In verbal reasoning, what approach best helps you infer the author's argument?

• A. Identify the author's conclusion, supporting premises, and logical connections; eliminate choices that contradict or require new information.
• B. Focus only on the most emotionally persuasive sentence.
• C. Assume the author has no premises and guess randomly.
• D. Choose the option that agrees with your own opinions.

Answer: (C)

Extracting the argument’s structure—the conclusion, the supporting premises, and how they connect—helps you infer what the author is arguing. Start by pinpointing the main claim the author wants you to accept, then identify the reasons given to support that claim, and then see how those reasons logically lead to the conclusion. This mapping also reveals any assumptions the author relies on and whether the premises actually justify the conclusion. Use that understanding to judge answer choices: options that introduce new information, rely on emotion rather than reasoning, or align with your own opinions instead of the text’s logic don’t fit the author’s argument. The most reliable approach stays focused on the text’s reasoning—the conclusion and its supporting premises—rather than feelings, guesswork, or personal bias.