Quote:
Urban Planner: The installation of green roofs in urban areas can reduce the overall city temperature during summer months, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning and energy consumption. However, despite their benefits, the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow. This is because the initial cost of installing green roofs is considerably high, and because __________.
Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the urban planner’s argument?
(A) there are sufficient numbers of skilled laborers available to install green roofs
(B) green roof materials are often sourced from suppliers who are located far from urban centers
(C) tax incentives for green construction projects are commonly available in urban areas
(D) traditional roofing solutions are generally less expensive and quicker to install than green roofs
(E) green roofs typically last longer than traditional roofing materials, thus potentially saving money over time
To solve this question, let us deploy
IMS's four-step technique.
STEP #1 ->
IDENTIFY THE QUESTION TYPELet us read the question stem to identify the question type. The stem states, 'Which of the following, if true, most logically completes the urban planner’s argument?' What we have is a
complete the passage question.
Now that the question type is identified, let us proceed to the second step.
STEP #2 ->
X-RAY THE ARGUMENTLet us now read and understand the argument. Let us seperate the facts in the passage from the opinions of the urban planner.
FACT #1 ->The installation of green roofs in urban areas can reduce the overall city temperature during summer months, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning and energy consumption.
FACT #2 -> Despite their benefits, the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow.
OPINION/CLAIM -> This is because the initial cost of installing green roofs is considerably high.
Now that the argument is x-rayed, let us proceed to the third step.
STEP #3 ->
FRAME A SHADOW ANSWERTo frame a shadow answer, we need to know what the right answer is supposed to do. Clearly, the right answer is to give us one more reason for the widespread adoption of green roofs having been slow.
SHADOW ANSWER: Any situation that tells us why the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow despite the benefits they offer.
Now that we have a shadow answer, let us proceed to the final step.
STEP #4 ->
PROCESS OF ELIMINATIONLet us eliminate all answer options that do not match with the shadow answer.
(A) there are sufficient numbers of skilled laborers available to install green roofs -
NOT A MATCH -
Does not tell us why the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow. -
ELIMINATE(B) green roof materials are often sourced from suppliers who are located far from urban centers -
NOT A MATCH -
If green roof materials are often sourced from suppliers who are located far from urban centers, would it tell us why the widespread adoption has been slow in urban areas? Also, are centers and areas one and the same? The answer to these questions is no unless we start forming assumptions. -
ELIMINATE(C) tax incentives for green construction projects are commonly available in urban areas -
NOT A MATCH -
Again, does not tell us why the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow. -
ELIMINATE(D) traditional roofing solutions are generally less expensive and quicker to install than green roofs -
MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER -
If traditional roofing solutions are generally less expensive and quicker to install than green roofs, we may have an answer to why the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow. -
KEEP(E) green roofs typically last longer than traditional roofing materials, thus potentially saving money over time -
NOT A MATCH -
Again, does not tell us why the widespread adoption of green roofs has been slow. -
ELIMINATEHence, D is the correct answer.