Análisis de mercado Colombia- Estados unidos

There are questions that require you to evaluate the information given in the passage, or the author’s arguments. It is a higher order question which tests your ability to analyze and evaluate ideas. You have to judge the validity of the arguments.

The common question stems are:

Ø The author’s argument that………… would have been more persuasive, if he did which of the following? Ø As described in the passage, the author’s argument against…… would be more compelling, if he provided

which of the following as premises?

Ø Which of the following additional information is required for the author’s argument to be accepted as

valid?

ANSWERING STRATEGY

A close analysis and scrutiny of the information in the passage is a prerequisite to answer this question. Have an open mind and attack the passage and the author’s arguments in a logical way.

For instance, if the author is presenting a hypothesis you should study the logical base of the hypothesis. And if he proposes a new theory or proposition, you must scrutinize the evidences to determine if those evidences are convincing enough.

Now let’s answer a question:

PASSAGE

The behavioral school of psychologists believes that all learning is responses to stimuli. And that all learning should be assessed through definable responses. For behaviorists the concept of ‘size’ among children for example, is assessed by cuing the child to respond to questions pertaining to size; if a child is unable to respond to the stimulus, the child is assessed as not having developed the concept of size.

However, for Piaget, this is a ‘mechanical’ view of the behaviorists. The concept of ‘size’, among children, Piaget says, is one dimension of an array of interrelated images (mental images) : Covert responses can be expressed only with the image of all other concepts, say, length, height, weight etc. All these contribute toward a child’s response to

say, the expression of size. Difficulties arise only if a child is unable to express a concept through a response to a single stimulus without the other changes. In such a case, Piaget argues, that any dimension of concept formation can be assessed by providing clues on other related dimensions, in order to make the child respond covertly to achieve the fundamental requirement of assessment through response to stimulus, even if one has to present tangible examples of other conceptual dimensions.

As described in the passage, Piaget’s specific argument against behaviorists would be most strengthened, if he did which of the following?

Provided evidence that many concepts are actually not formed in children.

Explained why a child should be assessed as not developed the concept, if he fails to respond to a conceptual stimulus.

Challenged the mechanism by which concept formation takes place in a child, through image formation. Mentioned other critics of behaviorism and the substance of their approaches.

Gave an example of how a child can be prompted to respond to a stimulus by providing clues related to the concept tested.

Analysis of the question:

The question requires you to evaluate both the content and the author’s specific argument. We have understood from the passage that Behaviorists reject the notion that a child can have a concept without being able to respond to a stimulus involving the concept. However Piaget refutes this claim arguing that it is not true that a child doesn’t possess a concept even if he is not able to respond to cues related to the stimulus. The author’s argument would have been valid and acceptable if he gave a concrete example.

Therefore the answer is E.

Choice [A] is not true, as Piaget doesn’t believe that a child is not able to form concepts. [B] is not Piaget’s argument.

[C] is not true as the passage does not discuss how concepts are formed in a child.

[D] is absurd as mentioning other critics of Behaviorists doesn’t improve the logic of Piaget’s argument. VII. ASSUMPTION QUESTIONS

You may also come across questions that require you to identify a certain presupposition that the author is making while making a statement, observation or conclusion. Obviously the answer is not given in the passage.

The common stems are:

Ø The author is making which of the following assumptions while referring to…..? Ø The author assumes which of the following in his discussion on………?

Ø Which of the following is an assumption on which the author makes his recommendation? ANSWERING STRATEGY

To answer this question you must first ascertain whether the statement is an assumption of a specific statement or one on which the entire argument is based. This can be gathered from the question stem itself. If it is based on a specific statement, locate the statement in the passage and connect this statement with the assumptions in the choices as follows:

Assumption (choice), therefore statement (in the passage) The correct answer choice will fit in to this connection. Now let’s answer an assumption question.

PASSAGE

The evolution of the universe has always baffled astronomers. It is expected that during their lifetime the stars loose their mass and die in giant explosions. However astronomers are surprised to see that such a phenomenon is not occurring. Only two out of twenty-five stars die in such explosions. A group of scientists from the United States have observed and studied some stars to study the causes that lead to their death.

One such study on a star named Noga shows that stars loose their mass slowly in what is referred to as ‘shedding weights’. Evidence of such shedding weights was observed among many stars. By studying the circum stellar material surrounding Noga, scientists have deduced the rate at which Noga loses mass, and how finally the star becomes diminutive and die. The circumstellar material consisted of infrared radiations and ammonia molecules. 1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author assumes which of the following in the discussion of the

rate at which Noga loses mass?

A. The circumstellar cloud surrounding Noga consists only of ammonia molecules. B. The circumstellar cloud surrounding Noga consists of material expelled from the star. C. The age of a star is equal to its circumstellar cloud.

D. The rate at which Noga loses mass varies significantly from year to year. E. Stars with great mass lose mass at a greater rate.

Analysis of the question:

Let’s follow the same strategy explained above. The statement in the passage states that scientists deduced the rate at which Noga loses mass using the circumstellar material surrounding Noga.

A. True that the circumstellar cloud consists of ammonia, but it doesn’t imply that only ammonia is found. B. This assumption is made, otherwise scientists wouldn’t be using such material to assess the rate at which

Noga loses mass. Choice B, therefore given statement. C. The purpose is to calculate the rate of mass loss. D. Irrelevant to the statements.

E. No such comparison is made in the passage. The answer is B.