Sportswriter: Many fans have complained loudly about the

C for me.

The phrase is "Cleary,Though," - meaning yet/still and not "Clearly though". So the author is opposing the bold face opinion.

Crick

C.. similar to hunter question... hunters are blames for decline in deer population. Black Bears are also reason for decrease in deer population.......

Yeah C..As fluke explained it perfectly that it does sound a little strong on words such as opposes, but it is the best amongst them all..

Yeah..i thought 'opposes' is a strong word to use because there were no statements that reflect that mood..

However, no choice comes close to B. So, B it is ..

Answer: C
Boldfaced portion states fans' opinion.
'Clearly, though...' in 2nd sentence are clues that sportswriter opposes a certain view.

Bold part:Goalkeeping is responsible for losses
Conclusion:Offense is mostly responsible for losses

To choose B would mean that the author explains how goalkeeping is responsible for losses, not how the offense is responsible for the losses.

C is strong, but as far as the role played by boldfaced part, it matches the description very well indeed. I guess the question is designed to trick test-takers that way..

Good explanation by fluke,+ 1.

How can C be the answer?! the author clearly does NOT oppose the fans claim.

Clearly, though, the team's offense has also played a key part in these disappointing losses. Over the past five years

"Also" implies that the offense team was not alone in his responsibility of the team's losses, so the author at least doesn't disagree with the fans' claim.

Certainly -C

Well there are two words in D taking it far stretched than Author's claim
1.Ultimately
2.Appropriate

Author considers with some level of nodding that Yes Fan's thinking is good to acknowledge one of the reason behind loss...but (though)
ultimately Author says "Defender is responsible for loss"

The Sportswriter starts by telling the fan's point of view --- essentially, the goaltender is the big reason for the recent losses. Then, a BIG contrast phrase, "Clearly, though", which is a screaming logical clue that the speaker is about to decimate the previous position and assert something very different. That's a phrase never used to show agreement of any kind. The Sportswriter goes on to list another cause for the losses --- the team's lack of offense, especially with respect to other players in the league. Does the Sportswriter believe the goaltender is also partially responsible for the losses? It would seem so, because of the word "also" --- he's not denying the partial culpability of the goaltender, but he is opposing an opinion that the goaltender is the whole of the problem. Since the fans are complaining only about the goaltender, not about the offense, it would seem, implicitly, that they hold a "goaltender = the whole of the problem" position. This is an opinion the author opposes.

The fans say: goaltender is responsible for losses
Sportwriter says: goaltender and lack of offense are responsible for losses.
It's true, there's partial agreement there. If the passage were very different ("What they say is true, and I would add that ..."), then conceivably we could call the fan's position part of what the Sportwriter concludes. In this passage, though, as soon as he states the fan position, he establishes a strong statement of contrast "Clearly, though", which indicates he does not intend to frame his position as a partial agreement with the fans. Rather, he intends to frame his position as a sharp contrast to the fans.

That's why (C) is the best answer.

Does this make sense?
Mike

The bold part presents an opinion/judgement of certain people , the line next to it says that the offense also played a key part in these losses so the author opposes this opinion .He further supports the team's offense failure in the following statements . Hence C

C - is the answer

"Clearly, though," - key word

I do not like the answer C here, because author does not oppose the opinion that goaltender is bad. He only provides additional opinion and facts that the offense is bad too.
But other options are even worse

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