Weaken an Argument
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GRE Verbal › Weaken an Argument
A beverage company tested a new label design on its bottled tea in two regions and found that sales in those regions rose by 8% compared with the previous quarter. The company concludes that the new label design increases consumer purchases and decides to roll out the label nationwide. The company notes that the tea’s price and formula were unchanged and that the regions tested are representative of the national market. Which of the following casts the most doubt on the argument?
Sales of bottled water in the test regions fell slightly during the same quarter.
In the test regions, the company also secured additional shelf space at several large retailers during the same quarter.
Some consumers report that they prefer label designs that use fewer colors than the new design.
The company’s bottled tea is sold in more flavors nationwide than in the two test regions.
The new label design costs slightly more per bottle to print than the old label design.
Explanation
This question tests weakening an argument about a new label design causing increased tea sales. To weaken this argument effectively, you must identify information that suggests another factor could explain the 8% sales increase. The company assumes the label design alone drove sales, controlling for price and formula. The Aorrect answer (A) reveals that the company also secured additional shelf space at large retailers in the test regions during the same period. More shelf space typically leads to increased visibility and sales, providing an alternative explanation for the sales boost that has nothing to do with the label design. This seriously undermines the conclusion about rolling out the label nationwide. Choice D about higher printing costs addresses profitability rather than causation, while choice E about bottled water sales is irrelevant to whether the tea label caused increased tea sales.
A public health department concludes that a new advertising campaign caused a recent increase in flu vaccinations. The department notes that in the month after the campaign began, the number of vaccinations administered at local clinics rose by 15% compared with the previous month. The department therefore plans to run the same campaign every year to raise vaccination rates. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
The campaign did not include advertisements in languages other than English.
The campaign’s advertisements were placed primarily on social media platforms used heavily by younger adults.
In the same month the campaign began, several large employers in the area began requiring proof of flu vaccination for on-site work.
Some clinics reported that they temporarily ran out of a particular brand of flu vaccine.
The department’s overall budget for health education is higher this year than it was five years ago.
Explanation
This question tests your ability to weaken an argument attributing increased flu vaccinations to an advertising campaign. To weaken this causal claim, you need to identify another factor that could explain the 15% increase. The health department assumes their campaign caused the increase and plans to repeat it annually based on this assumption. The Borrect answer (B) provides a powerful alternative explanation: several large employers began requiring proof of flu vaccination for on-site work in the same month. This mandate would naturally drive vaccination rates up regardless of any advertising campaign, seriously undermining the conclusion that the campaign deserves credit. Choice A about social media placement describes the campaign's method but doesn't weaken the causal claim, while choice C about temporary vaccine shortages might actually suggest the campaign was too successful rather than weakening it.
A coastal town proposes building a seawall to prevent future flood damage. Town officials argue that because a smaller seawall built near the harbor five years ago has not been overtopped during storms since its construction, a larger seawall along the entire coastline will protect residential areas as well. They conclude that investing in the seawall is the most effective way to reduce flood-related repair costs over the next decade. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Some residents prefer nature-based solutions, such as restoring dunes, to large infrastructure projects.
The proposed seawall would require periodic maintenance to address corrosion from saltwater exposure.
During the past decade, the town has spent more on road repairs than on flood repairs.
Property values in the town have increased over the past five years.
The harbor area where the existing seawall was built is sheltered by offshore rock formations, while much of the town’s coastline is fully exposed to open-ocean waves.
Explanation
This question asks you to weaken an argument that a larger seawall will protect the entire coastline based on a smaller harbor seawall's success. Weakening requires showing why the harbor's success might not translate to the broader coastline. The officials assume that because the harbor seawall hasn't been overtopped in five years, a similar structure will work equally well everywhere along the coast. The Borrect answer (B) reveals a crucial difference: the harbor is sheltered by offshore rock formations while much of the coastline faces open-ocean waves. This means the harbor seawall faced much less severe conditions than a coastal seawall would face, making the comparison invalid and seriously undermining the conclusion. Choice A about resident preferences doesn't address effectiveness, while choice C about maintenance needs doesn't challenge whether the seawall would actually prevent flooding.
A hospital introduced a new scheduling system intended to reduce patient wait times in its outpatient clinic. After implementation, the average reported wait time fell from 46 minutes to 34 minutes. The hospital administrator concludes that the scheduling system is responsible and recommends adopting it in all hospital departments that schedule appointments. The administrator adds that the clinic’s staffing levels remained constant, so the scheduling change must explain the improvement. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Several departments in the hospital use different electronic medical record systems than the outpatient clinic uses.
The new scheduling system requires staff training that takes several hours to complete.
The outpatient clinic began sending automated reminder messages that reduced last-minute cancellations.
Some patients in the outpatient clinic prefer to arrive early even when appointments are scheduled later in the day.
During the same period, the clinic reduced the number of appointment slots per day by lengthening the standard appointment duration.
Explanation
This question asks you to weaken an argument attributing reduced wait times to a new scheduling system. Weakening requires finding evidence that something other than the scheduling system could explain the improvement from 46 to 34 minutes. The administrator assumes that because staffing remained constant, the scheduling system must be responsible for the change. The Correct answer (C) provides a compelling alternative explanation: the clinic reduced the number of appointment slots by lengthening appointments, which would naturally reduce congestion and wait times regardless of the scheduling system. This directly undermines the conclusion that the scheduling system deserves credit and should be adopted elsewhere. Choice B about reminder messages might help with efficiency but doesn't directly explain shorter wait times, while choice E about training requirements doesn't address whether the system actually works.
A museum director argues that extending the museum’s hours to include Friday evenings will increase annual attendance. The director cites a three-month trial in which Friday-evening attendance averaged 400 visitors per night, and notes that the museum’s daytime attendance did not decline during the trial. The director concludes that making Friday-evening hours permanent will add those visitors to the annual total and will therefore increase ticket revenue. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Some museum employees prefer working evening shifts to working early-morning shifts.
During the trial period, the museum hosted a popular temporary exhibition that ended shortly after the trial concluded.
The museum’s annual membership program includes unlimited daytime admission.
The museum’s café experienced higher sales on Friday evenings during the trial.
A nearby theater also offers discounted tickets on Friday evenings.
Explanation
This question tests weakening an argument that permanent Friday evening hours will increase annual museum attendance and revenue. To weaken this conclusion, you need evidence suggesting the trial results won't translate to permanent increases. The director assumes that the 400 visitors per Friday evening represent new, additional attendance that will continue indefinitely. The Aorrect answer (A) reveals that a popular temporary exhibition was running during the trial and ended shortly after, suggesting that the high Friday evening attendance may have been driven by this special exhibition rather than the extended hours themselves. This means making the hours permanent might not sustain those attendance levels once the exhibition is gone. Choice C about café sales actually supports the extended hours, while choice D about nearby theater discounts doesn't explain why the trial attendance wouldn't continue.
A regional electric utility claims that offering customers a rebate for installing smart thermostats will reduce peak electricity demand enough to avoid building a new substation. The utility bases this conclusion on a small pilot program in which participating households used 10% less electricity during peak hours than they had the previous summer. The utility argues that because peak demand is driven largely by residential air-conditioning use, expanding the rebate program will produce similar reductions at scale. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
The rebate amount is larger than rebates offered by neighboring utilities for similar devices.
The smart thermostats in the pilot program were manufactured by several different companies.
Some households in the pilot program reported that they liked being able to control their thermostat from a phone app.
The utility’s customer satisfaction ratings improved slightly after the pilot program began.
Commercial buildings account for a substantial portion of the region’s peak electricity demand, and their demand has been rising faster than residential demand.
Explanation
This question asks you to weaken an argument about smart thermostats reducing peak electricity demand enough to avoid building a new substation. Weakening requires showing that the conclusion doesn't follow from the evidence about residential reductions. The utility assumes that because residential air-conditioning drives peak demand, a 10% household reduction will scale up to avoid needing new infrastructure. The Borrect answer (B) undermines this by revealing that commercial buildings account for a substantial portion of peak demand and their demand is rising faster than residential. This means that even if the residential program succeeds, it may not reduce overall peak demand enough to avoid the substation, since commercial demand isn't addressed. Choice A about customer preferences doesn't address whether the program reduces demand sufficiently, while choice C about rebate amounts compared to other utilities is irrelevant to effectiveness.
A school district piloted a new mathematics curriculum in five middle schools and observed that, after one year, the average math test score in those schools increased by 6 percentage points. The superintendent concludes that adopting the curriculum in all district middle schools will raise math scores districtwide. The superintendent notes that the pilot schools include a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and that teachers received the same amount of training as usual. Which of the following statements most seriously undermines the conclusion?
The new curriculum includes more word problems than the previous curriculum did.
The pilot schools replaced several retiring math teachers with newly hired teachers during the pilot year.
The district’s science test scores remained roughly constant during the same year.
Several teachers in nonpilot schools have expressed interest in using supplemental online practice tools.
The pilot schools administered a different version of the math test than they had used the previous year, and the new version was designed to be easier for students at that grade level.
Explanation
This question tests your ability to weaken an argument about a new mathematics curriculum improving test scores. To weaken effectively, you need to identify factors other than the curriculum that could explain the 6-point increase. The superintendent assumes the curriculum caused the improvement and will produce similar results districtwide. The Dorrect answer (D) severely undermines this by revealing that the pilot schools used an easier version of the test, which would naturally produce higher scores regardless of curriculum quality. This alternative explanation suggests the curriculum may not be responsible for the improvement at all. Choice B about new teachers is somewhat relevant but doesn't clearly explain higher scores, while choice C about science scores is irrelevant to whether the math curriculum works.
A city’s transportation office reports that after installing adaptive traffic-signal software on three major corridors last year, average commute times on those corridors fell by 12%. The office concludes that expanding the same software to all intersections citywide will reduce overall city commute times by a similar amount. The office notes that the three corridors were selected because they are among the busiest in the city and argues that improvements there indicate the software’s effectiveness in general. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Several neighborhoods not located near the three corridors have recently requested additional pedestrian crossings at intersections.
In a nearby city, a different brand of adaptive traffic-signal software produced mixed results when first introduced.
During the year the software was installed, a major employer on one of the three corridors shifted 30% of its workforce to remote work, reducing peak-hour traffic volume on that corridor.
The adaptive software requires annual licensing fees that are higher than the fees for the city’s current signal-timing system.
On a few minor streets that intersect the three corridors, drivers reported slightly longer waits at red lights after the software was installed.
Explanation
This question tests your ability to weaken an argument about the effectiveness of adaptive traffic-signal software. Weakening an argument means finding information that reduces support for the conclusion that expanding the software citywide will reduce overall commute times. The argument assumes that the 12% improvement on three corridors occurred because of the software itself, not due to other factors. The Borrect answer (B) undermines this assumption by revealing that a major employer shifted 30% of its workforce to remote work on one corridor, which would naturally reduce traffic and commute times regardless of the software. This alternative explanation for the improvement suggests the software may not be as effective as claimed. Choice A about pedestrian crossings is irrelevant to the software's effectiveness on traffic flow, while choice C about licensing fees doesn't address whether the software actually works.
A university library replaced most staffed service desks with self-checkout kiosks. In the semester after the change, the library recorded a 20% increase in the number of items checked out. The library director concludes that the kiosks caused the increase and therefore plans to remove the remaining staffed desks to further boost circulation. The director adds that students prefer faster transactions and that kiosks provide them. Which statement most seriously undermines the author’s conclusion?
During that semester, several large introductory courses assigned weekly readings available only as physical reserves in the library.
Some students have complained that the kiosks occasionally fail to read older barcode labels.
In the same semester, the library extended its operating hours by two hours per day on weekdays.
The library’s budget for purchasing new books was slightly lower than in the previous year.
The library offers study rooms that can be reserved online without interacting with service-desk staff.
Explanation
This question asks you to weaken an argument about self-checkout kiosks causing increased library circulation. To weaken this causal claim, you need to find evidence that something else might explain the 20% increase in checkouts. The argument assumes that the kiosks themselves drove the increase, rather than external factors affecting demand for library materials. The correct answer (E) provides an alternative explanation: several large courses assigned weekly readings available only as physical reserves, which would naturally increase checkouts regardless of the checkout method. This undermines the director's conclusion that kiosks caused the increase and calls into question the plan to remove more staffed desks. Choice A about extended hours is tempting but doesn't directly explain increased checkouts, while choice B about occasional failures actually supports keeping some staffed desks rather than weakening the causal claim.
A software firm plans to improve employee productivity by switching from open-plan seating to private offices. The firm bases the plan on an internal survey in which 70% of employees reported that noise in the open-plan area makes it difficult to concentrate. The firm concludes that providing private offices will substantially increase the amount of focused work employees can do, leading to higher output. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
Some employees prefer to listen to music while working, regardless of the seating arrangement.
In the survey, employees were not asked whether they would be willing to use noise-canceling headphones.
Private offices would require additional construction costs and could reduce the total number of desks available in the current space.
In a pilot area where private offices were introduced, employees spent more time in scheduled meetings and less time doing individual work than they had previously.
The firm’s employees collaborate frequently on projects that require short, spontaneous discussions throughout the day.
Explanation
This question asks you to weaken an argument that private offices will improve productivity by reducing noise distractions. Weakening requires finding evidence that private offices might not increase focused work and output as expected. The firm assumes that because 70% of employees cite noise as a concentration problem, eliminating noise through private offices will substantially increase productivity. The correct answer (E) provides direct evidence against this assumption: in a pilot area with private offices, employees actually spent more time in meetings and less time on individual work. This suggests that private offices may paradoxically reduce the focused work time they're meant to increase, seriously undermining the productivity argument. Choice A about frequent collaboration actually supports open plans rather than weakening the private office argument, while choice B addresses costs rather than productivity effects.