Resolve the Paradox

Question 1

Answering Paradox Questions

Answer 1

Every word matters.

Identify exactly what the paradox is trying to resolve.

Notice the direction of the correct answer. (explain why something increased, decreased, or stayed the same). The correct choice will explain the direction of the paradox (trap answers may explain the opposite direction, which makes sense, but it’s not the right answer).

Question 2

Don’t look for conclusions in the stem or in the answer choices

Answer 2

Only choices that provide new information that explains how two facts can be true simultaneously will be the correct answers to resolve the paradox.

Question 3

Answers should provide things that might or could be true, but they don’t need to be true.

Question 4

Common Incorrect/Trap Choices

Answer 4

1. A choice that explains the wrong thing
2. Paradox talks about the difference between two things, but trap choice shows similarity
3. A choice that makes the situation more paradoxical
4. A choice that seems to contradict one of the two facts
5. A choice that introduces information that has no effect on the paradox
6. Discusses the facts that make-up the apparent paradox without explaining how they can co-exist