CR(Critical Reasoning) is my favorite sub-section on the GMAT. Firstly, because I had 100% accuracy on CR. But more importantly, I got to dissect a well formed argument.
You don't have to read loooooong passages and neither do you have to correct sentences. Some say, you can't prepare or practice for CR, but that's not true. Although, you do get diminishing returns after a point. So just practice until you have your techniques mastered.
Strengthen/Weaken type questions are fairly common. And so it is imperative that we know how to solve these questions correctly, with 100% accuracy. Let us see how we can achieve that level of accuracy on such questions:
The key is Identifying Assumptions.
Facts/Premises + Assumptions = Conclusion(s)
If you can identify the assumptions, you can make an argument stronger or weaker. Most people try to "Prove" that the conclusion is some how wrong, which is the wrong approach. Conclusions are never drawn wrong. They are based on facts/premises and assumptions.
So obviously, either the facts are wrong or the assumptions are wrong. Unlike certain news channels, the GMAT test makers never get facts or premises wrong. You cannot attack the facts given in a GMAT argument! Remember that!
What is left for us to attack then? Assumptions.
Assumptions can either be strengthened or weakened.
How? You ask.
By providing additional information that either supports or negates the assumption.
That's it. That's the key. All GMAT CR Strengthen/Weaken questions rely on you identifying the assumptions correctly. Once you identify the assumptions, all you have to do is go through the answer choices to strengthen or weaken the argument.
ONLY one choice will do the trick. Others will either do the opposite or will not have any bearing on the argument at all! So, use your superpower of elimination to cut through the noise and find the correct answer choice.
If you practice this with 30 questions, you won't get another S/W question wrong.
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