This is not correct. Mind you, you have to take everything given in the argument to be true.
Question stem: The environmentalist's statements,
if true, most strongly support which one of the following?
You are looking for the conclusion from the options.
So basically, this is true: Heavier taxes on gasoline, however, would reflect this cost, and as a result consumers would pollute less. Cost of the problems will affect consumers' decision about how much to drive.
(C) Consumers would purchase less gasoline, on average, if the cost of the environmental problems to which pollution from driving contributes were fully reflected in the price of gasoline.
Then (C) must be correct. The consumers will pollute less and their decision on how much to drive will be affected so if the cost of problems is reflected in price, they will buy less gasoline.
(B) Heavier taxes on gasoline would increase consumers' awareness of the kinds of environmental problems to which pollution from driving contributes.
This is not necessarily true. Their decisions on how much to drive will be altered because of the higher gas prices but whether their awareness on kinds of env problems will increase or not, we don't know.
Also, I don't understand the logic of "Avoid extreme language unless supported by argument."
- It is a conclusion question. You have to ignore everything that is not supported by the argument. Also, extreme language ("only", "all" etc) doesn't make an option less suitable. The argument could very well warrant it.
adkikani wrote:
GMATNinjaTwo VeritasPrepKarishma GMATNinja generisBefore I present my understanding of argument, can you please
advise on how to keep my ears open even while reading answers
with extreme options such as SHOULD in an inference question.
Argument understanding:
Burning gasoline produces pollution which in turn results in enviro degradation.
There is no control on how much people drive in spite of this pollution (not sure
if people are even aware of this?)
To restrict the distance people drive, the gasoline prices are planned to increase by
levying heavy taxes. Environmentalist believes that final consequence of this will be
that there will be less pollution.
We need to find an answer that is 100% true based in above:
Quote:
(A) The cost of pollution from driving should not be reflected in the price of gasoline unless the amount of pollution produced would be reduced as a result
SHOULD not be ... Avoid extreme language unless supported by argument.
Quote:
(B) Heavier taxes on gasoline would increase consumers' awareness of the kinds of environmental problems to which pollution from driving contributes.
True, more taxes so consumers will buy less gasoline and this will eventually lead to less envro problems
Quote:
(C) Consumers would purchase less gasoline, on average, if the cost of the environmental problems to which pollution from driving contributes were fully reflected in the price of gasoline.
The arguments says that gasoline price will increase since envrio degradation is to be reduced.
Whether in future, consumers will buy less gasoline because of price hike? We do not know this.
Quote:
(D) The only cost considered by most consumers when they are deciding how much to drive is the cost of gasoline.
THE ONLY - again too extreme. Ruled out since not supported by argument.
Quote:
(E) Pollution from gasoline burned by cars will be reduced only if consumers give more consideration to the cost of that pollution when deciding bow much to drive.
No evidence about preference of consumers from argument that I can deduce.