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沙发
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发表于 2012-3-13 20:32:09
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Answer choice (A) asks if National Laboratories has performed tests on other machines from Bolter Industries. To apply the Variance Test, we should supply different and opposing answers to the question posed by the answer choice. First, try the answer “No.” With this answer, would the fact that National Laboratories did not perform safety test on other Bolters machines affect the safety of the Bolter’s hedge trimmer? No—this does not help us evaluate the safety of the hedge trimmer. What if the answer was “Yes” ? Would the fact that National Laboratories performed safety tests on other Bolters machines affect the safety of the Bolter’s hedge trimmer? Not at all. So, regardless of how we respond to the question posed in answer choice (A), our view of the conclusion is the same—we do not know whether the claim that the hedge trimmer is safe is good or bad. According to the Variance Test, if the answer is correct, then supplying opposite answers should yield different views of the conclusion. Since our assessment of the conclusion did not change, the Variance Test tells us that this answer is incorrect. The question in answer choice (B) is, “How important to the average buyer of a power hedge is safety of operation?” Again, apply the Variance Test and supply opposite answers to the question in the answer choice. In this case, try “Very Important” and “Not Important.” If safety of operation is very important to a buyer of hedge trimmers, would that affect whether the Bolter’s hedge trimmer itself is safe? No. Let’s look at the opposite side: if safety of operation is not important at all to a buyer of hedge trimmers, would that affect whether the Bolter’s hedge trimmer itself is safe? No. Because our view of the validity of the conclusion does not change when we consider different responses to the question posed in answer choice (B), the Variance Test tells us that answer choice (B) is incorrect. The question in answer choice (C) is, what were the results of the tests of Bolter’s hedge trimmer? Using the Variance Test, supply one response that says, “Bolter’s hedge trimmer failed the safety test.” If this is true, then the conclusion is unquestionably weakened. Now supply a response that says, “Bolter’s hedge trimmer passed the safety test.” If this is true, then the conclusion is strengthened. So, depending on the answer supplied to the question posed in answer choice (C), our view of the validity of the argument changes: sometimes we view the conclusion as stronger and other times as weaker. Therefore, according to the Variance Test, this is the correct answer. In this instance, the Variance Test reveals the flaw in the argument: the author simply assumed that being tested means safety is assured. Nowhere in the argument did the author mention that the hedge trimmer passed the tests, and the Variance Test reveals this flaw. In answer choice (D), “Yes” and “No” responses do not change our view of the argument, and answer choice (D) is incorrect. In answer choice (E), “Yes” and “No” responses do not change our view of the argument, and answer choice (E) is incorrect. |
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