Complex sentence: In addition to preserving this property, the model permits a stringent empirical test of the hypothesis that response categories represent increasing levels of a latent attribute or trait, hence are ordered, because it is empirically possible that thresholds will fail to display their intended ordering.
Split into simpler sentences: In addition to preserving this property, the model permits a stringent empirical test of the hypothesis that response categories represent increasing levels of a latent attribute or trait, hence are ordered. The reason the model provides a basis for testing this hypotheis is that it is empirically possible that thresholds will fail to display their intended ordering.