Choose the completion that expresses the most appropriately qualified claim in each context.
1Because the sample is small and self-selected, its findings are ............... representative of the wider population.
Wrong!
A small, self-selected sample limits generalisation without proving unrepresentativeness, so "not necessarily" has the appropriate force.
2The outage began shortly after the update, but because the server logs stop at 02:14, it ............... caused by the update.
Wrong!
The missing logs leave the cause unresolved, so "may have been" expresses possibility rather than deduction.
3The pattern ............... an administrative error, although deliberate manipulation cannot yet be excluded.
Wrong!
Because deliberate manipulation remains possible, "may be attributable to" appropriately presents administrative error as only one explanation.
4The note refers to a proposal first documented in June, but its date remains uncertain; it ............... drafted after the May meeting.
Wrong!
The indirect dating evidence supports a tentative inference, expressed by "would appear to have been".
5The witness's account is ............... consistent with the footage: the broad sequence matches, though her estimate of the interval is several minutes too short.
Wrong!
The broad sequence matches but a timing detail does not, making "broadly" the accurate qualification.
6Given that the trials were small and unblinded, the treatment ............... patients with this subtype.
Wrong!
Small, unblinded trials support only a cautious preliminary claim, captured by "can at most be said to show promise for".
7With results from two major markets still unreported, it would be ............... to attribute the decline solely to the new policy.
Wrong!
Major missing results make a sole-cause conclusion insufficiently supported, so "premature" is appropriate.
8Because the remarks are compatible with either a temporary adjustment or a permanent shift, they ............... signalling a lasting change in policy.
Wrong!
Since the wording permits two interpretations, "could reasonably be read as" signals a plausible but non-exclusive reading.
9Because the observational studies cannot rule out reverse causation, the reported association ............... evidence that the exposure causes the outcome.
Wrong!
Unresolved reverse causation prevents a causal conclusion, so the association "should not, on its own, be treated as" evidence of causation.
10The catalogue was compiled decades ago and has never been fully checked against the boxes, so the archive ............... several uncatalogued letters.
Wrong!
The unchecked catalogue makes undiscovered material plausible but not certain, which is conveyed by "may well still contain".
11The two estimates are ...............: although they use the same outcome measure, one adjusts for baseline risk and the other does not.
Wrong!
The different adjustment methods restrict direct comparison, so the estimates are "comparable only with caution".
12The same rise occurred at this time in each of the previous three years, but no control group was included; the apparent improvement ............... seasonal variation rather than a lasting effect of the intervention.
Wrong!
The recurring seasonal pattern makes seasonality plausible, while the absent control group prevents certainty; "may simply reflect" expresses that limitation.
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- Because the sample is small and self-selected, its findings are not necessarily representative of the wider population.
- The outage began shortly after the update, but because the server logs stop at 02:14, it may have been caused by the update.
- The pattern may be attributable to an administrative error, although deliberate manipulation cannot yet be excluded.
- The note refers to a proposal first documented in June, but its date remains uncertain; it would appear to have been drafted after the May meeting.
- The witness’s account is broadly consistent with the footage: the broad sequence matches, though her estimate of the interval is several minutes too short.
- Given that the trials were small and unblinded, the treatment can at most be said to show promise for patients with this subtype.
- With results from two major markets still unreported, it would be premature to attribute the decline solely to the new policy.
- Because the remarks are compatible with either a temporary adjustment or a permanent shift, they could reasonably be read as signalling a lasting change in policy.
- Because the observational studies cannot rule out reverse causation, the reported association should not, on its own, be treated as evidence that the exposure causes the outcome.
- The catalogue was compiled decades ago and has never been fully checked against the boxes, so the archive may well still contain several uncatalogued letters.
- The two estimates are comparable only with caution: although they use the same outcome measure, one adjusts for baseline risk and the other does not.
- The same rise occurred at this time in each of the previous three years, but no control group was included; the apparent improvement may simply reflect seasonal variation rather than a lasting effect of the intervention.