Question

read the two passages.
passage 1
violence in video games is unavoidable. more than half of the top video games contain some element of violence. does this lead to violence in the real world? logical people know the answer, and the facts prove it. between 1994 and 2004, video game sales increased by 204 percent. during that same time period, the arrest rate for juveniles committing violent crimes decreased by 63 percent. these facts make it obvious that video games are not a problem.
passage 2
the majority of video games contain violence. children playing these games leads directly to acts of violence. several studies, including a 2014 study by the journal of the american medical association, have
which passage provides the more effective argument, and why?
○ passage 1 is more effective because passage 2 relies on personal anecdotes as the main evidence.
○ passage 1 is more effective because it uses overstatement for extra emphasis, and passage 2 does not.
○ passage 2 is more effective because it contains logical and anecdotal, while passage 1 contains a bandwagon appeal and a false dilemma.
○ passage 2 is more effective because it presents data as empirical evidence, and passage 1 does not.

Explanation:

First, analyze Passage 1: it uses sales and juvenile arrest rate data but includes flawed reasoning: "Logical people know the answer" is a bandwagon appeal, and it frames the issue as a simple yes/no (false dilemma) about video games causing real-world violence. Passage 2, while only partially shown, references a peer-reviewed study (empirical evidence) and avoids the clear logical fallacies of Passage 1. Now evaluate the options:

• Option 1 is wrong: Passage 2 uses a study, not just personal anecdotes.
• Option 2 is wrong: Overstatement is a flaw, not a strength.
• Option 3 is correct: Passage 2 uses logical empirical evidence, while Passage 1 has a bandwagon appeal ("Logical people know the answer") and false dilemma (framing the issue as an obvious yes/no without nuance).
• Option 4 is wrong: Passage 1 does present data (sales and arrest rates).

Answer:

C. Passage 2 is more effective because it contains logical and anecdotal, while passage 1 contains a bandwagon appeal and a false dilemma.