Critical Reasoning: Conclusion Weakening Questions

By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group of employees who work from 9 am until 5 pm daily in a variety of fields, scientists determined that after the midday break, energy levels dropped although average decreases in activity only measured at 1%. To deal with this phenomenon in an efficient way, many companies began to provide sleeping facilities for sleepy workers who could rest for short periods of time and then return to work refreshed. Although this strategy revealed that a nap of only 25 minutes did seem to be effective at restoring energy and attentiveness, since the actual decrease in measured activity is fairly minor, a number of companies now intend to do away with this technique.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the logic of the companies' current intentions?

Incorrect.

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This answer choice neither weakens not strengthens the conclusion because the reasons for sleepiness are not discussed in the argument. Whether the energy drop is caused by meat or by exertion or by any other cause is irrelevant; the companies think a 1% is not worth the fuss.

Incorrect.

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This answer choice neither weakens not strengthens the conclusion; it validates the premises by showing that today's brainwave monitors are more accurate than those of the past. However, this does not help us undermine the decision made based on this data.

Incorrect.

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This answer choice supports the intentions of the companies whereas you are required to weaken the logic of these intentions. If by sleeping less than an hour we don't enter a state of very restful sleep, then the idea that a nap of 25 minutes can be helpful to sleepy employees becomes questionable.

Incorrect.

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This answer choice strengthens the logic behind the intentions of the companies while you are required to weaken this logic. If allowing employees to nap at work only makes then sleep less at home then the sleepiness problem is not solved, which means companies should not allow naps.

Bravo!

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This answer choice weakens the companies' intentions by showing that even though the activity of employees that did not rest hardly dropped (1%), the quality of their activity deteriorated significantly since they could only come up with basic and often incorrect (nonviable) solutions.

The employees whose brainwave scans indicated an activity decrease of more than 1% after midday were also those who reported that the meals they ate during their breaks sometimes consisted of a meat item. 

Brain activity tests of employees who had not napped but who had performed the same number of tasks as those who had, showed these employees made logical connections that were primarily involved in the creation of basic and, in many cases, nonviable solutions.

Through advancements in technology, current brainwave monitors have the potential to measure frequency differences that are very small whereas in the past only major changes in activity were detectable by researchers.

Brainwaves measured before an hour of sleep has been completed are far more similar to those emitted while in an awakened state than to those emitted during sleep associated with significant rest.

Employees who are presented with the option of sleeping at their places of employment are likely to take less heed in being responsible for the amount of sleep they get before arriving to perform a day's work.