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Breakdown of the argument:

Premise: Packaged tea contains less caffeine and has fewer calories than Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea and is available in most grocery stores.

Conclusion: The boom in the freshly brewed tea business in Krztanza will end when consumers learn that a serving of Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea often contains the same amount of caffeine as eight cans of a popular energy drink and has as many calories as an entire meal.

The reasoning of the argument is that, since packaged tea contains less caffeine and has fewer calories than Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea, and since packaged tea is widely available, the boom in the freshly brewed tea business in Krztanza will end when people find out about the high caffeine and caloric levels of Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea.

However, while, given the way it is structured and worded, the argument seems to imply that people want to avoid caffeine and calories, it never actually says that consumers prefer beverages with relatively low caffeine and caloric levels over beverages with high caffeine and caloric levels. What if people DO NOT prefer beverages with relatively low caffeine and caloric levels over beverages with high caffeine and caloric levels? In such a case, the argument falls apart.

(A) Consumers in Krztanza do not mind high levels of caffeine and high calorie counts in their coffee.

The wording of this choice makes it seem somehow relevant to the argument. However, Critical Reasoning is not a word-matching game, and the fact that a choice seems to match what the argument says does not make that choice correct.

In fact, what we really need to notice about this choice is that its effect is basically the opposite of what we need in order to complete the argument.

The fact that people do not mind high levels of caffeine and calories in their coffee is in conflict with the conclusion that they will reduce their consumption of Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea once they become aware of its caffeine and calorie levels. After all, if they do not mind high levels of calories and caffeine in their coffee, then it’s quite possible that they don’t mind high levels of calories and caffeine in general.

In general, when we’re seeking an assumption upon which an argument rests, an answer choice that says something that weakens the argument will not be correct.

(B) Although Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea is less healthy than packaged tea, it has become very popular.

This choice adds virtually nothing to the argument. From what we the argument says, we already have reason to believe that freshly brewed tea has become very popular. After all, the passage says that there is a “boom in the freshly brewed tea business in Krztanza.”

If we were looking for a conclusion supported by what the passage says, this choice might work. However, we are looking for an assumption integral to the argument, not a conclusion.

CORRECT ANSWER(C) Consumers in Krztanza do not prefer high calorie beverages that contain high levels of caffeine.

The author must assume what this choice says.

Notice that, if, contrary to what this choice say, people in Krztanza DO prefer high caffeine beverages that are high in calories, then learning that Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea is higher in caffeine and calories than packaged tea won’t cause them to reduce their consumption of freshly brewed tea.

Thus, if consumers in Krztanza DO prefer high calorie beverages that contain high levels of caffeine, then the evidence that packaged tea contains less caffeine and has fewer calories than Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea does not support the conclusion, and the argument falls part.

So, the argument works only if what this choice says is true.

Notice how, even though what this choice says is rather basic and is obviously integral to the argument, it still constitutes an assumption without which the logic of the argument falls apart.

(D) Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea could be improved by reducing its calories and caffeine.

Concluding that the boom in the freshly brewed tea business in Krztanza will end  does not require assuming that freshly brewed tea could be improved.

In fact, if it is the case that freshly brewed tea could be improved, then perhaps tea makers will improve freshly brewed tea and people will continue to consume it, or even increase their consumption of it, in which case the boom will not end.

(E) Ultimately, the consumption of tea in Krztanza will decrease because packaged tea contains fewer calories and caffeine.

This choice could be tempting because the argument’s conclusion is that the boom in the freshly brewed tea business will end, and this choice is about a decrease in tea consumption.

Notice, however, that the point of the argument is not that tea in general will be consumed less. The point is that people will consume less Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea once they find out about its high caffeine and calorie levels.

So, the argument could still work even if, contrary to what this choice says, the overall consumption of tea in Krztanza will NOT decrease, as long as consumption of Krztanzian-style freshly brewed tea in particular will decrease.

LEARNING JOURNAL

What went wrong, and what can you do differently next time?

Was there a particular sticking point, breakdown in your logic or conceptual knowledge, bad habit, or careless mistake that led you to the wrong answer? At what point in your process did that error occur?

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