In terms of total assets, the top five percent of the

Question

In terms of total assets, the top five percent of the households in the US control well over 50% of the nation's wealth. Since income and inequality is a source of political tension and social conflict, we should institute a 25% increase in the minimum wage in order to redress this inequality.
Which of the following if true would strengthen this conclusion?

a. The % of entry level, unskilled workers paid substantially more than the minimum wage has increased in each of the past 5 years.
b. The amount of asstes held by the highest paid hourly wage wrokers has declined in each of the last 5 years.
c. Some part time and full time workers' incomes would rise substantially if the proposal were adopted.
d. There are more important factors than minimum wage rate to consider in any substantive, comprehensive analysis of income distribution.
e. Low wage workers are not expected to lose any jobs due to wage rate rise.

OA  E

I am unable to understand the explanation given with the OA.
Please excuse, if any typos, since I had to type the whole question, just could't copy/paste it.
Thanks

vijayvenky · Answer

The author of this stimulus believes in one thing.

25% rise in the minimum wage will help to address the inequality
To strengthen the question,
1. We must prove that it works.
2. Disprove any other side effects of this.
(Remember, here we are not trying to justify the conclusion but trying to strengthen it)
Choice E certainly wards off one of the side effects.

Just an amateur thought, would like to hear from the experts

nusmavrik · Answer

Only E talks about the low / minimum wage workers. Rest of them don't even touch this issue.

nusmavrik · Answer

In C : Usage of "some". not likely to strengthen an argument. Some means "some" goes in favor and "some" against. That's inviting trouble. To shield the argument it should use "all" or "everyone" or something of this.

ramana · Answer

unfortunately i dint get it..why E? is there an OE for this ques?

nusmavrik · Answer

the plan is to decrease the inequality by increasing 25% of the miminum wage. Min wage will not apply to middle class or upper class. If the low paid workers get salary increment through then this difference can be reduced somewhat as they will share more %age of nation's wealth.

ajitsah · Answer

Sorry, I forgot the source.

seekmba · Answer

I was struggling between B and E.

and here's my understanding in favor of E:

increasing the minimum wage rate by 25% will not cause any loss of jobs indirectly strengthens the proposal (as the proposal will not have the side effect of the loss of jobs)

So E.

amp0201 · Answer

Answer is E.

Argument - increasing the minimum wage by 25% should redress the inequality present in the society.

Answer choice should be the one which will strengthen this argument.

a. The % of entry level, unskilled workers paid substantially more than the minimum wage has increased in each of the past 5 years.
  --- kind of weakening the statement.

b. The amount of assets held by the highest paid hourly wage workers has declined in each of the last 5 years.
  -- this is not strengthening the argument that increase in minimum wage will redress the inequality.

c. Some part time and full time workers' incomes would rise substantially if the proposal were adopted.
  -- This is more like a after effect of the argument.

d. There are more important factors than minimum wage rate to consider in any substantive, comprehensive analysis of income distribution.
  -- Opposite answer. This is weakening the argument.

e. Low wage workers are not expected to lose any jobs due to wage rate rise.
 -- This is the correct answer choice since with the increase in wage, we need to make sure the low wage workers don't lose the jobs. Then and then only social inequality can be redressed.

Hence E. Thank You.

Thanks,
Akhil M.Parekh

Eden · Answer

I think the first sentence does not intoduce the topic, rather,it is meant to cause confusion. Based on that, we can eliminate B.
The real premise is:
" income and inequality is a source of political tension and social conflict"
and the conclusion is:
"institute a 25% increase in the minimum wage in order to redress this inequality."

amitjash · Answer

Whenever they ask "Which of the following if true would....." following steps you can follow...
By basic view eliminate opetions...
From remaining options, one by one put that option as first line of the paragraph and check which one is best....
Definitely you will get correct answers....

In terms of total assets, the top five percent of the

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