今天我们谈谈GMAT逻辑argument中比较tricky的一类文章:causal argument。
在所有的GMAT逻辑argument文章中,同学们比较困扰的是causal reasoning,即现象解释型文章。所谓causal argument,即整个论述过程的最终目的是为了得出一种因果关系,解释一个现象的发生。正确的识别causal reasoning,可以更好的定位正确答案。
如何识别causal reasoning呢?
1.前提描述一个现象的发生,结论给出导致这个现象发生的原因
例1 The price of maple syrup has jumped from 22 dollars a gallon three years ago to 40 dollars a gallon today. It can be concluded that maple-syrup harvesters have been artificially inflating prices and that governmental price regulations are necessary to control rising prices.
Premise: maple syrup从三年前的22刀/加仑涨价到今天的40刀/加仑。
Conclusion:maple syrup的生产商人为抬高价格。
在这篇文章中premise描述了一个现象即价格上涨,然后conclusion给出造成价格上涨的原因,生产商人为抬高价格(conclusionàpremise)。
识别方法:结论解释前提的发生
2.前提描述了两件事情的发生,结论得出这两件事情因果相关
例2 In physics journals, the number of articles reporting the results of experiments involving particle accelerators was lower last year than it had been in previous years. Several of the particle accelerators at major research institutions were out of service the year before last for repairs, so it is likely that the low number of articles was due to the decline in availability of particle accelerators.
Premise:①关于粒子加速实验的文章发表的数量去年比前年少。
Premise:②大型研究机构的粒子加速器送去维修。
Conclusion:文章数量少是由于可用的粒子加速器减少导致的。
这篇文章的前提描述了两件事情在同一个时间段内发生,结论认为这两件事情之间有因果关系(②à①)
这种文章有一个比较容易是别的特点,在结论里会出现因果关联词be due to。
识别方法:表示因果关系的词组出现在文章结论中通常是causal reasoning的标志:Caused by; because of; responsible for; reason for; leads to; induced by; determined by; be due to等。