GMAT CRITICAL REASONING

Spring 2014

GETTING STARTED

•1. Read the question•2. Identify the type of question•3. Read the stimulus (paragraph)•4. Identify conclusion (C) and evidence (E).

BREAK DOWN THE ARGUMENT

• Conclusion = Main Idea•Must be true

• Evidence = supporting details

CONCLUSION KEY WORDS

• Therefore Thus As a result Hence Clearly So Consequently

•Evidence key words: because since for

ASSUMPTION

• MUST BE TRUE for the Conclusion to be true.

ANDAMAN ISLANDS PROBLEM

• Conclusion: Travel co. with tours to islands risk-free way to make $$. • Assumption: All the people who WANT to go WILL go or CAN go.

CHIMPS’ LIFESPAN PROBLEM

• Conclusion: Steady chromium intake lowers life expectancy of chimps in captivity• Evidence: contrast btwn lifespan of chimps in wild and chimps in captivity•Assumption: Chimps in captivity and chimps in the wild have the same lifespan.

TYPES OF QUESTIONS

•Assumption question: The assumption IS the answer.•You can often predict the answer•Remember: the assumption MUST be true in order for the conclusion to be true.

SAMPLE ASSUMPTION QUESTIONS

• ASSUMED• ASSUMPTION•MAKE THE CONCLUSION LOGICAL (MEANS CONCLUSION IS TRUE• VALIDITY OF THE ARGUMENT DEPENDS ON• ARGUMENT PRESUPPOSES WHICH ONE

STRENGTHEN/WEAKEN QUESTIONS

• ATTACK THE CONCLUSION• ANSWER IS AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF EVIDENCE• WEAKEN QUESTIONS MAKE THE ASSUMPTION NOT

TRUE• STRENGTHEN QUESTIONS MAKE THE ASSUMTION TRUE

KEY WORDS FOR STRENGTHEN/WEAKEN QUESTIONS

• Weaken questions: most weaken, seriously damage, casts the most doubt, seriously call into question• Strengthen questions: most strengthen, provide the

most support for, argument would be more persuasive if…

INFERENCE QUESTIONS

• Answer is the Conclusion• Inferable• Implied by• If all the statements, which of the following must also be true • The statements above, if true, support which of the following.• Which of the following is best supported by the statements

above?• The statements above best support which of the following

conclusions?

MOST COMMON QUESTION TYPES

•Assumption•Strengthen•Weaken• Inference

EXPLAIN QUESTION

• Look at the LOGIC. • How could two facts actually be true, even though they SEEM to contradict each other?

•Which of the following would best explain the discrepancy above?•Which of the following would best resolve the paradox described above

FLAW QUESTION

• What is already WRONG with the argument?

•Which of the following is a flaw in the reasoning above?•The argument above is vulnerable to which of the following criticisms.

BOLDED STATEMENT QUESTION

•This asks you to look at two specific sentences•May contain multiple arguments and conclusions, so BE CAREFUL to identify which evidence goes with which conclusion.•Very rare!

STEPS TO ATTACKING THE QUESTION

• Step 1: Identify the question• Step 2: Read, find conclusion, evidence, assumption, make sure you understand.• Step 3: Predict the answer• Step 4: Evaluate the answer choices• POE: Get rid of answers that are:• Not relevant• Obviously wrong