Verbal Flashcards
What is a conclusion?
The conclusion is the point of the author’s argument. The conclusion is a statement of opinion.
What is evidence?
Evidence is what is provided to support the conclusion. All evidence given on the GMAT is to be taken as true, even if it seems to be conjecture.
What is an assumption?
An assumption is something written that must be true for the conclusion to be true. The most important part of this definition is that it must be true. If the assumption is shown to be false, then the entire argument falls apart.
How do you recognize an assumption question?
An assumption question will very often have the term assumption or presupposition in it; but even if it doesn’t, it will ask what is needed for the argument to hold.
What is the first thing you should look for when trying to identify the assumption?
If a term or concept is mentioned in the conclusion but does not show up in the evidence, that means it is unsupported. In this case, the assumption, which must be true for the argument to hold, will build a bridge from the evidence to the conclusion in order to support the conclusion. Looking for mismatched terms between the evidence and the conclusion should be your first step.
How do you recognize a strengthen question?
A strengthen question will ask you for a fact that makes the argument in the stimulus more likely to be true. The correct answer will likely do this by confirming or supporting the central assumption.
How do you recognize a weaken question?
A weaken question will ask you for a fact that makes the argument in the stimulus less likely to be true. The correct answer will likely do this by denying the central assumption.
How do you recognize a flaw question?
A flaw question will ask you how the argument is flawed, or, more specifically, why the argument is vulnerable to criticism. Usually, the flaw in the argument has to do with an unwarranted assumption.
How do you recognize an inference question?
An inference question will ask you what must be true based on the information in the stimulus.
How do you recognize an explain question?
An explain question will present you with a paradox or with seemingly contradictory statements, and ask you to explain how to resolve the paradox or how the statements can coexist.
How do you recognize a bolded statement question?
Besides the bolded text in the stimulus, bolded statement questions can be recognized because they ask about the function of different parts of the stimulus. Correct answers will characterize the function of the bolded sentences rather than discuss the details of the stimulus.
What two types of questions can the word “support” in the question stem indicate? How can you tell the difference?
Support can be used in a strengthen question or an inference question. In a strengthen question, the correct answer choice will support the assumption, and thus bolster the argument. In an inference question, the stimulus will support the correct answer choice.
If the argument depends on causation, what is the most likely assumption?
“There is no other possible cause.” This applies whether the causation is in the evidence or the conclusion.
What are the three most common assumption patterns in the assumption family of questions?
1) Causation
2) Representativeness
3) Plans, proposals, and predictions
What are the alternative possibilities to a causation assumption?
1) Reverse causation, in which instead of X causing Y, Y causes X.
2) Correlation, in which both X and Y are caused by Z.
3) Coincidence, in which X and Y happened to occur at the same time but are unrelated.
