Strengthen

Financial analyst: In the city of Veridia, the vacancy rate for commercial office spaces has doubled over the past three years. Surprisingly, the average asking rent for available office spaces in the city has increased by 15% during this same period. This rent increase is undoubtedly driven by landlords aggressively renovating their vacant properties to premium 'Class A' status, which naturally commands a higher market price.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the financial analyst's argument?

Archaeologist: Fragments of distinctively glazed pottery, known to have been produced exclusively in the coastal city of Aethel around 500 BCE, have been discovered in the ruins of the inland city of Bael, located 300 miles away across a harsh desert. Bael was founded around 450 BCE. From this, we can conclude that merchants from Aethel must have traveled directly across the desert to trade their pottery with the inhabitants of Bael.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the archaeologist's argument? Select all that apply.

Anthropologist: Skeletal remains of the prehistoric Xanti people show remarkably low rates of tooth decay, despite their diet consisting primarily of starchy, carbohydrate-rich tubers known to promote dental cavities. The Xanti lived in an area abundant with the mesic tree, and fossilized resin from this tree was frequently found on their teeth. Therefore, the Xanti's habit of chewing mesic resin likely protected their teeth from decay.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the anthropologist's argument?

A university study found that students who study in the library's new Silent Zone score significantly higher on exams than students who study in their own dorm rooms. Based on this correlation, the university administration concludes that the quiet environment of the Silent Zone directly improves students' academic performance. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the administration's conclusion?

Meteorologist: Over the past decade, the coastal city of Port Nola has experienced a significant increase in the frequency of severe winter storms. Many climatologists attribute this anomaly to a recent, unprecedented shift in the offshore warm-water currents. However, historical weather logs from the 1820s reveal that Port Nola experienced a decade of winter storms of identical frequency and severity, despite the offshore currents remaining perfectly stable during that era. Therefore, the recent shift in ocean currents is probably not the primary cause of the current severe winter storms in Port Nola.

Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the meteorologist's argument?

Match each logical argument on the left with the piece of evidence on the right that most strongly bolsters its conclusion.

Analyze the four logical arguments below. Each argument contains a specific causal gap or unstated vulnerability. Match each argument to the single piece of new evidence that most robustly strengthens its conclusion by resolving that specific gap.

Medical Researcher: A recent observational study found that individuals who drink green tea on a daily basis have a significantly lower incidence of heart disease compared to those who rarely or never drink it. Green tea is uniquely rich in a specific antioxidant compound known as EGCG. Based on these findings, we can conclude that the consumption of EGCG actively helps to prevent the development of heart disease.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the medical researcher's argument?

Match each logical argument (on the left) with the additional premise (on the right) that most strongly bridges its logical gap and supports its conclusion.

A local wine shop recently alternated the background music it played, switching between classical music and pop music. The store's records show that on days when classical music was played, the average price of a purchased bottle of wine was 20 percent higher than on days when pop music was played. The store owner concludes that listening to classical music induces customers to purchase more expensive wines.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the store owner's argument?

A local bakery recently replaced its conventional flour with organic flour for all its bread recipes. In the month following this change, the bakery's daily bread sales volume increased by 20 percent. The bakery's owner concludes that the new bread sells better because customers prefer the taste of organic flour over conventional flour.

Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the bakery owner's argument? (Select all that apply)

A recent study of a popular mobile game showed that players who purchased the game's premium subscription played for an average of fifteen hours per week. In contrast, players who did not purchase the subscription played for an average of only four hours per week. Based on these findings, the game's developers concluded that the premium subscription directly causes players to engage more deeply with the game.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the developers' conclusion?

Urban Planner: In the city of Oakhaven, the local government recently implemented a "smart traffic light" system at all major intersections in an effort to reduce commute times. Since the system was activated six months ago, the average commute time for residents driving to the city center during peak hours has decreased by 15%. Therefore, it is clear that the new smart traffic light system is responsible for this reduction in commute times.

Which of the following statements, if true, most strengthen the argument? Select all that apply.

For each logical argument presented, identify the specific piece of additional evidence that provides the strongest logical support for its main conclusion.

Linguist: Tarania's indigenous language features a complex tonal system, structurally identical to mainland languages 2,000 miles away, but unlike the non-tonal languages of neighboring islands. Anthropologists argue this tonal system evolved independently due to similar acoustic environments between Tarania and the mainland. However, geological records prove Tarania's environment has always resembled its non-tonal neighbors, not the mainland. Therefore, Tarania's tonal system must have been introduced by ancient mainland settlers who migrated to the island.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the linguist's conclusion?

Historian: In the seventeenth-century town of Oakhaven, merchant records show a sudden surge in the importation of foreign spices immediately following a prolonged period of severe drought. Some scholars argue this indicates that the town's elite significantly increased their wealth during the drought. However, it is more likely that the drought destroyed local herb crops, forcing residents to rely heavily on imported spices for basic food preservation. Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian's argument?

Ornithologist: Ten years ago, our city implemented a 'Dark Sky' ordinance to reduce nighttime light pollution, which disorients migrating warblers and causes fatal building collisions. Since then, the population of warblers migrating through the city has continued to decline. Critics claim the ordinance failed to protect the birds. However, this is unwarranted. The continued decline is actually caused by the recent, rapid deforestation of the warblers' southern wintering grounds.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to strengthen the ornithologist's argument?

Archaeologists recently discovered a high concentration of grinding stones at a 12,000-year-old settlement in the Zaran Valley, predating known agriculture in the region by 2,000 years. Residue analysis of these stones revealed trace amounts of wild cereal grains. Based on this, the lead researcher concluded that the valley's ancient inhabitants systematically processed and stored wild grains as a primary food source long before crop domestication. Which of the following statements, if true, would most strengthen the researcher's argument? Select all that apply.

Match each of the following arguments regarding a city transit authority's transition to electric buses (Left) with the newly discovered piece of evidence (Right) that most effectively strengthens its specific conclusion.

Anthropologist: Chemical analysis of obsidian blades found at the ancient inland Xoloti settlement perfectly matches the isotopic signature of the coastal Yuma quarry, located 400 miles away across the barren Sunu Desert. Clearly, the Xoloti must have engaged in direct, long-distance trade expeditions with the coastal Yuma people to obtain this material, rather than acquiring it gradually through a chain of intermediate, shorter trade networks involving other settlements.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the anthropologist's argument? Select all that apply.