Nightfury14 wrote:
Pundit: Many people blame the construction of retail locations by major corporation for the decline in locally owned bookstores over the past ten years. Yet clearly, online sales of books have also played an important role in this decline. In the past ten years, sales by online retailers of books have risen sharply and surveys of consumer behavior have indicated that many purchasers of books online, if convenient online options had not been available to them, would otherwise have purchased books at a local bookstore.
In the pundit's argument, the portion in boldface plays which of the following roles?
(A) It is the main conclusion of the argument.
(B) It is a finding that the argument seeks to explain.
(C) It is an explanation that the argument concludes is correct.
(D) It provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument.
(E) It introduces a judgement that the argument opposes.
Stmnt in Bold: Many people blame the construction of retail locations by major corporation for the decline in locally owned bookstores over the past ten years.
Sales by online retailers of books have risen sharply
Surveys of consumer behavior have indicated that they would have purchased books at a local bookstore if online was not there.
Conclusion: Clearly, online sales of books have also played an important role in the decline.
(A) It is the main conclusion of the argument.
No. The statement in bold is not the conclusion.
(B) It is a finding that the argument seeks to explain.
No. The argument is explaining how online sales have also played a role in decline of sales at local bookstores. It does not seek to explain that retail locations by major corporations are responsible for decline in locally owned bookstores.
(C) It is an explanation that the argument concludes is correct.
No. The argument on the whole opposes the statement in bold.
(D) It provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument.
Nope. It does not provide support to the conclusion. It opposes the main conclusion.
(E) It introduces a judgement that the argument opposes.
Correct. The argument opposes the statement in bold.
Answer (E)