Answer is A.

Argument: To combat the delays in delivery of mail , more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of country

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment. => Correct because it gives an alternative reason for this argument

B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent. => no relation with delays in delivery

C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries. => OFS, argument doesnt mention the salary

D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
=> Focus on results of a solution but it doesnt question the validity of the argument

E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled => add more facts to the argument

The best answer in my view is option A.

Premise: Delays in mail deliveries have increased since the privatization of the postal service.

Conclusion: More staff have to be hired to aid the sorting and deliveries departments in the busiest regions of the country.

The assumption here is that the delays in the deliveries are due only to the inadequate number of staff required to facilitate the sorting and deliveries and that delays only occur in the busy regions.

The best weakener is an option that presents other possible causes of the delays which if true will make the recommendation in the conclusion not to hold water. Option A suggests that the causes of the delays in the busiest regions of the nation are bad weather and antiquated equipment. This is the best weakener. Because it suggests that the delays in the busiest regions are due to bad weather and that the equipments of the postal service are antiquated. If this is true, then irrespective of the number of employees that will be added to facilitate the sorting and deliveries within the busiest regions, the delays will still persist. Hence option A casts the most doubt in the conclusion of the argument.

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

To weaken the conclusion that more staff needed to solve this delay problem.
Pre-thinking: Hiring more staff does not resolve this delays delivery problem, there might be other causes.

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment. - Match our pre-thinking. If this is the case, hiring more staff would not make the proposed solution be effective.
B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent.
C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries.
D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees

Therefore A is the correct answer choice.

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

We need to weaken the conclusion. And the conclusion is more staff will reduce the delays. By pre-thinking we can say we need option where the delay is not due to less staff or have other reasons for delay.

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment.
This is clearly says that even if the increased staff the delay won't be addressed because the problem is with the weather and old machineries. Weakens our conclusion. Correct answer.

B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent.
Even if the employees has increased due to privatisation it does not say we cannot hire more staff to solve the problem. It does not weaken the conclusion.

C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries.
We are not talking about budget or anything monetary. Irrelevant.

D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
This option strengthens the conclusion. It says more staff will help reducing delay.

E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees
The length of delay has increased but this does not talk about if we hire more staff will not solve the problem.

[color=#0054a6]Answer: A[/color]
_________________

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

The stimulus proposes to increase the staff for sorting and delivering to avoid delays in mail. The question is asking us to find the option which casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution


A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment. Correct this option clearly emphasizes that the reason for delay is not staff but is the bad weather and old sorting techniques.
B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent. agrees with the stimulus
C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries. irrelevant
D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent. supports the opinion
E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. employment repeats the stimulus

IMO A

ARGUMENT
[prem] Since the service went private, delays have increased;
[con] We must hire more staff in the busiest regions to combat this problem;
[asum] Delays are caused by lack of staff, rather than other factors (ie. old equipment).

WEAKEN

Answer (A): major causes are weather and old equipment, thus hiring more staff most likely not decrease delays.

Imo. A

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

Causality & proposal: Because of privatization of PS (6 months ago), delay in delivery of mail increased.
Author proposes that such delay was due to insufficient sorting & delivering staff in busiest region of the country.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

What if issue is different from the manpower in the post office (in the busiest region of the conctry) or
if delay in the delivery of mails will not reduced after implementing the proposal or
there are other major causes largely contributing to delay of delivery of mails.

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment. - Other major causes contributing more to delay of delivery of mails. So, even after recruiting more pertinent people, the problem will not be resolved.
B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent. - Out of scope
C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries. - So What? It doesn't impact the proposal.
D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent. - Strengthens the proposal. So, 180°answer.
E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. - Doesn't affect the proposal.

conclusion;

postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent
to weaken
IMO B ;
Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent.

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment.
B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent.
C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries.
D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent.
E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees

To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.....States that it's the only solution

To cast the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above...There must be a different reason for the delay

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment.....Correct



OA:A

The arguments suggests that delays in delivery can be tackled by adding more sorting and delivering staff in the busiest regions of the country. So, any option that weakens this hypothesis will be the correct answer.

A. Correct. This options blames bad weather and sorting equipment for the problem in busiest regions, suggesting that adding more sorting and delivering staff may not make a difference to the problem.
B. Wrong. No information on what these new employees were hired to do or in which region they were employed.
C. Wrong. The argument is concerned with delivery process and not expenses.
D. Wrong. This option strengthens the argument.
E. Wrong. This information has no impact on the argument.
_________________

I chose A based on elimination. Since the delay” in this option wasn’t specific about delay in mail delivery. However It’s the best contender.A

B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent. .... Doesn’t matter, 25% may still be insufficient

C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries. Irrelevant

D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent... this strengthens d argument

E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees ......IRRELEVANT

Posted from my mobile device

Since the national postal service in country X was privatized six months ago, delays in the delivery of mail have increased by 20 percent. To combat this problem, more sorting and delivering staff must be hired in the busiest regions of the country.

Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the effectiveness of the solution proposed above

what will be the reason that hiring more staff won't help in lowering the delay in delivery? maybe the cause of delay is not due to the shortage of staff but other cause that the company can't control

A. The major causes of delays in the nation's busiest regions are bad weather and antiquated sorting equipment. --seem to align with what we think; correct
B. Since privatization began, the number of employees has increased by 25 percent. -- increased employees has nothing to do with this, the increased employees were not known that they are working in what department
C. Over 60 percent of the postal budget goes to pay salaries. --irrelevant
D. After a small post sorting facility doubled its staff, the number of delays that were reported decreased by 50 percent. --this strengthen the solution not casts doubt
E. Since privatization, the average length of delay in the nation's busiest regions has doubled. 5. Employees --not relate with the solution

Therefore, A

Official Explanation

Correct Answer: A

The best answer is A. The conclusion that postal service must add to their staff is based on an assumption that the problem lies in that area. Choice A indicates that the delay were due to two other factors bad weather and old equipment, therefore hiring additional staff is unlikely to be an effective solution.
_________________