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Lesson 2
12
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ARCO
■ SAT II Subject Tests
4. Logical Expression
Sometimes a sentence will “want” to say one thing but end up saying something completely illogical.
EXAMPLES:
The great pianist Vladimir Horowitz played the music of the romantic era better than any
pianist in history.
As written, the sentence asserts that Vladimir Horowitz was better than anyone—including himself.
But that is a logical impossibility. The sentence should read: “The great pianist Vladimir Horowitz played
the music of the romantic era better than any other pianist in history.”
Educators are now expressing their concern that American schoolchildren prefer watching
television to books.
The sentence makes an illogical comparison between watching television and books. Watching tele-
vision is an activity; the books are objects. The sentence should read: “Educators are now expressing their
concern that American schoolchildren prefer watching television to reading books.”
The novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne contain characters that are every bit as sinister and fright-
ening as the master of cinematic suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.
This sentence, too, commits the error just discussed. The sentence literally compares the characters
in the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne to Alfred Hitchcock, the person. The sentence should read: “The
novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne contain characters that are every bit as sinister and frightening as those of
the master of cinematic suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.”
A Japanese firm has developed a computer so small that users can carry it in their briefcase.
As written, the sentence asserts that all of the users have but a single, jointly owned briefcase. What
the sentence means to say is that users can carry the new computer in their briefcases (plural). It should
read: “A Japanese firm has developed a computer so small that users can carry it in their briefcases.”
Another type of logical error tested is illogical transitions. Words like therefore, consequently, and
so signal logical transitions.
EXAMPLE:
Carlos has a very pleasant personality and he is a talented musician; therefore, he gets good
grades in school.
Therefore seems to signal a logical transition from the first two ideas to the third, but there is no
logical connection between having a good personality and being a talented musician, on the one hand,
and getting good grades, on the other. So the therefore is out of place. Substitute furthermore for there-
fore. An example of the correct use of therefore is: “I see the newspaper is not on the front porch; there-
fore, my brother must be home already.”
Words such as moreover, further, and furthermore signal the continuation of an idea.

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