Q12

[zainrizvi]

I got to E by eliminating the other answer choices, but I'm not sure how E underlies the argument in passage 1.

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah, "underlies the argument" makes it sound like it needs to be a really central, salient feature. I think I could live with "is supported by both passage" as a paraphrase of our task.

Line 28-33 in Psg. A is where we get support for (E). The judge is saying that examiners are routinely tested and uniform standards have been established, i.e. "objective" from choice (E). This comes right before saying, "Therefore, the trial court was correct to accept that fingerprint identification has an exceedingly low error rate", i.e. "reliable" from choice (E).

So we can justify from the last two sentences of Psg. A that "uniform standards" underlies the basis for accepting "fingerprint identification's low error rate".

This question is set up to be asking, "where do these two passages, which fundamentally disagree, actually overlap and concur?"

Most of the wrong answers are going to either support one argument or the other. (E) is the only one that could potentially support both.

Both parties can accept that fingerprint identification needs objective standards to be reliable. Psg A can then argue "it HAS such standards" and Psg B can then argue "it LACKS such standards".

=== other answers ===

(A) Psg. B makes no mention of whether "time-honored forms of evidence" should be given respect.

(B) Psg. B makes no mention of whether "defendants should have the right to challenge certain forms of evidence", even though we would probably assume that author believes this.

(C) Psg. A makes no mention of "partial prints"

(D) Psg. A makes no mention of "rigorously conducted tests"

Hope this helps.

[bearknowsthetrooth]

This question really threw me off. I'm not sure how "uniform" and "objective" can be considered synonymous (ie most people would agree that the IQ test is a uniform measure of intelligence, but not necessarily objective). Passage A states that a defendant claims that fingerprint testing lacks "uniform objective standards" (lines 11-12). Later on, the author drops "objective" and states "uniform standards have been established..." (lines 31-32), therefore fingerprint testing is reliable. This suggests that objective standards are not necessary for reliability, or that uniform standards are sufficient for reliability.

I chose E because Passage A states in the last two sentences that "examiners are regularly subjected to testing and proficiency requirements, and uniform standards have been established...The trial court below was therefore within its discretion in crediting testimony that fingerprint identification has an exceedingly low error rate." To me, this suggests that these tests have proven that fingerprint identification has a low error rate.

[ericha3535]

I totally agree with the poster above.
Passage A p2 mentions that there is no "objective test" for this finger print issue.
Then p3 says "even though it is more desirable to have it, it’s ok..."
So I feel like the passage A agrees with the fact that objective test is desirable but we don’t need it; we have the "uniform" test that tests experts’ reliability.
So I don’t know how E actually works...
In order to have experts’ reliability you need objective test? I feel like A is saying otherwise.
--
I have a question about D.
I can see how teacher eliminated it for the fact that passage A did not mention "rigorous test." I beg to differ. The last paragraph of passage A says that, first of all, that the error rate of fingerprint test is extremely low. How? Because of all the required tests that the examiners have to take. Shouldn’t these "required tests" be characterized as "rigorous test?"
Please correct me!

[tommywallach]

Hey Guys,

"Uniform" means "remaining the same in all cases and at all times."

"Objective" is the opposite of "subjective," meaning "based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions."

These are, as strange as it may seem, fair synonyms. If something is uniform, it doesn't ever change. By definition, something subjective HAS TO CHANGE based on individual perception.

-t

[ericha3535]

Thanks Tommy!

But Tommy or anyone else care to address my second point about D?

Thank you in advance!

[ywan1990]

Thanks Tommy!

But Tommy or anyone else care to address my second point about D?

Thank you in advance!

I chose (D) in my initial attempt. But on a close look, I can tell the difference. In the text and your quote, it says 'the examiners are required to take tests'. Take these tests as qualification tests for examiners. On the other hand, (D) says 'rigorously conducted tests' refer to tests on the error rates. SO the 'tests' in the stimulus and in the answers refer to two different kinds of tests. Hope this helps.

[tommywallach]

Ywan nailed it here! Thanks!

-t