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samarpan.g28
The conclusion is "­The city council has decided to increase the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to generate additional revenue." Why? Because there is an argument that says, "the revenue will be used to fund public education and healthcare, which are currently underfunded." Therefore, the argument justifies the conclusion.

Now the critics are opposing this conclusion as it will affect lower-income families. So the first boldface is an objection to the conclusion, the conclusion that is being defended by the argument.

However, the second boldface is saying that, no, this will help all residents, including the lower-income families. So, sales tax shall be increased i.e. support the conclusion. Option (C) makes sense.

Hope this helps.­

Nice explanation but :
Can you help me get my head around it how the argument advocates for the increase in tax hikes. It seem to me that the author is neutral in the argument. The author neither agrees nor disagrees with any position.

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Sazimordecai

samarpan.g28
The conclusion is "­The city council has decided to increase the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to generate additional revenue." Why? Because there is an argument that says, "the revenue will be used to fund public education and healthcare, which are currently underfunded." Therefore, the argument justifies the conclusion.

Now the critics are opposing this conclusion as it will affect lower-income families. So the first boldface is an objection to the conclusion, the conclusion that is being defended by the argument.

However, the second boldface is saying that, no, this will help all residents, including the lower-income families. So, sales tax shall be increased i.e. support the conclusion. Option (C) makes sense.

Hope this helps.­
Nice explanation but :
Can you help me get my head around it how the argument advocates for the increase in tax hikes. It seem to me that the author is neutral in the argument. The author neither agrees nor disagrees with any position.

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­Sure Sazimordecai, see, the Mayor is arguing that "this increase is necessary because the revenue will be used to fund public education and healthcare, which are currently underfunded" so the mayor is advocating the tax increase. It is the mayor who bolsters the conclusion. The author's just narrates, right. Does it help?
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i dont agree with the answer. please help me understand.
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Can you be more specific? Other have already gone over the answer, so let us know what aspect of the right answer is throwing you off, or what makes another answer look correct to you.
varunkeeja
i dont agree with the answer. please help me understand.
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The conclusion of the argument is that the tax increase should happen, which is the mayor's stance in favor of it. So, the argument ultimately supports the tax increase as necessary for funding education and healthcare, even though critics oppose it due to concerns about its impact on lower-income families.

The argument presents the following key perspectives:
Critics argue that the tax increase will disproportionately affect lower-income families.
→ This is an objection to the tax increase, as critics believe it will have negative effects.
Supporters argue that the enhanced services in education and healthcare will ultimately benefit all residents, including lower-income families.
→ This is a rebuttal to the critics' objection. It counters the argument by suggesting that, despite the short-term burden, the long-term benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.

Option A says:
"The first is a consideration that has been used to argue against a plan that the argument advocates; the second is a claim that the argument puts forward in support of the plan."
The first part of A is correct:
The first boldface portion is indeed a consideration that critics raise against the plan (the increase in tax). It's an objection to the tax increase.
The second part of A is not fully correct:
The second boldface portion is a claim used by the supporters to defend the tax increase (that better public services will benefit everyone, including lower-income families). The critical part where A doesn't fully align with the passage is in the context of "the argument" itself. A makes it seem like the argument (the passage) is directly advocating the tax increase and presenting these points as its own. However, the passage presents both sides neutrally, without outright advocating for the tax increase. The second boldface portion is supporting the increase, but it comes from supporters, not the argument itself.

Now, let's analyze option C:
"The first is an objection that has been raised in response to a conclusion that the argument defends."
✅ Correct! The first boldface portion (critics’ argument) is an objection against the tax increase, which the argument ultimately supports.
"The second is a rebuttal that further supports the conclusion."
✅ Correct! The second boldface portion (supporters’ argument) directly refutes the critics' claim and reinforces the argument that the tax increase is justified.
Thus, C is the correct answer because it accurately describes the roles of the boldface statements as an objection and a rebuttal.
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If you're saying that the argument presents both side neutrally and one of your reasons for eliminating A, then C is definitely incorrect because It clearly mentions that the argument defends a conclusion and the first boldface is raised to question that defence.

If the argument is defending one side, then it's definitely not neutral
Aashimabhatia
The conclusion of the argument is that the tax increase should happen, which is the mayor's stance in favor of it. So, the argument ultimately supports the tax increase as necessary for funding education and healthcare, even though critics oppose it due to concerns about its impact on lower-income families.

The argument presents the following key perspectives:
Critics argue that the tax increase will disproportionately affect lower-income families.
→ This is an objection to the tax increase, as critics believe it will have negative effects.
Supporters argue that the enhanced services in education and healthcare will ultimately benefit all residents, including lower-income families.
→ This is a rebuttal to the critics' objection. It counters the argument by suggesting that, despite the short-term burden, the long-term benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.

Option A says:
"The first is a consideration that has been used to argue against a plan that the argument advocates; the second is a claim that the argument puts forward in support of the plan."
The first part of A is correct:
The first boldface portion is indeed a consideration that critics raise against the plan (the increase in tax). It's an objection to the tax increase.
The second part of A is not fully correct:
The second boldface portion is a claim used by the supporters to defend the tax increase (that better public services will benefit everyone, including lower-income families). The critical part where A doesn't fully align with the passage is in the context of "the argument" itself. A makes it seem like the argument (the passage) is directly advocating the tax increase and presenting these points as its own. However, the passage presents both sides neutrally, without outright advocating for the tax increase. The second boldface portion is supporting the increase, but it comes from supporters, not the argument itself.

Now, let's analyze option C:
"The first is an objection that has been raised in response to a conclusion that the argument defends."
✅ Correct! The first boldface portion (critics’ argument) is an objection against the tax increase, which the argument ultimately supports.
"The second is a rebuttal that further supports the conclusion."
✅ Correct! The second boldface portion (supporters’ argument) directly refutes the critics' claim and reinforces the argument that the tax increase is justified.
Thus, C is the correct answer because it accurately describes the roles of the boldface statements as an objection and a rebuttal.
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How is the argument defending something ? That was the reason why I eliminated C in the first place but not able to understand how C is correct answer

DmitryFarber
Can you be more specific? Other have already gone over the answer, so let us know what aspect of the right answer is throwing you off, or what makes another answer look correct to you.
varunkeeja
i dont agree with the answer. please help me understand.
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Sorry, folks, I didn't look closely enough at this one before. This is definitely a flawed question. Each part of the paragraph describes a different perspective (city council, mayor, critics, supporters), and the author never actually supports a position of their own. That's common enough, but then the question stem would have to direct us toward whose perspective we are analyzing/strengthening/weakening. That doesn't really work on a role question, though, since the author never comes to a conclusion of their own for us to connect these positions to. Toss the whole thing out!

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