­As a large corporation in a small country, Hachnut wants its managers

­As a large corporation in a small country, Hachnut wants its managers to have international experience, so each year it sponsors management education abroad for its management trainees. Hachnut has found, however, that the attrition rate from this program is becoming increasingly high, with many especially promising participants leaving Hachnut to join competing firms even before completing the program. Hachnut does use performance during the program as a criterion in deciding among candidates for management positions, but it finds itself more and more in the position of selecting from a critically depleted pool of candidates. The program is thus beginning to work against Hachnut's interest. Therefore, if the attrition problem cannot be successfully addressed, Hachnut should discontinue the sponsorship program.

The passage opens with some background information about a program:

­As a large corporation in a small country, Hachnut wants its managers to have international experience, so each year it sponsors management education abroad for its management trainees.

Then, it presents an issue related to the program:

Hachnut has found, however, that the attrition rate from this program is becoming increasingly high, with many especially promising participants leaving Hachnut to join competing firms even before completing the program.

Next comes a reason why the program has value for Hachnut:

Hachnut does use performance during the program as a criterion in deciding among candidates for management positions

Then comes more information on the issue that has been presented:

it finds itself more and more in the position of selecting from a critically depleted pool of candidates

Finally, the passage ends with a main conclusion that is supported by the information about the issue:

Therefore, if the attrition problem cannot be successfully addressed, Hachnut should discontinue the sponsorship program.

In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

A. The first states evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument opposes; the second states a judgment that is used to support the main conclusion of the argument.

This choice has a clear failure point since the first boldfaced portion supports the main conclusion, rather than "a position the argument opposes." In fact, the passage does not even mention a position that the argument opposes.

Also, the second part of this choice is not quite correct either since, while the second boldfaced portion does support the main conclusion, it is not a "judgment." Rather, it's a statement of fact.

Eliminate.

B. The first identifies a drawback to the policy that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second presents a claim, the accuracy of which is evaluated in the argument.

The first part of this choice could be considered correct since the first boldfaced portion does identify a drawback to Hachnut's policy of sponsoring management education abroad, and since we could say that, in arriving at its conclusion, the argument evaluates that policy.

At the same time, this choice is clearly incorrect sincethe second boldfaced portion does not present a "claim" and the accuracy of the second boldfaced portion is not "evaluated." Rather, the second boldfaced portion simply states a fact. 

Eliminate.

C. The first identifies a drawback to the policy that the argument seeks to evaluate; the second states evidence that has been used to support a position that the argument opposes.

The first part of this choice could be considered correct since the first boldfaced portion does identify a drawback to Hachnut's policy of sponsoring management education abroad, and since we could say that, in arriving at its conclusion, the argument evaluates that policy.

Then, the second part of this choice starts off correct since the second boldfaced portion is evidence that has been used to support a position.

At the same time, this choice fails in the last four words, "that the argument opposes," since the second boldfaced portion supports the argument's main conclusion, not a position that the argument opposes.

Eliminate.

D. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second presents a claim, the accuracy of which is evaluated in the argument.

The first part of this choice is correct since the first boldfaced portion does support the main conclusion.

However, the second part of this choice is incorrect since the second boldfaced portion does not state a "claim" and since the accuracy of the second boldfaced portion is not "evaluated." Rather, the second boldfaced portion simply states a fact.

Eliminate.

E. The first and the second each provide support for the main conclusion of the argument.­

This choice is correct since what the first boldface portion says about "the attrition rate" and what the second boldfaced portion says about "a critically depleted pool of candidates" both support the main conclusion "if the attrition problem cannot be successfully addressed, Hachnut should discontinue the sponsorship program."

Keep.

Correct answer: E