Overview: Bold Faced Questions | Verbal for GMAT PDF Download

What are Bold Faced Questions?

A Bold Face (BF) question contains an argument with one or more highlighted (bolded) statements. The question stem asks you to select the answer choice that describes the role played by these highlighted statements.

What are Bolded Statements?

Imagine you're dealing with a bunch of statements that can serve different roles like stating facts, expressing opinions, providing reasons, and so on. These statements might not follow a straightforward order. 

For instance, someone might share an opinion supported by a fact, then introduce counter-evidence, and finally, provide another reason supporting the initial opinion. Your job is to make sense of all these statements, understanding their roles and how they relate to each other, without getting too caught up in the intricacies of the details.

How to Approach Bold Face Questions?

Imagine building essential skills is like learning to walk. It's a basic ability you need. But, just knowing how to walk isn't enough to get you where you want to go. You also need a good path to walk on—one that's strong, with fewer obstacles, leading you efficiently to your destination.

Similarly, when you're improving your core skills, you also need a smart strategy to handle challenging questions during a test. Here's a recommended approach:

1. Actively read the passage: Understand the main idea by connecting each statement, especially paying attention to the bolded ones.
2. Classify the bold statements: Before looking at the answer choices, figure out what each bold statement is saying and how it relates to the main conclusion. Is it supporting, weakening, or not related?
3. Evaluate the answer choices: Look at the options and choose the one that fits best with your understanding of the passage.

In simpler terms, it's like learning to walk well (building your skills) and choosing the right path (strategy) to reach your destination efficiently (solving questions effectively in a test).

Solved Example

Q1: In countries where automobile insurance includes compensation for whiplash injuries sustained in automobile accidents, reports of having suffered such injuries are twice as frequent as they are in countries where whiplash is not covered. Presently, no objective test for whiplash exists, so it is true that spurious reports of whiplash injuries cannot be readily identified. Nevertheless, these facts do not warrant the conclusion drawn by some commentators that in the countries with the higher rates of reported whiplash injuries, half of the reported cases are spurious. Clearly, in countries where automobile insurance does not include compensation for whiplash, people often have little incentive to report whiplash injuries that they actually have suffered.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
(A) The first is a claim that the argument disputes; the second is a conclusion that has been based on that claim.
(B) The first is a claim that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument accepts; the second is that conclusion.
(C) The first is evidence that has been used to support a conclusion for which the argument provides further evidence; the second is the main conclusion of the argument.
(D) The first is a finding whose implications are at issue in the argument; the second is a claim presented in order to argue against deriving certain implications from that finding.
(E) The first is a finding whose accuracy is evaluated in the argument; the second is evidence presented to establish that the finding is accurate.

Argument Analysis 
Start by actively read the passage once and then, look at the options.
“In countries where automobile insurance includes compensation for whiplash injuries sustained in automobile accidents, reports of having suffered such injuries are twice as frequent as they are in countries where whiplash is not covered” – The statement is written in a factual form, like reporting of a finding. The author simply states a fact that whiplash injuries are more commonly reported in countries where the automobile insurance includes compensation for such injuries.

“Presently, no objective test for whiplash exists, so it is true that spurious reports of whiplash injuries cannot be readily identified” – The author first presents a fact – no objective test for whiplash exists – and then presents his opinion or an intermediate conclusion – so it is true that spurious reports of whiplash injuries cannot be readily identified.

“Nevertheless, these facts do not warrant the conclusion drawn by some commentators that in the countries with the higher rates of reported whiplash injuries, half of the reported cases are spurious” – This statement is quite complex and may induce errors in understanding in a lot of people. Let’s understand. Firstly, it begins with ‘Nevertheless’, which means that something counter to the previous statement is going to come here. “these facts…” here refer to previous conclusion (that spurious reports of whiplash injuries cannot be readily identified) and the first statement. You can see how an intermediate conclusion is referred to as a fact in the next statement. So what is this statement – this statement is author’s opinion and may be the overall conclusion of the argument.

“Clearly, in countries where automobile insurance does not include compensation for whiplash, people often have little incentive to report whiplash injuries that they actually have suffered.” – Read it along with the previous statement. In this statement, the author provides justification for his opinion that the commentators are wrong in drawing their conclusion. The author says that in countries which don’t include compensation for whiplash injuries, people don’t have the incentive to report such injuries. This statement is author’s justification to support his conclusion.

BF1: Fact from which a conclusion has been drawn in the argument.
BF2: Author’s justification to support the conclusion of the argument

Answer Choice Analysis
Now, let’s look at options C, D & E

Option C – BF1: we see that BF1 is indeed an evidence of the conclusion of commentators. Besides, there is further evidence for this conclusion in statement 2, which is also used as a premise for the conclusion.

BF2: As we have understood above, BF2 is not the main conclusion. It is author’s justification to support the conclusion of the argument.

So, option C eliminated.

Option D – BF1: We see that BF1 is a finding whose implication could refer to the conclusion drawn by the commentators. This conclusion is at issue. First part is correct.

BF2: is it a claim? Yes, it is presented like a view of the author. Is it presented against some implication of the BF1? Yes, it is presented as a view to counter the conclusion of the commentators.

So, option D could be correct.

Option E – We have seen that BF1 is treated like a fact in the argument and its accuracy is nowhere evaluated. Thus, this is incorrect.

So, we find that option D is the correct answer.

Q2: Recent studies have shown that employees in open-plan offices are more likely to take sick leave than those in traditional cubicle-based offices. Moreover, it has been observed that in open-plan offices, there is a higher prevalence of airborne diseases. Critics argue that these findings clearly indicate that open-plan offices are detrimental to employee health. However, it is also noted that employees in open-plan offices report higher levels of job satisfaction and collaboration.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
(A) The first is a claim that has been used to support a conclusion that the argument disputes; the second is a counterexample that undermines the conclusion supported by the first.
(B) The first is evidence supporting a conclusion that the argument ultimately rejects; the second is a claim that forms the basis of the argument's main conclusion.
(C) The first is an observation that supports a conclusion that the argument questions; the second is an additional observation that provides an alternative explanation.
(D) The first is a finding that the argument considers as evidence for a certain conclusion; the second is evidence that supports an opposing conclusion.
(E) The first is a statement of fact used to support a conclusion; the second is a counterargument that the author uses to refute the conclusion drawn from the first.
Ans: (D)
Sol: The argument presents two contrasting points about open-plan offices: one regarding the increased rate of sick leaves and another about higher job satisfaction and collaboration.
"Moreover, it has been observed that in open-plan offices, there is a higher prevalence of airborne diseases." This statement is presented as a finding or observation. It seems to support the critics' view that open-plan offices are detrimental to employee health.
"However, it is also noted that employees in open-plan offices report higher levels of job satisfaction and collaboration." This statement introduces a contrasting observation, suggesting that despite the increased prevalence of airborne diseases, there are positive aspects to open-plan offices, such as higher job satisfaction and collaboration.
(A) The first statement is not a claim but an observation. The second statement is not a counterexample but an alternative perspective.
(B) The first is indeed evidence, but the argument does not reject its conclusion; it rather introduces a contrasting view. The second is not the basis of the main conclusion but additional information.
(C) While the first is an observation, the second does not provide an alternative explanation but rather introduces a new, positive aspect of open-plan offices.
(D) This option accurately reflects the roles of the statements. The first is a finding that supports a negative conclusion about open-plan offices, and the second supports a contrasting, more positive conclusion.
(E) The first statement is indeed a fact used to support a conclusion, but the second is not a counterargument; it adds another dimension to the discussion.
The correct answer is (D), as it best describes the roles of the two boldfaced statements in the context of the argument.