CAT Critical Reasoning Practice question with Solution 51

The author’s whole point is that Raghnall’s conclusion is based on inadequate evidence. The author’s evidence is the alternative explanation he provides for the survey’s results; namely, that couples may blame finances for their marriage problems when finances aren’t the real problem. He uses this alternative explanation to make the point that Raghnall has jumped to conclusions—that she has failed to consider other possible explanations for the survey’s results. Thus, the author believes that Raghnall’s conclusion is inadequately justified.

(A) distorts the argument. The author’s point isn’t so much that financial problems are not a big factor in the breakup of marriages, but rather that Raghnall cannot reasonably conclude that they are without additional evidence.

(B) is outside the scope, a sure sign it’s not the main point. Marriage counsellors have never even been mentioned.

(D) simply restates the evidence, and not even the author’s evidence, but Raghnall’s.

(E) is a subtle misreading. The author does allude to “a number of other articles,’’ but all we know is that these articles relied on the same survey that Raghnall’s did; we don’t know that they necessarily drew the same conclusion that Raghnall did.