PrepTest 43, Section 3, Question 2
The Fenwicks returned home from a trip to find two broken bottles on their kitchen floor. There was no sign of forced entry and nothing in the house appeared to have been taken. Although the Fenwicks have a pet cat that had free run of the house while they were away, the Fenwicks hypothesized that they had left a back door unlocked and that neighborhood children had entered through it, attempted to raid the kitchen, and left after breaking the bottles.
The Fenwicks returned home from a trip to find two broken bottles on their kitchen floor. There was no sign of forced entry and nothing in the house appeared to have been taken. Although the Fenwicks have a pet cat that had free run of the house while they were away, the Fenwicks hypothesized that they had left a back door unlocked and that neighborhood children had entered through it, attempted to raid the kitchen, and left after breaking the bottles.
The Fenwicks returned home from a trip to find two broken bottles on their kitchen floor. There was no sign of forced entry and nothing in the house appeared to have been taken. Although the Fenwicks have a pet cat that had free run of the house while they were away, the Fenwicks hypothesized that they had left a back door unlocked and that neighborhood children had entered through it, attempted to raid the kitchen, and left after breaking the bottles.
The Fenwicks returned home from a trip to find two broken bottles on their kitchen floor. There was no sign of forced entry and nothing in the house appeared to have been taken. Although the Fenwicks have a pet cat that had free run of the house while they were away, the Fenwicks hypothesized that they had left a back door unlocked and that neighborhood children had entered through it, attempted to raid the kitchen, and left after breaking the bottles.
Each of the following, if true, helps to support the Fenwicks' hypothesis EXCEPT:
A neighbor thought he had seen the Fenwicks' back door closing while the Fenwicks were away.
When the Fenwicks returned home, they found children's footprints on the back porch that had not been there before their trip.
The two bottles that the Fenwicks found broken on their kitchen floor had been in the refrigerator when the Fenwicks left on vacation.
There have been several recent burglaries in the Fenwicks' neighborhood in which neighborhood children were suspected.
The Fenwicks returned home from their trip later than they had planned.
Explanations
The Fenwick's came home to broken glass in their kitchen and they've concocted a theory about how the glass got there that overlooks a feline-based explanation.
Sounds like the Fenwick's need a lesson in Occam's Razor—simpler explanations tend to be more likely than convoluted ones. That is, it's probably the cat's doing, not neighborhood kids.
This is a Strengthen Except question, meaning we need the answer choice that doesn't support the Fenwick's cockamamie hypothesis.
The right answer will either be irrelevant or outright weaken their conclusion.
Let's see.
Nope. This increases the likelihood of a break in, so it would add evidence the Fenwick's argument, making it incorrect.
Nah. Like A, this adds to the likelihood that neighborhood kids were snooping around the Fenwick's house, supporting their argument.
No chance. This is a major strengthener. If the bottles were in the fridge, how would the cat (or any non-human thing, for that matter) have gotten to the bottles?
Still no. This, like B, points to the neighborhood kids being the culprits, supporting the Fenwick's argument.
Finally, yes. This one doesn't strengthen or weaken their argument. It's immaterial to identifying a culprit, so it's going to be our answer.
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