This year an unprecedented number of professorial positions were produ

Background Information; This year an unprecedented number of professorial positions were produced.
Question the author tries to answer; Will next year continue the trend?
Background Information; A new professorship is created when an older professor leaves the workforce or when an academic department expands.
Evidence; Within universities, academic departments have been expanding at well below average rates.
Evidence; Concomitantly, statistics indicate that professors teaching currently will be no more likely to leave the workforce next year than they were this year,
Prediction regarding the previous evidence; and surely the new professors who have begun teaching recently are unlikely to leave the workforce for some time.
Conclusion; Clearly, we can surmise that the number of new professorial positions produced next year will be lower than this year’s unprecedented level.

A) The first is a prediction that provides evidence for the eventual conclusion, if true; the second is that conclusion.
Correct

B) The first is a summary of the points providing evidence for an eventual conclusion; the second is that eventual conclusion.
The first is not a summary but a specific illation from an evidence

C) The first is a conclusion the author sets out to debunk; the second is the author’s primary argument.
Author is not trying to debunk anything in the passage

D) The first is a failed line of argument, the second is a conclusion that could be drawn appropriately if that argument did not fail.
There is no failed line of argument in the passage

E) The first is an argument with which the author disagrees; the second is an argument with which the author agrees.
The author doesn't disagree with anything but rather gives evidence to build up the story and comes to a conclusion