icandy wrote:
Critics of certain pollution-control regulations have claimed that the money spent over the last decade in order to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and of volatile organic compounds has been wasted. The evidence they offer in support of this claim might appear compelling: despite the money spent, annual emissions of these pollutants have been increasing steadily. This evidence is far from adequate, however, since over the last decade a substantial number of new industrial facilities that emit these pollutants have been built.
In the reasoning given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A. The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is evidence that has been cited by others in support of that claim.
B. The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
C. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
D. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence used to support the reasoning’s contention.
E. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.
Understanding the passage:
Critics of some particular pollution control regulations have the opinion that the money spent over the last ten years to reduce the emission of certain gases went wasted. The evidence they offer for this claim is that the emission of these gases has gone up during the last decade steadily. This may feel like compelling evidence but is inadequate to push the claim because the industrial facilities that give out these gases have also gone up significantly during the last decade. (It may be possible that a staggering increase that may have happened in ten years was slowed down significantly due to the regulations, even if the regulations could not reduce the emissions per se)
Conclusion: The fact that emission of the mentioned gases has gone up during the last decade is not adequate to claim that the money spent over the last ten years to reduce the emission of these gases went wasted.
Question stem analysis
In the reasoning given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?This question addresses the argument as the reasoning. It is useful to note to avoid confusions while analyzing the options. Otherwise, it is a straightforward boldface question which asks to identify the roles of the relevant parts.
Prethinking
BF1: the money spent over the last decade in order to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and of volatile organic compounds has been wasted.
Role: Claim/opinion/position/standpoint/belief against the conclusion
Relation to BF2: Opposite direction
BF2: since over the last decade a substantial number of new industrial facilities that emit these pollutants have been built. Role: Fact/Evidence/Observation that supports the conclusion
Relation to BF1: against the claim put forward by BF1
Option Analysis
A. The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is evidence that has been cited by others in support of that claim.
The first identifies a claim Correctthat the reasoning seeks to show is false. Correct the second is evidence Correctthat has been cited by others in support of that claim. Incorrect. It is reasoning cited against that claim in BF1.B. The first identifies a claim that the reasoning seeks to show is false; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
The first identifies a claim Correctthat the reasoning seeks to show is false. Correct the second is a position No. it is a fact. for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.BF2 provides support to the reasoning; not vice versa. C. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is a position for which the reasoning seeks to provide support.
The first is a position Correct.that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence. Correct. The reasoning opposes the claim by arguing the evidence for the same is not sufficient.the second is a position The second is a fact. Therefore, incorrect. for which the reasoning seeks to provide support. Again, incorrect. BF2 provides support for the reasoning. D. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence used to support the reasoning’s contention.The first is a position Correct.that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence. The argument opposes the claim BF1 by saying the evidence is insufficient. Correct.the second is evidence The second one is a fact used as an evidence. Correct.used to support the reasoning’s contention.It is indeed used to support the opposition of the argument towards the claim in BF1.Correct answer.E. The first is a position that the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.
The first is a position correctthat the reasoning contends is inadequately supported by the evidence. correctthe second is evidence correctthat has been used to support that position. incorrect. It is used to oppose the position stated in BF1. _________________