broall wrote:
If the public library shared by the adjacent towns of Redville and Glenwood were relocated from the library’s current, overcrowded building in central Redville to a larger, available building in central Glenwood, the library would then be within walking distance of a larger number of library users. That is because there are many more people living in central Glenwood than in central Redville, and people generally will walk to the library only if it is located close to their homes.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Many more people who currently walk to the library live in central Redville than in central Glenwood.
(B) The number of people living in central Glenwood who would use the library if it were located there is smaller than the number of people living in central Redville who currently use the library.
(C) The number of people using the public library would continue to increase steadily if the library were moved to Glenwood.
(D) Most of the people who currently either drive to the library or take public transportation to reach it would continue to do so if the library were moved to central Glenwood.
(E) Most of the people who currently walk to the library would remain library users if the library were relocated to central Glenwood.
Same passage with different stem question:
LINKOFFICIAL EXPLANATION
(A) No. Since the library is currently in central Redville, it is reasonable to assume it is not within walking distance of people living in central Glenwood.
(B) Yes. That fewer people would use the library in Glenwood implies that fewer library users are actually within walking distance of the library in Glenwood. You might object: There might be more people walking to the library in Glenwood even though overall fewer people use the library. This is a flaw in choice (B); nevertheless, choice (B) does weaken the argument and no other answer-choice does.
(C) No. This would strengthen the argument. That increasing numbers of people would use the library in Glenwood implies that more people are within walking distance of the library in Glenwood. Although the increased use of the library may be from people who commute, this does not weaken the argument.
(D) No. It is irrelevant whether those people who do not walk to the library would continue to use the library in its new location. The argument is concerned with increasing access to those people who walk to the library, not necessarily increasing the overall number of people who use the library.
(E) No. If these people continue to walk to the library’s new location, the argument would be greatly strengthened; and if they now commute to the new location, then this answer-choice would be irrelevant.
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