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03 Jun 2026, 00:05
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69% (02:10) correct
31%
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wrong
based on 358
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Historian: In the Drindian Empire, a census was conducted annually to determine the adult population of each village. Until 1700, the central government used annual census figures to assess the tax a village owed. Since an increase in population would mean an increase in tax, villages would have a strong economic incentive to try to minimize the number of people recorded. Therefore, it was probably common for census figures from a village to underreport its population significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
Updated on: 23 Jul 2026, 06:20
Originally posted by MartyMurray on 03 Jun 2026, 10:25.
Last edited by MartyMurray on 23 Jul 2026, 06:20, edited 2 times in total.
Last edited by MartyMurray on 23 Jul 2026, 06:20, edited 2 times in total.
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Historian: In the Drindian Empire, a census was conducted annually to determine the adult population of each village. Until 1700, the central government used annual census figures to assess the tax a village owed. Since an increase in population would mean an increase in tax, villages would have a strong economic incentive to try to minimize the number of people recorded. Therefore, it was probably common for census figures from a village to underreport its population significantly.
Conclusion of the argument:
it was probably common for census figures from a village to underreport its population significantly
We see that the reasoning of the argument is basically that, since there was a incentive to minimize the number of people reported in census figures, it's likely that villages commonly underreported their populations.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
The correct answer to this Strengthen question will somehow strengthen the support for the conclusion.
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
This choice weakens, rather than strengthens, the argument.
After all, the passage says that census figures were used for tax purposes "until 1700." So, after 1700, the incentive to underreport would have ceased to exist.
So, if villages were underreporting to minimize taxes, then, after 1700, when census figures were no longer used for taxation, they would likely have ceased underreporting. In that case, census figures for adult populations would likely have increased abnormally, rising faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
So, the fact that census figures did not rise in that way indicates that villages were not underreporting.
Eliminate.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
This choice is interesting because it says basically the following: without tax increases - normal reporting, with tax increases - unusual reports of decreases.
The fact suggests that tax increases had an effect on reporting, causing villages to report lower populations than they would have reported without tax increases.
So, choice provides a reason to believe that villages underreported their populations to minimize taxes.
Keep.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
Since there's no reason to believe that storage location would affect reporting, this choice has no affect on the case for the conclusion.
Eliminate.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
The fact that villages "sometimes" reported population declines does not indicate that they commonly underreported their populations.
After all, it makes sense that villages' populations sometimes would have declined in reality.
Eliminate.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
If anything, the fact that villages could not have concealed additions to their populations goes against the idea that they underreported their populations.
So, while this choice does not mean that they could not have concealed some additions to their populations, it clearly does not strengthen the argument.
Eliminate.
Correct answer: B
Conclusion of the argument:
it was probably common for census figures from a village to underreport its population significantly
We see that the reasoning of the argument is basically that, since there was a incentive to minimize the number of people reported in census figures, it's likely that villages commonly underreported their populations.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
The correct answer to this Strengthen question will somehow strengthen the support for the conclusion.
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
This choice weakens, rather than strengthens, the argument.
After all, the passage says that census figures were used for tax purposes "until 1700." So, after 1700, the incentive to underreport would have ceased to exist.
So, if villages were underreporting to minimize taxes, then, after 1700, when census figures were no longer used for taxation, they would likely have ceased underreporting. In that case, census figures for adult populations would likely have increased abnormally, rising faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
So, the fact that census figures did not rise in that way indicates that villages were not underreporting.
Eliminate.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
This choice is interesting because it says basically the following: without tax increases - normal reporting, with tax increases - unusual reports of decreases.
The fact suggests that tax increases had an effect on reporting, causing villages to report lower populations than they would have reported without tax increases.
So, choice provides a reason to believe that villages underreported their populations to minimize taxes.
Keep.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
Since there's no reason to believe that storage location would affect reporting, this choice has no affect on the case for the conclusion.
Eliminate.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
The fact that villages "sometimes" reported population declines does not indicate that they commonly underreported their populations.
After all, it makes sense that villages' populations sometimes would have declined in reality.
Eliminate.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
If anything, the fact that villages could not have concealed additions to their populations goes against the idea that they underreported their populations.
So, while this choice does not mean that they could not have concealed some additions to their populations, it clearly does not strengthen the argument.
Eliminate.
Correct answer: B
03 Jun 2026, 20:30
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Historian: In the Drindian Empire, a census was conducted annually to determine the adult population of each village. Until 1700, the central government used annual census figures to assess the tax a village owed. Since an increase in population would mean an increase in tax, villages would have a strong economic incentive to try to minimize the number of people recorded. Therefore, it was probably common for census figures from a village to underreport its population significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
The historian argues that villages had a financial reason to underreport population because higher census numbers meant higher taxes. The strongest support would show a pattern consistent with tax-driven underreporting, not just random population changes.
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
This does not strengthen the argument. If underreporting had been common before 1700, we might expect reported populations to rise noticeably after the tax link ended.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
This is correct. If tax increases were often followed by unusual reported population declines, that strongly suggests villages were lowering reported population figures to reduce tax burdens. This directly supports the historian’s claim of significant underreporting.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
This does not help much. Where the records were stored does not show whether villages underreported their populations during the census.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
This gives some possible support, but it is weak. Population declines could have been real unless they are specifically connected to tax incentives.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
This weakens rather than strengthens. If villages could not conceal all population increases, then significant underreporting becomes less likely.
Answer: (B)
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the historian’s argument?
The historian argues that villages had a financial reason to underreport population because higher census numbers meant higher taxes. The strongest support would show a pattern consistent with tax-driven underreporting, not just random population changes.
A. After 1700, the census figures for the adult populations of villages did not rise faster than would be expected as a result of normal population growth.
This does not strengthen the argument. If underreporting had been common before 1700, we might expect reported populations to rise noticeably after the tax link ended.
B. Before 1700, increases in tax rates were often followed by a larger-than-usual number of villages reporting a lower population than the year before.
This is correct. If tax increases were often followed by unusual reported population declines, that strongly suggests villages were lowering reported population figures to reduce tax burdens. This directly supports the historian’s claim of significant underreporting.
C. The official tax and census records for a village in the Drindian Empire were never stored in that village.
This does not help much. Where the records were stored does not show whether villages underreported their populations during the census.
D. Pre-1700 census figures from individual villages sometimes show significant declines in the adult population from one year to the next.
This gives some possible support, but it is weak. Population declines could have been real unless they are specifically connected to tax incentives.
E. It would have been impossible for villages to conceal from the central government’s census takers all additions to their village’s population.
This weakens rather than strengthens. If villages could not conceal all population increases, then significant underreporting becomes less likely.
Answer: (B)
