Mayor: There has been a long debate in city council about how to

Question

Mayor: There has been a long debate in city council about how to accommodate projected increases in automobile traffic. Today, our choice is clear: either we adopt my plan to build a new expressway, or we do nothing. Doing nothing is not a viable option because our existing system of roads would be in gridlock within ten years given even a conservative estimate of future traffic levels. City council should therefore adopt my plan.

The reasoning in the mayor's argument is most vulnerable to which one of the following criticisms?

(A) It bases a projection only on conservative estimates rather than considering a wider range of estimates.

(B) It takes for granted that the options it considers are mutually exclusive.

(C) It fails to consider the possibility that the rate of increase in traffic will start to diminish after ten years.

(D) It fails to address the issue of the cost of traffic gridlock to the city's economy.

(E) It presents a choice that is limited to two options, without giving reasons for not considering any other options.

hemantbafna · Answer

I would go with the option of E. because the Mayor is giving only two option,and reason for not considering other options.

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raunakd11 · Answer

Hello guys! In the draft, the mayor fails to express his plan of action and presents an undermined solution without strong facts and sufficient evidence. So, we need to find the answer which is vulnerable to mayor's statement in terms of the limitation expressed by him. Using POE, Eliminate Option A , this can be a prospect. But does not clearly express the concern. So drop this. Eliminate Option B , seems irrelevant. Eliminate Option C , this is out of scope as there is no clarity regarding a surge in the traffic ten years down the line. Eliminate Option D , the cost of traffic does not act as a major concern. Option E seems fine and apt to our requirement because it clearly explains that the mayor fails to give a considerable solution, and limits his options, for his decision to be on board. IMO, Answer:- Option E Thank you! Regards, Raunak Damle

gmatbalar · Answer

I can see how option E is correct but any explanation why option B is incorrect?

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  gmatbalar . Answer choice (B) is incorrect because the two options—to  build a new expressway  or  do nothing —are, in fact,  mutually exclusive . (It is impossible to both do something and do nothing.) Thus, the argument is not vulnerable to such a criticism, and (B) cannot be correct.

The only other incorrect answer choice that seems to have snared a few people is (A), but the problem there is that the argument is based on  even a conservative estimate of future traffic levels . We cannot assume that  a wider range of estimates  would likely project any less of a decrease in  automobile traffic . (If anything, we might expect the wider range to encompass some estimates that were not as  conservative —i.e. that  future traffic levels  might be worse than the argument posits.)

Perhaps the question makes more sense now, or at least (B) does. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

gmatbalar · Answer

Thanks for the clarification, Andrew. I knew they are mutually exclusive but the "vulnerable to criticism" makes sense now.

Posted from my mobile device

Stanindaw · Answer

Hi Andrew,
I preferred B, because i thought that it the plan proposed by Mayor could be so irrelevant that it is as impactful as doing nothing.
So they are mutually exclusive as they give us the same result.

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Mayor: There has been a long debate in city council about how to

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