Common prompts for role or boldface:

? Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the argument by the claim that . . .?
? The statement that . . . serves which one of the following functions in the argument?
? The claim that . . . figures in the economist’s argument in which one of the following ways?
? In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
? The first boldface statement has what relationship to the second boldface statement?


Before you look at the answers:

1. Pinpoint the main conclusion in the passage. 
2. Separate the premises from everything else. After finding the main conclusion, don’t assume that all the other statements are premises; they might include opposing viewpoints, background information, or concession.
3. Analyze the structure of the argument. In other words, figure out how the various pieces of an argument or a passage fit together logically.
4. Then, in your own words, describe what role the statement mentioned in the prompt plays. Is it the main conclusion, an intermediate conclusion, a premise, an opposing viewpoint, a view that author is trying to support, a concession? Avoid looking at the answers until you have forced yourself to describe the statement’s role.

Then look for the answer that most accurately describes what you just described:
1. Focus on the active clause of each answer to help yourself move through the answers faster.
2. The correct answer must describe exactly what is happening in the passage. Make sure every word of that answer correlates with some part of the passage. In other words, translate the abstract terms into concrete terms from the passage. If the statement is the argument’s main conclusion, for example, but the argument also has an intermediate conclusion, then the answer that the statement “is the author’s only conclusion” would be wrong; it is not the only conclusion, even though it is the main conclusion.

The following are some questions for you to practice what you just learned:
1) Plant scientists have used genetic engineering on seeds to produce crop plants that are highly resistant to insect damage. Unfortunately, the seeds themselves are quite expensive, and the plants require more fertilizer and water to grow well than normal ones. Thus, for most farmers the savings on pesticides would not compensate for the higher seed costs and the cost of additional fertilizer.However, since consumer demand for grains, fruits, and vegetables grown without the use of pesticides continues to rise, the use of genetically engineered seeds of this kind is likely to become widespread.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) The first supplies a context for the argument; the second is the argument's main conclusion.
(B) The first introduces a development that the argument predicts will have a certain outcome; the second is a state of affairs that the argument denies will be part of that outcome.
(C) The first presents a development that the argument predicts will have a certain outcome; the second acknowledges a consideration that weighs against that prediction.
(D) The first provides evidence to support a prediction that the argument seeks to defend; the second is that prediction.
(E) The first and the second each provide evidence to support the argument's main conclusion.
2) Something must be done to stop spam. In early days, people seldom received unsolicited email advertisement; but now that numerous bulk email software and email address finders are developed to collect email address all around the world. Advertisers use email addresses to market their products and even sell such email lists to other advertisers. As a result, almost everyone ever get junk email, and sometime several and even tens of annoying emails a day. So, relevant anti-spam regulations should be framed to stop unsolicited advertising.

The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? 

A. Background that the argument depends on and conclusion that can be drawn from the argument. 
B. Part of evidence that the argument includes, and inference that can be drawn from this passage. 
C. Pre-evidence that the argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion. 
D. Background that argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion. 
E. Pre-evidence that argument includes and a method that helps to supports that conclusion.


3) More and more computer programs that provide solutions to mathematical problems in engineering are being produced, and it is thus increasingly unnecessary for practicing engineers to have a thorough understanding of fundamental mathematical principles. Consequently, in training engineers who will work in industry, less emphasis should be placed on mathematical principles, so that space in the engineering curriculum will be available for other important subjects. 

The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles? 

(A) The first is the second-premise that the argument includes; the second is the conclusion that could be drawn from this passage. 
(B) The first is the fact that is necessary for this argument; the second is the conclusion that must be drawn from this passage. 
(C) The first is the part of premise that the argument includes; the second is the inference that could be drawn from this passage. 
(D) The first is the part of evidence that supports this argument; the second is the inference that could be drawn from this passage. 
(E) The first is the first conclusion in this argument; the second is the second conclusion in this argument.

4) Environmental organizations want to preserve the land surrounding the Wilgrinn Wilderness Area from residential development. They plan to do this by purchasing that land from the farmers who own it. That plan is illconceived: if the farmers did sell their land, they would sell it to the highest bidder, and developers would outbid any other bidders. On the other hand, these farmers will never actually sell any of the land, provided that farming it remains viable. But farming will not remain viable if the farms are left unmodernized, and most of the farmers lack the financial resources modernization requires. And that is exactly why a more sensible preservation strategy would be to assist the farmers to modernize their farms to the extent needed to maintain viability.

In the argument as a whole, the two boldface proportions play which of the following roles?

A. The first presents a goal that the argument rejects as ill-conceived; the second is evidence that is presented as grounds for that rejection.
B. The first presents a goal that the argument concludes cannot be attained; the second is a reason offered in support of that conclusion.
C. The first presents a goal that the argument concludes can be attained; the second is a judgment disputing that conclusion.
D. The first presents a goal, strategies for achieving which are being evaluated in the argument; the second is a judgment providing a basis for the argument’s advocacy of a particular strategy.
E. The first presents a goal that the argument endorses; the second presents a situation that the argument contends must be changed if that goal is to be met in the foreseeable future.


5) Aroca City currently funds its public schools through taxes on property. In place of this system, the city plans to introduce a sales tax of three percent on all retail sales in the city. Critics protest that three percent of current retail sales falls short of the amount raised for schools by property taxes. The critics are correct on this point. Nevertheless, implementing the plan will probably not reduce the money going to Aroca's schools. Several large retailers have selected Aroca City as the site for huge new stores, and these are certain to draw large numbers of shoppers from neighboring municipalities, where sales are taxed at rates of six percent and more. In consequence, retail sales in Aroca City are bound to increase substantially.

In the argument given, the two potions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is an objection that has been raised against a certain plan; the second is a prediction that, if accurate, undermines the force of that objection.
B. The first is a criticism, endorsed by the argument, of a funding plan; the second is a point the argument makes in favor of adopting an alternative plan.
C. The first is a criticism, endorsed by the argument, of a funding plan; the second is the main reason cited by the argument for its endorsement of the criticism.
D. The first is a claim that the argument seeks to refute; the second is the main point used by the argument to show that the claim is false.
E. The first is a claim that the argument accepts with certain reservations; the second presents that claim in a rewarding that is not subject to those reservations.


6) The stable functioning of a society depends upon the relatively long-term stability of the goals of its citizens. This is clear from the fact that unless the majority of individuals have a predictable and enduring set of aspirations, it will be impossible for a legislature to craft laws that will augment the satisfaction of the citizenry, and it should be obvious that a society is stable only if its laws tend to increase the happiness of its citizens. 

The claim that a society is stable only if its laws tend to increase the happiness of its citizens plays which one of the following roles in the argument? 

(A) It is the conclusion of the argument. 
(B) It helps to support the conclusion of the argument. 
(C) It is a claim that must be refuted if the conclusion is to be established. 
(D) It is a consequence of the argument. 
(E) It is used to illustrate the general principle that the argument presupposes.

7) Legal theorist: It is unreasonable to incarcerate anyone for any other reason than that he or she is a serious threat to the property or lives of other people. The breaking of a law does not justify incarceration, for lawbreaking proceeds either from ignorance of the law or of the effects of one’s actions, or from the free choice of the lawbreaker. Obviously mere ignorance cannot justify incarcerating a lawbreaker, and even free choice on the part of the lawbreaker fails to justify incarceration, for free choice proceeds from the desires of an agent, and the desires of an agent are products of genetics and environmental conditioning, neither of which is controlled by the agent 

The claim in the first sentence of the passage plays which one of the following roles in the argument 

(A) It is offered as a premise that helps to show that no actions are under the control of the agent 
(B) It is offered as background information necessary to understand the argument 
(C) It is offered as the main conclusion that the argument is designed to establish 
(D) It is offered as evidence for the stated claim that protection of life and property is more important than retribution for past illegal acts 
(E) It is offered as evidence for the stated claim that lawbreaking proceeds from either ignorance of the law, or ignorance of the effects of one’s actions, or free choice

8) Psychology professor: The percentage of children having psychological problems is higher among children of Sea Turtle parents than among other children in China. However, it would be wrong to conclude that these psychological problems are caused by the difficulty these expatriates’ children have adjusting to a new environment in China. It is just as rational to infer that certain behaviors which accompany the Sea Turtle families before the move —anxiety for and uncertainties of their future—are learned by children from their Sea Turtle parents, and that it is these learned behaviors, rather than the difficulty of adjusting to lives in China, that cause the children’s psychological problems.

What role does the assertion that children of Sea Turtle parents have a higher rate of psychological problems than other children in China play in the argument above?

(A) It is the final conclusion of the argument.
(B) It is an established claim that the argument tries to refute.
(C) It is offered as evidence for the claim that going back to China is harmful to the children of the Sea Turtle parents.
(D) It is offered as evidence for the claim that certain behaviors are often responsible for expatriates and their children.
(E) It is cited as an established finding for which the argument proposes a reasonable explanation.