Political analysts have, time and again, indulged in vigorous berating

Political analysts have, time and again, indulged in vigorous berating of the Electoral College, claiming that it is, technically,not a purely democratic method of selecting a president and that it ought to be superseded by declaring the candidate who receives the most popular votes the winner. The most far-reaching consequence of the Electoral College is that it has led to the development of two political parties that strive for broad appeal. Most other democracies have dozens of parties, many with very narrow agendas. With so many parties dividing the legislature, it can be difficult to get them to agree on anything. But the Electoral College requires a candidate to win a majority of electoral votes; if there were three or more parties, this would almost never happen. Thus, the Electoral College contributes to the political stability of the nation by encouraging a two- party system and discouraging the proliferation of splinter parties such as those that have plagued many other democracies.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

a. The first states the position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides evidence to undermine the support for the position being opposed.

b. The first states the position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second provides evidence that has been used to support the position being opposed.

c. The first states the position that the argument as a whole opposes; the second calls this position into question.

d. The first states a position that the argument evaluates in reaching its main conclusion; the second has been used to support that conclusion.

e. The first states a position that the argument seeks to establish; the second provides evidence in support of that position.