Top Law Schools

[Q17]
The conclusion says that "Use the VersaTool ... [and] you will need additional tools less often than you would using any other multifunction tool."

Why is D the correct answer?? Suppose the VersaTool is a combination of 3: an industrial stapler, glue gun, and a razor blade. Suppose the competitor (say, MultiTool) is a combination of 2: a screwdriver and a hammer. Sure, the Versatool has 3 rarely used functions, but its still 3 less tools the handiman needs to keep in his toolkit. If the handiman buys the MultiTool, he can replace the hammer and screwdriver, but he will still need to keep around his industrial stapler, glue gun, and razor blade.

I thought choice (A) was better since it mentions that the VersaTool might include functions that are NEVER used. In which case, the additional functionality of a NEVER used function adds nothing over competitors.

Any thoughts?

[Q21]
The way I deciphered this problem was that there are two sets of young opera singers:
[X] = Those who lack the power for demanding roles b/c their voices have not matured
[Y] = Those with great vocal power

Premises:
Most [X] who have demanding roles at a young age lose their voices early.
The most likely to lose their ruin their voices early are in set [Y].
Most young singers overall ([X] + [Y]) lack the training to avoid straining their vocal chords.

Based on this last premise above, I can see why choice (E) is correct. But I don't see why choice (B) isn't correct. Basically choice (B) is paraphrasing the first two sentences of the prompt (and is equivalent to the definition of set [X]).

Thanks in advance!

For Q. 17, you're misinterpreting the conclusion. It's not saying that a handiman would have to carry around fewer tools by having the VersaTool. It's saying that the handiman would have to use additional tools LESS OFTEN.

So, go back to your example: The VersaTool has the stapler/glue gun/razor blade (what an odd combo that would be!). The competitor has the hammer/screwdriver. If you had the VersaTool, you'd be carrying around fewer tools, but you'd be constantly reaching in to grab the hammer or screwdriver. Whereas if you have the competitor's tool, you'd use that frequently and only occasionally have to grab a stapler, glue gun or razor blade. In that case, the VersaTool is not recuding how often you use other tools -- it's actually making things worse. That's why (D) is the flaw.

For Q. 21, the problem is that the second sentence is what some people say. It's not what the author believes (hence, the "but" in the next sentence). The author is saying that immature vocal chords is not necessarily the reason for ruined voices -- it has more to do with mature vocalists who strain their vocal chords. So, because he doesn't agree what what "has been said," (B) is not supported by the author.

HTH

- Chris

Thanks Chris.

I indeed misinterpretted the conclusion for Q17. I interpretted it as:
VersaTool --> use LESS additional tools

But the correct form is:
VersaTool --> use additional tools LESS often

Which makes (D) correct.

Q21 is tricky. Usually the author would say "but this is unfounded" or "this is unwarranted." But I guess it is implicitly understood that the author disagrees as indicated by his transitional word ("but").

I did pick E for Q21 (sec 3 of PT 51) but that was basically a product of POE. How can E be be properly inferred though? All the stimulus says it that "most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords..." - this statement does not necessarily include most young opera singers (the demographic mentioned in answer choice "E". for all we know, the young opera singers could be in the minority who do NOT lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords...

I do realize that line 1 of the stimulus states that "most opera singers who add demanding roles to their repertoires at a young age lose their voices early..." - but how are we to know that this "most" lines up perfectly with the "most young singers" who lack the technical training...? to infer E?

from the fact that most opera singers who add demanding roles to their repertoires at a young age LOSE THEIR VOICES early, how can we say that most young opera singers (that same demographic) STRAIN THEIR VOCAL CORDS? does lose voice early = strain vocal cord? if so, how was I supposed to know that and was any of the stimulus for this inference needed aside from line 1 and line 4?

thanks a ton in advance!