by Emily Madan Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:29 pm
PT68, S3, Q19 (Inference-Completes the Argument)
(E) is correct
This question is asking us to infer how the argument would conclude. Unlike with some other inference questions, with this specific flavor we know we are going to use all the other parts of the argument and a strong prephrase will be useful. Here, they’ve given us two analogous situations, one involving painting, and one involving education. The author explains that painting involves the application of layers, the most important of which are the initial coats.
If you notice the formal logic language in the first sentence, you can diagram that statement as:
If painting layers adhere satisfactorily --> the underlying layer has been properly applied
With this background, we need to determine what conclusion the author would have inserted into the blank space. The first part of the sentence is about painting and how reemphasizes how important the initial layer is. It makes sense that the second part would be about education, perhaps reemphasizing how important the initial layer is.
(A) While this answer choice does talk about the initial contact with a student, we have no information about being undemanding or not. If anything, this answer seems to deemphasize the importance of the initial contact rather than saying it’s the most important step. Eliminate it.
(B) This answer choice talks about students needing a grasp of the fundamentals. Let’s leave it.
(C) This is about teaching methods, not about the first years of education being the most important. Eliminate it.
(D) This answer talks about the difficulty of teaching. Eliminate it.
(E) This answer choice is also about a student’s initial education. Leave it.
We’re left with only (B) and (E). To decide between these, assess which we can infer from the facts in the stimulus. (B) makes a prediction about what will happen if students have a grasp of the fundamentals. Our stimulus puts emphasis on the fundamentals, but doesn’t necessarily make any claim as to what the result of these fundamentals will be. This answer choice is too much of a stretch.
Answer choice E emphasizes the fundamentals, without taking the extra leap to make predictions. Additionally, the logic is identical to the conditional logic we pulled out of the stimulus:
If education is successful --> initial education experience is important
Because painting and education are said to be similar in this way, we can certainly infer this statement. (E) is the correct answer.