CARS Strategy and Reasoning Skills

Q1A stem reads: "Which of the following findings, if true, would most weaken the author's claim that tutoring raises exam scores?" What kind of question is this?

B. B is correct. The stem brings in a hypothetical finding to test the argument, which is the signature of new information questions. A (Misclassified question type): Main idea stems ask what the passage is about as a whole, with no hypothetical finding. C (Misclassified question type): Function stems ask why the author mentions something already in the passage. D (Misclassified question type): Tone stems ask about the author's attitude, not about outside evidence.

Q2After 30 minutes you have finished only two of nine passages. The best adjustment is:

A. A is correct. A small pace increase plus earlier triage recovers time without sacrificing the remaining passages. B (Overcorrection): Dropping mapping entirely may cost accuracy; a small adjustment is enough. C (True but irrelevant): Rereading spends time on work already done. D (Overcorrection): Giving up three passages is a larger sacrifice than the situation needs.

Q3In the sentence "Since wages rose, spending must have risen," the clause "wages rose" is:

C. C is correct. Since marks the following clause as support for the claim that spending rose. A (Reversal): The conclusion is that spending rose, which follows the comma. B (Distortion): Nothing is granted to an opponent. D (Distortion): No opposing view is presented.

Q4Evidence: every employee who attended the seminar later received a promotion. Conclusion: the seminar helps careers. Which is a required assumption?

D. D is correct. If another factor produced the promotions, the seminar's effect is not shown. Denying this assumption breaks the argument. A (Extreme language): The argument does not need such a broad claim. B (Extreme language): The argument needs only that promotions count as career success, not that they are the best measure. C (True but irrelevant): Enjoyment is not the link between attendance and promotion.

Q5Two choices remain on a detail question. One uses the passage's exact words but reverses cause and effect. The other paraphrases correctly. You should choose:

A. A is correct. Matching meaning matters more than matching words. B (Surface match): Repeated wording is a lure; its meaning is reversed. C (Overcorrection): One of the two is supported, so you can answer. D (True but irrelevant): Length is not evidence.