SunidhiM20 wrote:
Can someone please explain why E is the correct option?
Option E questions the how part which questions the principle and the not the claim.
Can someone help me in mitigating the gap in my understanding I am facing?
I don't know what kind of question is this but here's my explanation. I was blown away by the question stem itself. But i got answer correct, however, it took me infinite time
5 min. Among the toughest i know.
Quote:
Claim: Country X’s government lowered tariff barriers because doing so served the interests of powerful foreign companies.
Principle: In order for a change to be explained by the advantage some person or group gained from it, it must be shown how the interests of the person or group played a role in bringing about the change.
Which one of the following, if true, can most logically serve as a premise for an argument that uses the principle to counter the claim?
(A) Foreign companies did benefit when Country X lowered tariff barriers, but consumers in Country X benefited just as much. - WRONG. Interest of foreign companies is not visible here. This just shows they benefitted but that doesn't necessarily mean it was because these companies intended(by playing any role i.e. influencing the policymaking either directly or indirectly).
(B) In the period since tariff barriers were lowered, price competition among importers has severely limited importers’ profits from selling foreign companies’ products in Country X. - WRONG. Importer's profit/loss is irrelevant. Doesn't impacts the claim at all.
(C) It was impossible to predict how Country X’s economic reforms, which included lowering tariff barriers, would affect the economy in the short term. - WRONG. Plain irrelevant.
(D) Many of the foreign companies that benefited from Country X’s lowering tariff barriers compete fiercely among themselves both in Country X and in other markets. - WRONG. This is also nowhere and reasoning-wise it is similar to A. Intentions are not visible on foreign companies' part. Also, 'many', although it doesn't hold that much a weight in the decision making of eliminating this choice, is insignificant.
(E) Although foreign companies benefited when Country X lowered tariff barriers, there is no other evidence that these foreign companies induced the change. - CORRECT. If they had induced the change then it shows their intention/s(interests) that would have supported the claim. This choice differs from choices A and D but it presents some evidence of their interests.
Simply put, question stem asks a premise that counters the claim(highlighted text). Problem is that principle is worded in such a manner that it can either counter or support the claim, depending on how it is worded. Here question stem seeks to counter the claim.
HTHs.