Example:
All things considered, you ought to vote.
Here, the author implies that you are obliged to vote.
The conclusion can even be put in the form of a question. This rhetorical te
chnique is quite effective in convincing people that a certain position is c
orrect. We are more likely to believe something if we feel that we concluded
it on our own, or at least if we feel that we were not told to believe it.
A conclusion put in question form can have this result.
Example:
The Nanuuts believe that they should not take from Nature anything She canno
t replenish during their lifetime. This assures that future generations can
enjoy the same riches of Nature that they have. At the current rate of destr
uction, the rain forests will disappear during our lifetime. Do we have an o
bligation to future generations to prevent this result?
Here the author trusts that the power of her argument will persuade the read
er to answer the question affirmatively.
Taking this rhetorical technique one step further, the writer may build up t
o the conclusion but leave it unstated. This allows the reader to make up hi
s own mind. If the build-up is done skillfully, the reader will be more like
ly to agree with the author, without feeling manipulated.
Example:
He who is without sin should cast the first stone. There is no one here who
does not have a skeleton in his closet.
The unstated but obvious conclusion here is that none of the people has the
right to cast the first stone.
When determining the conclusion's scope be careful not to read any more or l
esssintosit than the author states. GMAT writers often create wrong answer-c
hoices by slightly overstating or understating the author's claim. Certain w
ords limit the scope of a statement. These words are called quantifiers——pay
close attention to them. Following is a list of the most important quantifi
ers:
Quantifiers
all except likely
some most many
only could no
never always everywhere
probably must alone