PT 56, S2, Q1 - This region's swimmers generally swim during

[bbirdwell]

1. (E)
Question Type: Identify a Flaw
People don’t swim at night because they’re afraid of sharks. All recent shark attacks have occurred in the daytime. The author concludes from these facts that swimming at night is NOT more "dangerous" than swimming during the day. Reading like a debater, a question that should come to mind is "what if people did swim at night? How many shark attacks would there be?" Perhaps the reason there are fewer nighttime shark attacks is not that swimming during the day is more dangerous, but that there are fewer nighttime swimmers. (E) notes that the argument does not address that possibility.

(A) is an appealing choice as it mentions "nocturnal." However, "some sharks" is too vague to apply to this argument. Sure, sharks in South Africa are nocturnal hunters, but these are not necessarily the sharks the author is speaking of.
(B) is incorrect because there is no source mentioned. The premises are stated as fact, and we must accept them as such.
(C) is incorrect because the conclusion is about actual danger, not anxiety, or fear.
(D) is way off. The argument does not state or imply that swimmers are not the most knowledgeable people regarding safe swimming times. And even if the argument did state that, the relative knowledge of swimmers has no bearing on the argument.