Public health expert: Increasing the urgency of a public health message may be counterproductive. In addition to irritating the majority...

GMAT Critical Reasoning : (CR) Questions

Source: Official Guide

Critical Reasoning

Boldface

MEDIUM

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Public health expert: Increasing the urgency of a public health message may be counterproductive. In addition to irritating the majority who already behave responsibly, it may undermine all government pronouncements on health by convincing people that such messages are overly cautious. And there is no reason to believe that those who ignore measured voices will listen to shouting.

The two sections in boldface play which of the following roles in the public health expert's argument?

The first is a conclusion for which support is provided. but is not the argument's main conclusion; the second is an unsupported premise supporting the arguments main conclusion.

The first is a premise supporting the only explicit conclusion; so is the second.

The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second supports that conclusion and is itself a conclusion for which support is provided.

The first is a premise supporting the argument's only conclusion; the second is that conclusion.

The first is the argument's only explicit conclusion; the second is a premise supporting that conclusion.

Solution

Understanding the Passage

Text from Passage	Analysis
(Boldface 1) "Increasing the urgency of a public health message may be counterproductive"	What it says: Making public health messages more urgent or alarming might actually work against the intended goal rather than helping it. Visualization: Current approach: "Please wash hands regularly" → More urgent approach: "URGENT: You must wash hands or face severe consequences!" → Result: Less effective than the calm approach What it does: This establishes the main position the expert is taking - that urgency in messaging can backfire Source: Author's (public health expert's) view
"In addition to irritating the majority who already behave responsibly,"	What it says: Most people already follow health guidelines properly, and urgent messages will annoy these responsible people. Visualization: Population breakdown: 70% already wash hands regularly + follow guidelines → Urgent messages make these 70% frustrated and annoyed What it does: This provides the first reason supporting why urgent messages are counterproductive Source: Author's reasoning
(Boldface 2) "it may undermine all government pronouncements on health by convincing people that such messages are overly cautious"	What it says: When the government uses urgent health messages, people might start thinking that all government health advice is too careful or exaggerated, which damages trust in all health communications. Visualization: Government says: "URGENT health warning about hand washing" → Public thinks: "They're being too dramatic" → Next message: "Get vaccinated" → Public response: "They're probably exaggerating again, I'll ignore this too" What it does: This provides a second, broader reason why urgent messaging backfires - it creates a credibility problem Source: Author's reasoning
"And there is no reason to believe that those who ignore measured voices will listen to shouting."	What it says: People who don't listen to calm, reasonable health advice won't suddenly start listening just because the message becomes loud or urgent. Visualization: Non-compliant group: 30% ignore calm message "Please wash hands" → Same 30% also ignore urgent message "YOU MUST WASH HANDS NOW!" → No improvement in compliance What it does: This provides a third reason - urgent messaging doesn't even work on the target audience (non-compliant people) Source: Author's reasoning

Overall Structure

The author is presenting an argument against using urgent messaging in public health. The expert gives one main position and then supports it with three distinct reasons why urgent messaging fails.

Main Conclusion: Increasing the urgency of a public health message may be counterproductive.

Boldface Segments

Boldface 1: Increasing the urgency of a public health message may be counterproductive
Boldface 2: it may undermine all government pronouncements on health by convincing people that such messages are overly cautious

Boldface Understanding

Boldface 1:

Function: This is the main conclusion of the expert's argument
Direction: This represents the author's ultimate position - same direction

Boldface 2:

Function: This serves as one of the supporting reasons for why urgent messaging is counterproductive
Direction: This supports the author's conclusion that urgent messaging is bad - same direction

Structural Classification

Boldface 1:

Structural Role: Main conclusion of the argument
Predicted Answer Patterns: "main conclusion," "position being defended," "overall claim"

Boldface 2:

Structural Role: Supporting evidence/reason for the main conclusion
Predicted Answer Patterns: "reason supporting the conclusion," "evidence for the main claim," "consideration in favor of the position"

Answer Choices Explained

The first is a conclusion for which support is provided. but is not the argument's main conclusion; the second is an unsupported premise supporting the arguments main conclusion.

'The first is a conclusion for which support is provided, but is not the argument's main conclusion' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface IS the main conclusion of the argument; there's no higher-level conclusion being argued
'the second is an unsupported premise supporting the argument's main conclusion' - ✗ WRONG - While the second is a premise, it's not unsupported; the expert provides logical reasoning about how urgent messages create credibility problems

The first is a premise supporting the only explicit conclusion; so is the second.

'The first is a premise supporting the only explicit conclusion' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface IS the conclusion, not a premise supporting it
'so is the second' - ✗ WRONG - While the second is indeed a premise, the first part makes this choice incorrect

The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second supports that conclusion and is itself a conclusion for which support is provided.

'The first is the argument's main conclusion' - ✓ CORRECT - The first boldface establishes the expert's primary position
'the second supports that conclusion and is itself a conclusion for which support is provided' - ✗ WRONG - The second boldface is a supporting reason, not a conclusion that receives its own support

The first is a premise supporting the argument's only conclusion; the second is that conclusion.

'The first is a premise supporting the argument's only conclusion' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface IS the conclusion, not a premise
'the second is that conclusion' - ✗ WRONG - The second boldface is a supporting premise, not the main conclusion

The first is the argument's only explicit conclusion; the second is a premise supporting that conclusion.

'The first is the argument's only explicit conclusion' - ✓ CORRECT - The expert states one clear conclusion about urgent messaging being counterproductive
'the second is a premise supporting that conclusion' - ✓ CORRECT - The second boldface provides one of three reasons why urgent messaging fails

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