The government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and

Question

The government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol on commuter trains. Recently, the state, exercising its legitimate authority, passed a law to protect the health of commuters by prohibiting smoking on the commuter line. When intoxicated riders get off the train, get in their cars, and drive, the public is exposed to at least as much danger as are nonsmoking rail passengers who are forced to inhale cigarette smoke.

In arguing that alcohol consumption on commuter trains should be banned, the author relies on

In arguing that alcohol consumption on commuter trains should be banned, the author relies on

(A) the fact that drinking alcohol is dangerous to one’s health
(B) the principle that people need to be protected from their own actions
(C) the use of emotionally charged descriptions of smoking and drinking alcohol
(D) the reader’s sympathy for the problems of commuters
(E) a comparison between the effects of smoking and the effects of drinking alcohol

moutikli · Answer

IMO answer is (E) The given argument states that the government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol on commuter trains. A similar authority is exercised by the state by prohibiting smoking on the commuter line. It further says that when intoxicated (smokers) riders travel in the commuter lines, the public who are not smoking are also forced to inhale the cigarette smoke. Same case is likely to happen if instead of smokers, there are drunkards in the train who will make the general public feel uncomfortable. So, the author depends on a comparison between the effects of smoking and the effects of drinking. As smoking is banned in the commuter line, therefore alcohol sale and consumption should also be banned in the commuter line because of their effects. If you like my post, please encourage by giving KUDOS. :-D

abhimahna · Answer

Simple Assumption question.

The argument is saying Alcohol should be banned because it has seen the benefits of banning smoking.

Clearly, the author believes there is some kind of relationship between the two. Option E is doing so. Hence, the correct answer.

(A) the fact that drinking alcohol is dangerous to one’s health  : No Relation shown 
(B) the principle that people need to be protected from their own actions :  Irrelevant 
(C) the use of emotionally charged descriptions of smoking and drinking alcohol :  Emotions?? OFS 
(D) the reader’s sympathy for the problems of commuters :  No, we are not sure whether anyone is sympathized. 
(E) a comparison between the effects of smoking and the effects of drinking alcohol:  Correct, as per the reasons outlined above

chrtpmdr · Answer

nightblade354  - I've been caught offguard with this question, could you kindly explain why we can discard B)? First of all, I had troubles categorizing this question type, are we having an assumption question here? Second, I found it really tricky to eliminate an answer choice such as B). It's phrased really vague and you could make an argument for this to be true.

The author never mentions direct health effects or disturbances on the train when defending his reasoning, he clearly states that the danger seems to be in people driving drunk after their train ride, a foolish action indeed. Doesn't he relie, with regards to his reasoning, on the principle that people need to be protected from their own action (driving drunk?).

I know it's kind of far fetched but I am really having a hard time clearly eliminating (B).

nightblade354 · Answer

chrtpmdr , this is NOT an assumption question. This is more of an evaluate question. As for (B), the second part talks about people smoking and making other people sick. This is not protecting people from themselves; this is protecting people from other people.

aniket16c · Answer

Argument:
The author is stating that alocohol consumption should be banned in trains. 
The author is strengthening the claim by drawing a comparison between smoking and drinking.
The least effect of smoking is on non-smoking passengers. If the least effect of drinking is atleast equal to the least effect of smoking, the author can fairly say that drinking is atleast as harmful as smoking.

(A) the fact that drinking alcohol is dangerous to one’s health
- the argument focuses on effect of the two on the public ( dangerous to the public). The argument does not describe the effect on the doer.
- wrong

(B) the principle that people need to be protected from their own actions
- again the argument focuses on effect on public, and not on doer.
-wrong

(C) the use of emotionally charged descriptions of smoking and drinking alcohol
- the reason for making the claim is factual based and not emotional.
- wrong

(D) the reader’s sympathy for the problems of commuters
- irrelevant

(E) a comparison between the effects of smoking and the effects of drinking alcohol
- as explained, the argument is stating that the least effect of smoking is as equal as the least effect of alcohol drinking = comparison between the two.
-correct

Posted from my mobile device

VerbalBot · Answer

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The government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and

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The government should enact a bill that would prohibit the sale and

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