Anders: The physical structure of the brain plays an important role in thinking. So researchers developing “thinking machines”—computers that can make decisions based on both common sense and factual knowledge—should closely model those machines on the structure of the brain.
Yang: Important does not mean essential. After all, no flying machine closely modeled on birds has worked; workable aircraft are structurally very different from birds.
So thinking machines closely modeled on the brain are also likely to fail. In developing a workable thinking machine, researchers
would therefore increase their chances of success if they focus on the brain’s function and simply ignore its physical structure.
The statement “thinking machines closely modeled on the brain are also likely to fail’ serves which one of the following roles in yang’s argument?
(A) the
main conclusion of the argument - WRONG. 2nd best choice but we do have a buildup after this sentence in Yang's argument. Texts signalling this can be the main conclusion or intermediate are in blue. HTHs.
(B) a
subsidiary conclusion used in support of the main conclusion - CORRECT. Since the buildup after the quote gives us an insight of what Yang brings on table finally, we can say that the quote is supporting the main conclusion. Thus, it's an intermediate conclusion.
(C) a
principle of research invoked
in support of the conclusion - WRONG.
(D) a particular
example illustrating a general claim - WRONG. Example is given in previous sentence.
(E)
background information providing a context for the argument - WRONG. Not the background info.
Answer B.