Popular culture in the United States has become Europeanized to an ex

Question

Popular culture in the United States has become Europeanized to an extent unimaginable twenty-five years ago. Not many people then drank wine with meals, and no one drank imported mineral water. No idea would have been more astonishing that that Americans would pay to watch soccer games. Such thoughts arise because of a report that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has just adopted a proposal to develop the country’s first comprehensive interstate system of routes for bicycles.

The information given, if true, best supports which of the following?

A. Long-distance bicycle routes are used in Europe.

B. Drinking imported mineral water is a greater luxury than drinking imported wine.

C. United States culture has benefited from exposure to foreign ideas.

D. Most Europeans make regular use of bicycles.

E. The influence of the United States on European culture has assumed unprecedented proportions in the last twenty-five years.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

When the author learns that an interstate system of bicycle routes is being planned, case after case of European customs becoming accepted in the United States comes to his or her mind. This mental association would be a natural one if the system of bicycle routes were itself yet another case of a European phenomenon being brought to the United States. This in turn presupposes that long-distance bicycle routes are indeed a European phenomenon, an idea expressed by  A, which is thus the correct answer.

B is incorrect. The passage does not support any inference that the European practices in question are luxuries, let alone which of them are more or less of a luxury than the others. C is not the correct answer. The passage is completely neutral on whether “Europeanization” has been beneficial, detrimental, or neither. Although many people might regard activities such as the drinking of wine and mineral water as beneficial, the passage itself does not support the statement of benefit. D is also incorrect. The passage can be taken to suggest that bicycles are indeed used fairly widely in Europe, but nothing the passage supports the inference that the majority of Europeans are regular users of bicycles. The last answer choice is incorrect. The passage is concerned solely with the influence of Europe on popular culture in the United States and not at all with any influence going the other way, however strong that influence might in fact be.

SajjitaKundu · Answer

IMO the answer should be A. D is extreme with 'most' and E is extreme with 'unprecedented'.

sudarshan22 · Answer

A. Long-distance bicycle routes are used in Europe-->  Correct answer  after you connect the dots, subtle fact, nothing too extreme

B. Drinking imported mineral water is a  greater luxury than drinking imported wine --> No hint for comparison

C. United States culture has  benefited  from exposure to foreign ideas--> No mention in excerpt

D. Most Europeans make  regular  use of bicycles--> Too extreme to be true

E. The influence of the United States on European culture has assumed  unprecedented proportions  in the last twenty-five years--> Too extreme to be true

Shobhit7 · Answer

Causality in Conclusion is addressing the "routes for bicycles" and not the "use of bicycles".

Hence, Between Choices A and D, Ans Choice A seems to be a better option.

Posted from my mobile device

Basim2016 · Answer

E is an example of one of the common wrong answer choices: REVERSE logic. Be careful of such slippery choices.

A is the correct answer to be inferred from the last sentence.

Posted from my mobile device

rishab0507 · Answer

European society has an effect on American culture. 
Now state is developing interstate bicycle routes, Underlying assumption is this would be a fad in European cities as American culture is following it.

only 2 options come in this line of thinking , A and D
While D makes statement that Europeans make regular use of bicycles, But we are not discussing use of cycles, But long distance routes, which is emphasized in A. 
A is clear and concise.

Answer A

Popular culture in the United States has become Europeanized to an ex

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Popular culture in the United States has become Europeanized to an ex

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