Rosebm wrote:
Lucien: Public-housing advocates claim that the many homeless people in this city are proof that there is insufficient housing available to them and therefore that more low-income apartments are needed. But that conclusion is absurd. Many apartments in my own building remain unrented and my professional colleagues report similar vacancies where they live. Since apartments clearly are available, homelessness is not a housing problem. Homelessness can, therefore, only be caused by people’s inability or unwillingness to work to pay the rent.
Maria: On the contrary, all recent studies show that a significant percentage of this city’s homeless people hold regular jobs. These are people who lack neither will nor ability.
Maria responds to Lucien’s argument by
(A) challenging the accuracy of the personal experiences he offers in support of his position
(B) showing that a presupposition of his argument is false
(C) presenting evidence that calls into question his motives for adopting the view he holds
(D) demonstrating that the evidence he offers supports a conclusion other than the conclusion he draws from it
(E) offering an alternative explanation for the facts he cites as evidence supporting his conclusion
L : L disagrees with the PA's claim that the many homeless people in the city shows there is insufficient low income housing. His reasoning is that His building, as well as that of his friends, has many empty flats.
L's Conclusion : Homelessness is not a housing problem
L's Conclusion - homelessness is caused by people's inability or unwillingness to work and pay rent.
M : Significant % hold regular job so the issue is not ability or will.
A - Maria is not attacking L's personal experience, but his assumption behind his conclusion. OUT.
B - Maria is attacking L's assumption that homeless is caused only because of people's inability or unwillingness to work and pay rent.
C - No motives are questioned. OUT.
D - She isn't demonstrating that his evidence supports another conclusion, but is providing evidence that is questioning his assumption.
E - Nope. OUT.
B is the answer.