Q22 - Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune

[debbie.d.park]

Is there an easier way to solve this question?

The stimulus does not mention whether the gamma interferon level has increased or decreased while multiple sclerosis is in progression. And what does it exactly mean by patients becoming dramatically worse after the test - does it imply the increased level of gamma interferon? This made it even more tricky.

Any help would be appreciated!

[aileenann]

This is a pretty difficult and unusual question. Here we have to figure out what most conflicts - or rather is least compatible with - the results of an experiment described in the passage. I'd say focusing on the wording is most helpful, as well as making sure we understand as fully as we can the ramifications of the experiment results.

Here, it looks to me as though the gamma interferon - which should have quashed the virus and decreased symptoms actually made things worse. This would seem to suggest that a virus was not the cause - and indeed that there might have even been some helpful virus for decreasing symptoms. This also suggests (making less background assumptions that I might have been making in these first few hypotheses) that something about the gamma interferon either hurts the myelin or helps the WBC rather than stopping the process.

I think (A), the correct answer, would be tempting right off the bat so long as you had taken the time to understand the experiment and its results. In particular, if (A) is true, we should expect the opposite results of what actually happened. That is, we should expect the interferon to quash symptoms rather than exacerbate them. If I were really in a hurry (or knew this would be a good question to guess on to keep my timing up to date) I'd pick this one perhaps without even looking at the other answers.

I realize this might not be a very satisfying answer to your specific question about a fast way to do this problem. Unfortunately, there isn't always a fast way. I'd say that the trick I've learned over these years of teaching this test is that students often underestimate how much they are helped by taking the time to understand the argument. That is, a student may breeze through the argument but then as a result spend much more time on the answer choices than is really necessary. Even if you feel time pressure, I'd urge you not to cut back so much on the time you spend understanding the argument that this ultimately slows you down.

If you have more specific questions about this problem I'd love to hear them and help out. Similarly, if you have any of your own observations to add, that would be most welcome!

[lisahollchang]

I mistakenly chose answer C for this question, thinking that it was the most general statement with seemingly no attachment to the experiment. I missed the meaning of the third sentence ... and the corresponding "so..." starting off the fourth. Which is why it pays to pay attention to details!

[williamkazenas]

What is LEAST compatible with the results?

Results: "GAMMA INTERFERON IS BAD AND DOESN'T HELP"

(A) Gamma interferon stops white blood cells from prod---GAMA INTERFERON CURES MS!

And then I hastily chose (A) fully aware that it could have been a trap and I should look at the other choices

but I just couldn't see one could disagree with the results further than (A) did so I was ok with it.

[MeenaV936]

What type of LR question is this?

[ohthatpatrick]

Think about the normal flavors of INFERENCE ..

INFERENCE (must be true)
If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?

INFERENCE (most strongly supported)
If the statements above are true, which of the following is most supported?

Less commonly, we see the opposites of these:

INFERENCE (must be false)
If the statements above are true, which of the following must be false?

INFERENCE (most strongly opposed)
If the statements above are true, which of the following is least compatible?


To be logically INCOMPATIBLE or INCONSISTENT = contradictory

If I tell you that "no NFL players are female", then the statement "Laura is a girl who plays in the NFL" is incompatible / inconsistent.

COMPATIBLE = doesn't contradict.

If I tell you that "no NFL players are female", then the statement "mustard is yellow" is compatible. They don't contradict.

So from this question stem, we know that the correct answer is LEAST compatible, so the other four are compatible / more compatible.

But proving compatibility is harder than proving incompatibility.

If you were told:
No NFL players are female. Chris plays in the NFL

And asked "Which is LEAST compatible", which would you pick?
(A) Chris is female.
(B) Mustard is yellow

You'd pick (A), because we have ammunition that goes AGAINST (A).

So, just like on Must Be False, on this "Soft" Must Be False question, you'd be asking yourself as you read each answer choice, "Does this go against something we read?"