Bí kíp dân chơi SAT
Thầy Nguyễn Việt Anh, M.Sc.
The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
03. SUPPORTING AND CONTRADICTING A CLAIM
WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE
These questions ask you to support an idea (or a conclusion) discussed in the passage.
In essence, they test if you grasp a hypothesis (or a conclusion) and its potential
premises.
Sometimes, the test may ask you to oppose or undermine an idea (or a conclusion).
In essence, they test if you can find holes in an argument.
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HOW TO ATTACK SUPPORTING / CONTRADICTING QUESTIONS
1) Identify the claim; rephrase it if necessary.
If the claim is stated simply in the question, underline it.
If the claim confuses you with its wordiness, trim it down.
You must understand the claim before moving on to the answers.
If you do not, how can you find its support?
2) Determine what information would support the claim. (Optional)
You should attempt to do this on your own. Do not assume you will be able to
recognize the information from the answer choices.
3) Check the answers.
If you have done step 1 and 2 carefully, the correct answer should resemble your
thoughts.
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SUPPORT A CLAIM (ADD PREMISES TO A CONCLUSION)
Example:
thúc giục
lắng nghe
The claim (or conclusion): Dunbar urged listener to not lose hope even during hard
times.
An effective support for this claim may explain why losing hope is a bad idea, or why
staying hopeful is beneficial.
Let’s check the answer choices.
Choice A focuses on slow moves and dragging footsteps of a climber who is far below
the height. She is far from her goal, and she climbs sluggishly. That does not sound
very hopeful. Wrong.
Choice B is a bit harder to decipher. Words like swift-sprung or devious may sound
alien to your ear. If they do, focus on words that you know. Allow yourself to feel
comfortable with what you know. Make the best sense out of them as you can, like
this: No strange exception, we trace a way through uncertain light. Ok. I sense some
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encouragement here. It does sound encouraging. B is plausible. Let’s keep it.
Choice C: do not listen to the darkness around you [because] the clouds grow thickest
when the mountain top is near. This directly supports the claim. Heed not the darkness
= do not lose hope, and the clouds grow thickest = even in difficult circumstances. C is
plausible. Let’s keep it.
Choice D: who stopped here to sleep or cursed that the storm blocks the sky? This is a
rhetorical question which you may interpret as “do not stop and curse the storm.” It
sounds like Dunbar is telling listener to not bother with the negatives. This does not
strongly relate to hope. Wrong.
Now, let’s reconsider B and C.
B says: No exception, we find a way through uncertainties.
C says: The goal is near, do not listen to the darkness.
Which one fits the purpose? Which one shows that Dunbar urges listener to not lose
hope, even in difficult circumstances.
Don’t you agree that not to lose hope = heed not the darkness?
C is the correct answer.
Let’s do another example.
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The claim: when given too much choice, consumers are less likely to buy anything.
Even when they do buy one, they are less satisfied with it.
So, too many options can actually hurt sales and customers’ satisfaction. Let’s see.
Choice A: when given too many options, consumers feel overwhelmed. This is
plausible. Feeling overwhelmed is a negative emotion, and it can make people hesitate
or unsatisfied.
Choice B: consumers who were given more choice were more likely to buy. This
contradicts the claim. Wrong.
Choice C and D also contradict the claim. Wrong.
Therefore, A is the correct answer.
Let’s do another example:
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CONTRADICT A CLAIM (UNDERMINING PREMISES)
Undermine or weaken questions are based on the same logic as support questions.
They just go in the opposite direction, asking you to choose a statement most
inconsistent with a given claim or theory.
For example:
The claim (signaled by the word proposed): unlike non-avian dinosaurs, birds had high
metabolic capacity, so they survived.
In other words, high metabolic capacity increases survival chances.
An undermining premise can go like this: some animals with high metabolic capacity
did not survive OR some animals with low metabolic capacity still survived OR
metabolic capacity does not correlate with survival OR metabolic capacity reduces
survival.
Choice D is the answer.
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He was no miser in the good (that) he
held
SAME IDEA, DIFFERENT WORDS
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Logical reasoning flaws:
1. a piece >< a puzzle --> overconclude from limited support
heavier breather = bad person
Vegans are careful about what they eat, so they must be in good health.
health = food + exercise + rest (sleep) + genetic makeups + life style + sunlight (vitamin D3) + breath
2. apples >< oranges ---> falsely equate
Guppies live well in your current aquarium
---> related species will also live well in your current aquarium.
Average salary of banking employees >> 20 millions / month
---> the majority of banking employees earn more than 20 millions per month
10 person department: 200 + 9*10 = 290 ---> 290/10 = 29
3. 1 + 1 >< 3 ---> reach a conclusion by incorrectly bringing ideas together
Every time he is stressed, he touches his left ear.
He just touched his left ear, so he must be stressed.
Nghe An and Ha Tinh are both equally prone to strong hurricanes.
Nghe An has a more complex hurricane warning system.
Thus, Nghe An is better prepared than Ha Tinh in dealing with strong hurricanes.
2021: 5 students > 1450 (5 out of 50 students)
2022: 2 students > 1450 (2 out of 6 students) 011 | Simple & Sensible SAT Series
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014 | Simple & Sensible SAT Series
