An opinion podcast

The supported answer is “The number of reviews behind it.”. Evidence: “whether that average came from twelve reviews or twelve hundred”. Compare the alternative “The precise decimal value displayed as the cafe’s average.”. This was information the speaker already noticed or used. The question asks what was not checked behind the average. Check the source wording “A four-point-eight looked reassuringly precise.” against the question and the claim “The precise decimal value displayed as the cafe’s average.”. Compare the alternative “Whether the cafe’s displayed average was high.”. This was information the speaker already noticed or used. The question asks what was not checked behind the average. Check the source wording “A four-point-eight looked reassuringly precise.” against the question and the claim “Whether the cafe’s displayed average was high.”.

The supported answer is “They may want different kinds of visit.”. Evidence: “Someone looking for a quiet place to read may judge a lively cafe very differently from a group celebrating a birthday.”. Compare the alternative “A difference in their scores means at least one account is insincere.”. This turns an observed association into a causal conclusion that the account does not establish. Compare the alternative “The displayed average creates the preferences behind the individual ratings.”. This reverses the relationship stated in the passage.

The supported answer is “A repeated, specific complaint.”. Evidence: “A repeated, specific complaint can alert us to a problem worth investigating.”. Compare the alternative “A small score advantage without checking what produced the average.”. This makes one indicator sufficient on its own, although the passage calls for a broader assessment. Compare the alternative “An older review simply because it has remained online longest.”. This replaces the stated basis for judging a decision with a different criterion.

The supported answer is “A starting point for a decision.”. Evidence: “the beginning of a decision, rather than the end.”. Compare the alternative “A way of deciding which cafe meets personal needs without further judgement.”. This makes one indicator sufficient on its own, although the passage calls for a broader assessment. Compare the alternative “Evidence that the reviewers’ preferences match those of the listener.”. This extends a qualified finding into a claim without exceptions.

The supported answer is “People with ordinary experiences may not write reviews.”. Evidence: “People with an ordinary, acceptable experience may have less reason to write anything at all.”. Compare the alternative “The comments include an automatic account from each person who visited.”. This extends a qualified finding into a claim without exceptions. Compare the alternative “A selection problem means positive comments should be presumed dishonest.”. This reduces the argument to two opposing alternatives that the speaker or writer explicitly rejects.

The supported answer is “Showing the distribution and recency of ratings.”. Evidence: “show how many reviews are recent, make the spread of ratings visible”. Compare the alternative “Presenting the overall average more prominently than the variation behind it.”. This makes one indicator sufficient on its own, although the passage calls for a broader assessment. Compare the alternative “Using the total number of reviews without distinguishing recent ones.”. This reverses the relationship stated in the passage.