Provable Question types

Question 1

Conclusion

Answer 1

• Correct Answer: A provable translation of the conclusion
• Back-Up Plan: Is this a translation of the conclusion?
• Question Stem Keywords: main point, main conclusion

Question 2

Inference

Answer 2

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove definitely must be true
• Back-Up Plan: Does this have to be true?
• Question Stem Keywords: must be true / follows logically, inference, properly inferred / properly be concluded / properly drawn

Question 3

Most Strongly Supported (MSS)

Answer 3

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove is very, very, very likely to be true
• Back-Up Plan: Does this pretty much have to be true?
• Question Stem Keywords: most strongly supported, most strongly suggests

Question 4

Fill In

Answer 4

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove completes the author’s thought
• Back-Up Plan: Does this have to be true?
• Question Stem Keywords: completes / concludes, a blank at the end of the stimulus

Question 5

Controversy

Answer 5

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove the two speakers disagree about
• Back-Up Plan: Does the first speaker have to believe this is true/false? Does the second speaker have to believe this is true/false?
• Question Stem Keywords: point at issue, point of disagreement, disagree, differing opinions

Question 6

Agreement

Answer 6

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove the two speakers agree about
• Back-Up Plan: Does the first speaker have to believe this? Does the second speaker have to believe this?
• Question Stem Keywords: agree on, point of agreement, committed to agreeing

Question 7

Necessary Assumption

Answer 7

• Correct Answer: The thing you can prove must be true, if the conclusion is true
• Back-Up Plan: If the conclusion is true, does this have to be true?
• Question Stem Keywords: necessary / depends / required / relies, assumes / assumption, the conclusion does not follow unless, the argument assumes which one

Question 8

Method

Answer 8

• Correct Answer: A provable description of what happened in the stimulus
• Back-Up Plan: Did this happen?
• Question Stem Keywords: argument proceeds by, describes, argumentative technique / method of reasoning / strategy of argumentation, responds by (in debates)

Question 9

Classic Flaw

Answer 9

• Correct Answer: A provable description of what the argument did wrong
• Back-Up Plan: Is this what’s wrong with the argument?
• Question Stem Keywords: flaw / flawed, most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it, questionable technique employed

Question 9

argument part

Answer 9

• Correct Answer: A provable description of what the phrase is doing in the argument
• Back-Up Plan: Is this what the phrase is doing?
• Question Stem Keywords: role in the argument / functions in the argument, argument part, the reference to / the statement that

Question 10

Loophole Flaw

Answer 10

• Correct Answer: A provable description of how the argument overlooked your Loophole
• Back-Up Plan: Was it bad that the argument overlooked this?
• Question Stem Keywords: most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it + [Loophole Flaw Prefix]