Critical Reasoning: Investigation Questions
Three years ago, a sports association announced its concern that an increase in the popularity of computer games would lead to a drop in the amount of time that children spent playing tennis. Clearly this prediction was inaccurate since a survey about kids activities at schools shows that many children who are spending more time playing computer games than before have not cut down on their tennis.
Which of the following would it be most useful to establish in order to evaluate the argument?
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice introduces other sports or physical activities. Such sports or activities are irrelevant since the conclusion focuses on the sports association's prediction about tennis.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]The question presented by this answer choice would not help us determine anything about whether the sports association's prediction was right. The intentions of the association are besides the point since the prediction was made about tennis and how much it's played.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice contains a topic that is beyond the scope of the argument - violence. The conclusion deals with the accuracy of the association's prediction about kids playing tennis. Therefore, data about violence would not directly help us in our task.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Answering the question put forward by this answer choice would not assist us in determining whether the author is right. Since the conclusion is about the association's prediction about kids, data about adults is irrelevant.
Good job!
[[snippet]]The question in this answer choice would tell us how relevant the survey is and, therefore, whether the author is correct or not. If the children's preferences are not the same after school, then it could be that they are playing far less tennis overall. If they maintain their choice of activities after school hours, then they are probably still playing the same amount of tennis even after computer games became popular.
