Question

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the author’s arguments?

• A. Behavioural traits that helped us in the days when we were hunter-gatherers continue to be present in modern-day humans.
• B. Behavioural traits that helped us in the days when we were hunter-gatherers are no longer found in modern-day humans.
• C. The negativity bias makes us more likely to be affected by depressing or sad news.
• D. We have certain behavioural characteristics that affect how we perceive and are affected by sad news.
• A. Contemporary media continuously exposes us to exciting news and information, which may be just like the things we usually experience in our lives.
• B. Contemporary media continuously exposes us to exciting news and information, which may be very unlike the kinds of things we usually encounter in our lives.
• C. Contemporary media continuously exposes us to boring news and information, which may be very unlike the kinds of things we usually encounter in our lives.
• D. Contemporary media continuously exposes us to boring news and information, which may be just like the things we usually experience in our lives.
• A. Constantly being exposed to negative news gives us a warped perspective of the world.
• B. In our hunting and gathering days, it was better for us to be unnecessarily scared rather than being scared too little.
• C. The news modern media exposes us to is just like our day-to-day experiences.
• D. The news modern media exposes us to is very different from our day-to-day experiences.
• A. We are more likely to notice a story about a billionaire donating their money to charity than a story about an airplane crash.
• B. We are more likely to be attracted to a news article about a rise in life expectancy in our country than a news article about a murder in our city.
• C. We are more likely to notice a story about increasing pollution levels than a story about improving educational levels in schools.
• D. We are more likely to form our opinion of the world based on the information available to us rather than information we do not have access to.
• A. Ensuring that we do not seek out news sources and stories that we may not otherwise have been exposed to.
• B. Following only one news source and limiting our perspective of the world to that one source.
• C. Avoiding all positive news stories, and instead only reading news stories about disasters and tragedies.
• D. Ensuring that we seek out news sources and stories that we may not otherwise have been exposed to.
• A. Our ideas about the world are shaped by the information we are exposed to.
• B. Modern media is concerned only with making massive profits.
• C. Modern journalists generate news stories much faster than in the old days.
• D. Humans once lived as hunter-gatherers.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Identify the core of the author’s argument
The author claims that humans are prone to being overly affected by bad news due to negativity bias and availability bias.
The negativity bias is linked to evolutionary traits from our hunter-gatherer days, where being more sensitive to danger improved survival chances.
Therefore, the argument assumes these ancient traits still influence modern human perception. Step 2: Find what would weaken this link
If it turns out that these evolutionary behavioural traits no longer exist in modern humans, the claimed evolutionary basis for current susceptibility to bad news collapses.
Without these traits, the link between hunter-gatherer psychology and our present-day reactions to media would be invalid.
Step 3: Option-by-option analysis
(A) Reinforces the author’s assumption — strengthens rather than weakens.
(B) Directly contradicts the assumption — if the traits are gone, the evolutionary explanation fails. Correct.
(C) Restates part of the author’s claim about negativity bias — strengthens, not weakens.
(D) Supports the idea that certain behavioural characteristics still affect us — strengthens, not weakens.
\[ \boxed{\text{(B) removes the evolutionary basis for modern susceptibility to bad news.}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1: Understand the author's media critique
The passage argues that modern media thrives on sensational, shocking, and extreme stories, often personalised to what grabs our attention.
It is contrasted with the ordinary, mundane lives that most people actually lead.
The author even calls it “an assault on the mundane” — implying that what we see in the news is very different from our daily experiences.
Step 2: Connect to the correct option
If media is feeding us highly exciting, shocking content and avoiding the “boring” reality, then it matches the description in (B) — exciting news very unlike our own daily lives.
Step 3: Eliminate wrong choices
(A) suggests the news is just like daily life — contradicts the author’s view.
(C) says media gives boring news — opposite of “clickbait” and “sensational” content.
(D) has both boring content and similarity to daily life — neither fits the passage.
\[ \boxed{\text{(B) fits the author’s description of sensationalised media unlike real life.}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1: Identify the author's main point
The author contrasts “boring lives” (real life) with sensational, attention-grabbing media stories.
He says the modern news is “an assault on the mundane,” implying it shows us events far removed from our ordinary lives.
Step 2: Apply the logic to the options
(A) is true according to the passage, but it’s not the most direct inference from the “boring lives” remark.
(B) relates to evolutionary psychology, but the question focuses on modern media.
(C) directly contradicts the author’s idea — modern news is not like daily life.
(D) fits perfectly — sensational news is far removed from ordinary experience.
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) aligns with the author’s view of sensationalised, atypical news content.}} \]

Answer 4

Step 1: Recall the definition of negativity bias
Negativity bias means humans pay more attention to negative or threatening information than positive or neutral information.
Step 2: Apply to options
(A) Contradicts — here, a positive story (charity) is more likely noticed, which goes against negativity bias.
(B) Contradicts — a rise in life expectancy (positive) being preferred is not consistent with negativity bias.
(C) Fits — pollution increase is negative, educational improvement is positive; negativity bias predicts the negative story will get more attention.
(D) Relates to availability bias, not negativity bias.
\[ \boxed{\text{(C) matches the definition of negativity bias.}} \]

Answer 5

Step 1: Recall the definition of availability bias
Availability bias is the tendency to think that something is more common or important if examples come easily to mind — often because we’ve been exposed to them more.
Step 2: Counteracting availability bias
To avoid a skewed perspective, we must deliberately seek out less-represented or alternative information.
This widens the information pool and reduces over-reliance on the easily available examples.
Step 3: Eliminate wrong options
(A) and (B) reduce diversity of exposure — worsens the bias.
(C) is the opposite — it amplifies negativity bias.
(D) is correct because it increases exposure to varied content.
\[ \boxed{\text{(D) directly tackles the root cause of availability bias.}} \]

Answer 6

Step 1: Identify the conclusion and reasoning
The author claims: Frequent exposure to horrific stories \Rightarrow distorted view of reality.
This requires assuming that what we are exposed to actually influences our perception of the world. Step 2: Link to the assumption
If our perceptions were independent of the news we consume, the argument would collapse.
(A) states exactly the needed link — exposure shapes worldview.
Step 3: Eliminate wrong options
(B) may be true but is not necessary for the argument.
(C) is irrelevant to the distortion of worldview.
(D) relates to evolutionary traits, but the claim here is about news exposure.
\[ \boxed{\text{(A) is the critical assumption connecting exposure to distorted worldview.}} \]