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Sajjad1994
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The northern lights can be seen in sub-arctic latitudes but only under 14 Oct 2025, 09:00
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E
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78% (02:20) correct 22% (01:58) wrong

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The northern lights can be seen in sub-arctic latitudes but only under extremely clear atmospheric conditions. In almost all parts of Scotland where the northern lights could once be seen, increased industrial activity has produced a permanent layer of smog. This smog scatters the glow of the northern lights, rendering them essentially imperceptible. Hence, it can be said that industrial pollution is the reason why the northern lights can no longer be observed anywhere in Scotland.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?

A. Over the past twenty years, it has become impossible to view the northern lights in some parts of Scotland that heavily industrialized 70 years ago but have not seen considerable industrial development since.

B. Since 2000, in Scotland, industrial activity has produced 20 percent more air pollution than domestic activity.

C. Industrial activity in Scotland has also led to an increase in light pollution that has made many celestial bodies less visible.

D. Much of the increase in industrial activity has been occurring in parts of Scotland where the northern lights have never been visible.

E. The northern lights are regularly observed in parts of the world that are at the same latitude as southern Scotland and have no significant industrial activity.



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Question # 26 | Date: 14 October 2025
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The northern lights can be seen in sub-arctic latitudes but only under 17 Oct 2025, 00:33
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Explanation

Argument summary:

  • Northern lights can be seen in sub-arctic latitudes only under extremely clear atmospheric conditions.
  • In almost all parts of Scotland where northern lights were once visible, industrial activity has produced a permanent smog layer.
  • This smog scatters the glow, making them imperceptible.
  • Conclusion: Industrial pollution is the reason why northern lights can no longer be observed anywhere in Scotland.

The key inference is:

  • The smog from industrial activity is blocking the view in all the places they used to be seen.

To support the conclusion, we need to strengthen the idea that industrial pollution is the cause, not some other factor, and that the effect is general across Scotland.

A. This actually weakens the argument, because if industrial activity peaked 70 years ago but visibility loss happened only in the last 20 years, maybe something else (not recent industrial pollution) is the cause.

B. This just compares pollution sources, but doesn’t tie industrial pollution directly to the disappearance of the lights across Scotland.

C. This offers an alternative explanation (light pollution, not smog), which could weaken the smog explanation or at least doesn’t specifically support the argument that industrial smog is the cause.

D. This is irrelevant to the conclusion about why they disappeared where they were once visible.

E. This supports the idea that latitude alone doesn’t prevent visibility; lack of industrial pollution preserves visibility. This eliminates an alternative explanation (e.g., that solar activity changes made them invisible everywhere at that latitude) and supports the pollution explanation.

Answer: E