PrepTest 85, Section 3, Question 18
An analysis of the language in social media messages posted via the Internet determined that, on average, the use of words associated with positive moods is common in the morning, decreases gradually to a low point midafternoon, and then increases sharply throughout the evening. This shows that a person's mood typically starts out happy in the morning, declines during the day, and improves in the evening.
An analysis of the language in social media messages posted via the Internet determined that, on average, the use of words associated with positive moods is common in the morning, decreases gradually to a low point midafternoon, and then increases sharply throughout the evening. This shows that a person's mood typically starts out happy in the morning, declines during the day, and improves in the evening.
An analysis of the language in social media messages posted via the Internet determined that, on average, the use of words associated with positive moods is common in the morning, decreases gradually to a low point midafternoon, and then increases sharply throughout the evening. This shows that a person's mood typically starts out happy in the morning, declines during the day, and improves in the evening.
An analysis of the language in social media messages posted via the Internet determined that, on average, the use of words associated with positive moods is common in the morning, decreases gradually to a low point midafternoon, and then increases sharply throughout the evening. This shows that a person's mood typically starts out happy in the morning, declines during the day, and improves in the evening.
The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument overlooks the possibility that
people's overall moods are lowest at the beginning of the workweek and rise later, peaking on the weekend
many people who post social media messages use neither words associated with positive moods nor words associated with negative moods
the frequency in the use of words in social media is not necessarily indicative of the frequency of the use of those words in other forms of communication
the number of social media messages posted in the morning is not significantly different from the number posted in the evening
most of the social media messages posted in the evening are posted by people who rarely post such messages in the morning
Explanations
What a bogus argument. Let me get this straight:
On average, social media posts involving happiness-indicating language start strong in the morning, wain throughout the day, and then peak again later in the evening. And because of this, we're meant to believe that a person's mood typically follows the same trend? Nonsense.
Use common sense here and come up with some objections. Here are mine: What about folks who don't use social media at all? How could we possibly use this information to track their happiness? What if some folks use social media exclusively in the morning? Or the evening? Any of these possibilities obliterate this argument.
It turns out to be a flaw question, specifically one calling out a possibility the argument overlooks. We've predicted at least three above. Now let's go find one.
Nah, this is irrelevant. Even if our moods start lowest on Monday and improve throughout the week, the observed daily trends could continue as described in the passage.
Nope. Who cares about "many" people? Many just means some. This indiscriminate number of people doesn't necessarily affect the averages specified in the passage.
No, this is a trap. The author's evidence relates to the trends in language in social media posts indicating similar trends in happiness. We can't call that in to question by evaluating language use that isn't in social media posts. It's true that trends in post language aren't necessarily indicative of trends in happiness, but that's not what the answer choice says.
Nope. So what? If posting volume is roughly equivalent in the mornings and evenings, then our author's argument is still possible. Not the answer.
Finally, yes. This goes along with one of our predictions. If a majority of folks posting in the evening don't post in the morning, then they may be miserable from morning through the afternoon and only finally become happy in the evenings. This is the answer.
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