cost, but the real Q is if their plan will unclog st, not lower cost
CR - always 1 correct answer
black, white white white white
dark grey, white white white white
CR - eval the arg trick
think weaken
Common CR error
Doesn’t apply or answer your specific q
Ron’s CR new info family steps
- read question stem (then read bottoms up)
- translate into specifics (pay attn to restrictions in Q)
- Create own answer - use stats or personal immersion
- **make a standard for the correct answer (elim wrong)
- pay attention to numeric qualifiers (substantial, extreme, too dense)
new info fam types of questions
weaken, strengthen, evaluate, explain some surprising fact
anything with “would” or “if true”
supply demand problems in CR - as supply increases
price decreases (think S line shifts to the right) S - starts at 0,0 goes to 10,10
For new info, CR statistics problems, make sure that once you list out the factors / components
the answer choice must address 1 of those factors
Ex: profitability –> answer must talk about rev or cost impact
Newinfo CR - strengthen questions, what to think of when creating a question
- is there another factor to support the argument
Ex: oil protects during cold, therefore max protection. Other factor = oil also protects during hot - identify the gap in the argument and find the answer that explains the gap
Ex: you shouldn’t write recs bc your recs are too rigid. Gap = rigid recs are bad - find factor why
Newinfo types of issues
other factor gap component (stats) cause effect reversed output AND input (does MAKING it cause more issues)
if the CR question asks about usage of machines, think
direct and indirect factors
Ex: electricity used to power technology
direct = fossil fuel (alt source) usage goes down
indirect = fpssil fuel to MAKE the electricity goes up
Stats - when it comes to quantity, think
quantity available, quantity that you can pick out, quantity that you need
CR - Ron’s assumption Q type
- complete the sent, find assumption
- read question
- see if there’s missing logic, find the gap
- if not, find objection (use personal immersion)
- negation trick for “not” sentences** (do that for every not case to double check)
- out of scope
- contradict premise
- check stats
CR - Ron’s bold face Q type
- name the speaker
- visualize convo
- what is bold (fact / claim)
- **FOCUS ON RELATION of the bolds - is it refuting, supporting? (look at transition words)
CR - Ron’s bold face - coming up with answer
- create your own** that explains RELATION btwn the 2
- if that fails, classify as premise/conclusion/background
- if that fails, just look at fact vs claim and compare nouns
CR - Ron’s bold face - ex of how to characterize bold
- surprising fact that she explains
- explanation that she will refute
- fact that is against other guys
- fact that will support her
Fact vs opinion
Fact: evidence, circumstance, observation, basis of objection/criticism
Opinion: claim, judgement, inference, predict, implication –> look out for “must be”, “clearly”, “obviously”
Either: explanation, supports, reason, consideration
CR- bold face * trick
answer choice that says bold face is an assumption is WRONG (assumptions are never explicitly stated)
CR - prove conclusion
ie “most strongly supports which of the following claims”, “must also be true”, “complete the _____”, “best serve as part of an argument = conclusion”
- look for ways to connect the statements (prove something) as you read
- predict answer
CR - prove conclusion trick
1) if the statement has “likely”, the answer choice can only have “likely” not “MUST”. You can’t be more certain than what you’re given
2) any answer choice that looks like it’s just about 1 of the sentences if wrong (always have to combine!)
CR - when you’re given a fact
don’t challenge the fact
Ex: there are more apples than oranges
yes, there are more. can’t challenge that fact
but, maybe those apples are not real (still, there are more apples)
for new info family questions, practice drawing the gap
1st part –> ————– (gap) ——-> 2nd part
When you’re concerned about an answer choice reflecting the premise, check
- that the premise is hypothesizing (i.e. IF this were to happen, then…), bc then the premise doesn’t rlly know
- that the premise doesn’t actually SAY it (don’t assume the premise implies it)
ex no. 577, 605 in ‘19
“at least a few people” know this can range from
a few ppl to A LOT OF PPL
To disprove cause / effect relationship, think
other factor or other cause
if you’re stuck in CR / not understanding the paragraph at all
reread the question - break down what is the “hypothesis” or “conclusion”, read backwards
this is the translate to specifics part
Gap: if you are trying to prove that water in A flown into water in B,
animals in A are the same as animals in B
Component: if trying to prove if profit goes up or down
rev
cost
but also, if they say cost is not lower, you can argue that they calculated cost wrong (used too much insecticide)
Gap: if the example they provide is that blind people CAN sense light/dark so the signal doesn’t hit the damaged cortex. Want to strengthen.
not blind people CAN’T detect light/dark (basically the opposite) - supports that signal doesn’t hit damaged cortex
Component: if trying to prove no importing
supply>demand
but also, make sure to account for all demand (like new high tech doesn’t use electricity, but making the new high tech machine uses electricity)
Gap: if proving whether eliminating 1 factor will help (remove recyclable from trash to burn)
The 1 factor isn’t the actual cause (recycling doesn’t cause the ash)
Removing 1 factor may actually worsen the situation (maybe the 1 factor is offsetting the bad)
O/ factor: if insecticide kills pests, but for some reason crops are still damaged
Not ALL crops have insecticide
Insecticide not used correctly
Pests develop resistance
New type of pest
O/ factor: if a strategy is thought to improve sales
but maybe there’s another factor sales improved, like industry wide, all companies have increase in sales (that 1 strategy for that 1 company isn’t the reason for an increase in sales)
Gap: if A taught B (a neighbor), why wouldn’t A’s teachings reach C?
If B didn’t contact C
CR tricks
Weakness: Eval, assumption
Strength: support /weaken
Gap: if 10% of flowers are roses, what’s the assumption that roses are the most popular?
more than 10 different types of flowers (if just roses and daisies, then roses aren’t most popular)
- when you see %, be suspect of the #
Time saver -
- Understand the facts given (can’t argue against premise or re-prove premise)
- Skip if you don’t see the “gap” or can’t build the “equation”
Pay attention to the premise - these are the “constraints”
Ex: premise says that speed bumps in nearby towns have reduced traffic speed
–> you have to accept that speed bumps WILL reduce traffic speed
Arg: force sick ppl to go to work unless doc’s appmt to increase productivity
Incorrect weaken:
Can’t say that people would just go to the doc more bc that wouldn’t decrease prod, ppl who already stayed at home whether sick / not, would just fake a doc’s note so prod stay the same
