Critical Reasoning

A marriage counselor noted that couples who have occasional violent arguments are less likely to divorce within the next six months than those who have frequent but less violent arguments. He concluded that frequent arguing is a major factor in the causation of severe marital disharmony.

The counselor's conclusion is most weakened by which of the following observations?

A. Couples who have already come to the point of divorce argue continuously over small matters.
B. People who have recently divorced are more likely to argue violently when they meet.
C. Many people in happy marriages have occasional violent arguments.
D. Recently divorced people rarely cite frequent arguments as a cause of marital disharmony
E. A significant fraction of couples close to divorce do not talk to each other.

The answer is A according to the test...

can any one please suggest...

Hi,

Conclusion : Arguing is a major factor in the causation of divorce.
We will look for a choice that weakens the relationship by 1-reversing it 2-breaking the relationship, 3- offering other reasons.


B. Divorced couples are out of scope.
C. We do not talk about happy marriages either
D.It is tricky. Just because they cite so, does not neccesarily support the conclusion of the argument. It does not weaken the conclusion.
E. Fraction is meaningless and sort of an other trick here, because there is no percentage or fraction data mentioned in the argument that we can base our assumption.

A. This is it. The relationship is reversed in the choice, cause and effect order is just vice versa. It is the divorce that leads the arguments between couples, not the frequent argument that leads to divorce.SO this choice reverses the causation stated in the argument.SO it weakens.

jainnikhil02 wrote:A marriage counselor noted that couples who have occasional violent arguments are less likely to divorce within the next six months than those who have frequent but less violent arguments. He concluded that frequent arguing is a major factor in the causation of severe marital disharmony.

The counselor's conclusion is most weakened by which of the following observations?

A. Couples who have already come to the point of divorce argue continuously over small matters.
B. People who have recently divorced are more likely to argue violently when they meet.
C. Many people in happy marriages have occasional violent arguments.
D. Recently divorced people rarely cite frequent arguments as a cause of marital disharmony
E. A significant fraction of couples close to divorce do not talk to each other.

The answer is A according to the test...

can any one please suggest...

I think the best choice would be E. I don't know how A can be the answer, but there is a small doubt. Does not speaking with each other, mean that they don't argue.

Too sloppy reading on my part I just realized the mistake I have done from your explanation @ozlemg. Thanks.

A. This is it. The relationship is reversed in the choice, rel.is just vice versa. The point of divorce leads the arguments between couples, not the frequent argument leads to divorce.

Tricky Question.
I eliminated A just because it almost conveyed the same language as the argument.
I would have chosen D. But after reading posts. A seems to be likely