There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of

Question

There is extraordinary exposure in the United States to the risks of injury and death from motor vehicle accidents. More than 80 percent of all households own passenger cars or light trucks and each of these is driven an average of more than 11,000 miles each year. Almost one-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1 percent or higher. For the average adult, over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumed over a short period of time to attain these levels. A third of drivers who have been drinking, but fewer than 4 percent of all drivers, demonstrate these levels. Although less than 1 percent of drivers with BAC’s of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatal crashes, the probability of their involvement is 27 times higher than for those without alcohol in their blood.

There are a number of different approaches to reducing injuries in which intoxication plays a role. Based on the observation that excessive consumption correlates with the total alcohol consumption of a country’s population, it has been suggested that higher taxes on alcohol would reduce both. While the heaviest drinkers would be taxed the most, anyone who drinks at all would be penalized by this approach.

To make drinking and driving a criminal offense is an approach directed only at intoxicated drivers. In some states, the law empowers police to request breath tests of drivers cited for any traffic offense and elevated BAC can be the basis for arrest. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, however, that even with increased arrests, there are about 700 violations for every arrest. At this level there is little evidence that laws serve as deterrents to driving while intoxicated. In Britain, motor vehicle fatalities fell 25 percent immediately following implementation of the Road Safety Act in 1967. As Britishers increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped, the effectiveness declined, although in the ensuing three years the fatality rate seldom reached that observed in the seven years prior to the Act.

Whether penalties for driving with a high BAC or excessive taxation on consumption of alcoholic beverages will deter the excessive drinker responsible for most fatalities is unclear. In part, the answer depends on the extent to which those with high BAC’s involved in crashes are capable of controlling their intake in response to economic or penal threat. Therapeutic programs which range from individual and group counseling and psychotherapy to chemotherapy constitute another approach, but they have not diminished the proportion of accidents in which alcohol was a factor. In the few controlled trials that have been reported there is little evidence that rehabilitation programs for those repeatedly arrested for drunken behavior have reduced either the recidivism or crash rates. Thus far, there is no firm evidence that Alcohol Safety Action Project-supported programs, in which rehabilitation measures are requested by the court,have decreased recidivism or crash involvement for clients exposed to them, although knowledge and attitudes have improved. One thing is clear, however; unless we deal with automobile and highway safety and reduce accidents in which alcoholic intoxication plays a role, many will continue to die.   1 
 1. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) interpreting the results of surveys on traffic fatalities
(B) reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to curb drunk driving
(C) suggesting reasons for the prevalence of drunk driving in the United States
(D) analyzing the causes of the large number of annual traffic fatalities
(E) making an international comparison of experience with drunk driving

2 
 2. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain

(A) changed an existing law to lower the BAC level that defined driving while intoxicated
(B) made it illegal to drive while intoxicated
(C) increased the number of drunk driving arrests
(D) placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks
(E) required drivers convicted under the law to undergo rehabilitation therapy

3 
 3. The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent

(A) is unreasonably high as a definition of intoxication for purposes of driving
(B) penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit
(C) will operate as an effective deterrent to over 90 percent of the people who might drink and drive
(D) is well below the BAC of most drivers who are involved in fatal collisions
(E) proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time

4 
 4. With which of the following statements about making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense versus increasing taxes on alcohol consumption would the author most likely agree?

(A) Making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense is preferable to increased taxes on alcohol because the former is aimed only at those who abuse alcohol by driving while intoxicated.
(B) Increased taxation on alcohol consumption is likely to be more effective in reducing traffic fatalities because taxation covers all consumers and not just those who drive.
(C) Increased taxation on alcohol will constitute less of an interference with personal liberty because of the necessity of blood alcohol tests to determine BAC’s in drivers suspected of intoxication.
(D) Since neither increased taxation nor enforcement of criminal laws against drunk drivers is likely to have any significant impact, neither measure is warranted.
(E) Because arrests of intoxicated drivers have proved to be expensive and administratively cumbersome, increased taxation on alcohol is the most promising means of reducing traffic fatalities.

5 
 5. The author cites the British example in order to

(A) show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S.
(B) prove that stricter enforcement of laws against intoxicated drivers would reduce traffic deaths
(C) prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of intoxicated drivers will not deter drunk driving
(D) suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal laws
(E) demonstrate the need to lower BAC levels in states that have laws against drunk driving

6 
 6. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the author’s statement that the effectiveness of proposals to stop the intoxicated driver depends, in part, on the extent to which the high-BAC driver can control his intake?

(A) Even if the heavy drinker cannot control his intake, criminal laws against driving while intoxicated can deter him from driving while intoxicated.
(B) Rehabilitation programs aimed at drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated have not significantly reduced traffic fatalities.
(C) Many traffic fatalities are caused by factors unrelated to excessive alcohol consumption on the part of the driver.
(D) Even though severe penalties may not deter intoxicated drivers, these laws will punish them for the harm they cause if they drive while intoxicated.
(E) Some sort of therapy may be effective in helping problem drinkers to control their intake of alcohol, thereby keeping them off the road.

Source: Master GMAT

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

1. The author is primarily concerned with

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

This is a main idea question. The author begins by stating that a large number of auto traffic fatalities can be attributed to drivers who are intoxicated, and then reviews two approaches to controlling this problem: taxation and drunk driving laws. Neither is very successful. The author finally notes that therapy may be useful, though the extent of its value has not yet been proved.  (B)  fairly well describes this development.

(A)  can be eliminated since any conclusions drawn by the author from studies on drunk driving are used for the larger objective described in  (B) .

(C)  is incorrect since, aside from suggesting possible ways to reduce the extent of the problem, the author never treats the causes of drunk driving.

(D)  is incorrect for the same reason.

Finally,  (E)  is incorrect, because the comparison between the U.S. and Britain is only a small part of the passage.

The correct answer is (B).

2. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

This is an inference question. In the  third paragraph , the author discusses the effect of drunk driving laws, stating that after the implementation of the Road Safety Act in Britain, motor vehicle fatalities fell considerably. On this basis, we infer that the RSA was a law aimed at drunk driving. We can eliminate  (D) and (E)  on this ground.

(C)  can be eliminated as not warranted on the basis of this information. It is not clear whether the number of arrests increased. Equally consistent with the passage is the conclusion that the number of arrests dropped because people were no longer driving while intoxicated.  (C)  is incorrect for a further reason, the justification for  (B) .

(B) and (A)  are fairly close since both describe the RSA as a law aimed at drunk driving. But the last sentence of the third paragraph calls for  (B) over (A) .

As people learned that they would not get caught for drunk driving, the law became less effective. This suggests that the RSA made drunk driving illegal, not that it lowered the BAC required for conviction. This makes sense of the sentence  “ . . . they could drink and not be stopped.”  If  (A)  were correct, this sentence would have to read  “ . . . they could drink the same amount and not be convicted.”

The correct answer is (B).

3. The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

This is an inference question. In the  first paragraph , the author states that to attain a BAC of 0.1 percent, a person would need to drink over five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short period of time. The author is trying to impress on us that that is a considerable quantity of alcohol for most people to drink.  (A)  explains why the author makes this comment.

(B)  is incorrect and confuses the first paragraph with the second paragraph.

(C)  is incorrect since the point of the example is that the BAC is so high most people will not exceed it. This is not to say, however, that people will not drink and drive because of laws establishing maximum BAC levels. Rather, they can continue to drink and drive because the law allows them a considerable margin in the level of BAC.

(D)  is a misreading of that first paragraph. Of all the very drunk drivers (BAC in excess of 0.1), only 1 percent are involved in accidents. But this does not say that most drivers involved in fatal collisions have BAC levels in excess of 0.1 percent, and that is what  (D)  says.

As for  (E) , the author never states that the only way to attain a BAC of 0.1 percent is to drink five ounces of 80 proof spirits in a short time—there may be other ways of becoming intoxicated.

The correct answer is (A).

4. With which of the following statements about making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense versus increasing taxes on alcohol consumption would the author most likely agree?

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

This is an application question. In the  second paragraph , the author states that increased taxation on alcohol would tax the heaviest drinkers most, but notes that this would also penalize the moderate and light drinker. In other words, the remedy is not sufficiently focused on the problem. Then, in the  third paragraph , the author notes that drunk driving laws are aimed at the specific problem drivers. We can infer from this discussion that the author would likely advocate drunk driving laws over taxation for the reasons just given. This reasoning is presented in answer  (A).

(B)  is incorrect for the reasons just given and for the further reason that the passage never suggests that taxation is likely to be more effective in solving the problem. The author never really evaluates the effectiveness of taxation in reducing drunk driving.

(C)  is incorrect for the reason given in support of  (A)  and for the further reason that the author never raises the issue of personal liberty in conjunction with the BAC test.

(D)  can be eliminated because the author does not discount the effectiveness of anti-drunk driving measures entirely. Even the British example gives some support to the conclusion that such laws have an effect.

(E)  is incorrect, for the author never mentions the expense or administrative feasibility of BAC tests.

The correct answer is (A).

5. The author cites the British example in order to

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

This is a question about the logical structure of the passage. In  paragraph 3 , the author notes that stricter enforcement of laws against drunk driving may result in a few more arrests; but a few more arrests are not likely to have much impact on the problem because the number of arrests is small compared to those who do not get caught. As a consequence, people will continue to drink and drive. The author supports this with the British experience. Once people realize that the chances of being caught are relatively small, they will drink and drive. This is the conclusion of answer  (C).

(A)  is incorrect since the passage does not support the conclusion that the problem is any worse or any better in one country or the other.

(B)  is incorrect since this is the conclusion the author is arguing against.

(D)  is wrong because the author is not discussing the effectiveness of taxation in  paragraph 3.

(E)  is a statement the author would likely accept, but that is not the reason for introducing the British example. So  choice (E)  is true but nonresponsive.

The correct answer is (C).

6. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the author’s statement that the effectiveness of proposals to stop the intoxicated driver depends, in part, on the extent to which the high-BAC driver can control his intake?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

This is an application question that asks us to examine the logical structure of the argument. In the  fourth paragraph , the author argues that the effectiveness of deterrents to drunk driving will depend upon the drinker’s ability to control consumption. But drunk driving has two aspects: drunk and driving. The author assumes that drunk driving is a function of drinking only as indicated by the suggestion that control of consumption is necessary as opposed to helpful.

(A)  attacks this assumption by pointing out that it is possible to drink to excess without driving. It is possible that stiff penalties could be effective deterrents to drunk driving if not to drinking to excess.

(B)  is incorrect because the author actually makes this point, so this choice does not weaken the argument.

(C)  is incorrect since the author is concerned only with the problem of fatalities caused by drunk driving.

(D)  can be eliminated since the author is concerned to eliminate fatalities caused by drunk driving. No position is taken on whether the drunk driver ought to be punished, only that the drunk driver ought to be deterred from driving while intoxicated.

(E)  is not a strong attack on the argument since the author does leave open the question of the value of therapy in combating drunk driving.

The correct answer is (A).

Hope it helps

BlueBook · Answer

1) The answer can be arrived at by use of  POE. 
A) No surveys have been cited in the passage for interpretation.  Incorrect. 
B) This answer largely covers the entire scope of the passage compared to the other answers.  Correct. 
The first paragraph presents the link between high levels of BAC in drivers and the high number of accidents of the road. The second and third paragraphs lay out measures that have been attempted at curbing the level of intoxication among drivers to reduce road accidents; the first line of these paragraphs lays this out. The last paragraph conducts an analysis on the effectiveness of these measures.
C) The author has not outlined any reason for why drivers drink and drive.  Incorrect. 
D) Only one cause has been analyzed: intoxication. Not ‘causes’.  Incorrect. 
E) Partial out of scope. This has only been covered in the 3rd paragraph.  Incorrect .

2) The 2nd paragraph begins by stating that laws against drinking and driving are directed at intoxicated drivers. It then goes ahead to give examples of laws in states in the US and Britain. Therefore, it can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act made it illegal to drink while driving which coincides with choice B.

3) E is the correct answer. This is proven in paragraph 1, line 6:  “For the average adult….”

4) The author would most likely agree with B). The answer is derived from the 2nd paragraph. Taxes would impact everyone who consumes alcohol. This would reduce excessive consumption and total consumption thus reducing the number of injuries caused by intoxication. The author is generally concerned with reducing the number of accidents and fatalities caused by intoxication.

5) The main point of the 2nd paragraph is that enactment of laws does not deter drink driving. He does this by referring to the effect laws have had in the Us and Britain. This is line 7:  “At this level….”  And line 10:  “As Britishers increasingly…, the effectiveness declined,…”

6) The statement can be weakened if a driver can actually be shown to control his intake thus proving the proposals to be ineffective or there are other factors other than a driver’s consumption of alcohol that contribute to accidents thus, once again, proving the proposals to be ineffective. The answer that conveys this is C)

jvdunn26 · Answer

1. The author is primarily concerned with

(A) interpreting the results of surveys on traffic fatalities 
The author does interpret the results of surveys in his analysis, but this is not his primary concern. He uses his analysis to make a point.
 (B) reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to curb drunk driving 
This is the author's primary focus. Both economic and criminal approaches are evaluated in the body of the passage and their effectiveness is summarized in the final paragraph. 
 (C) suggesting reasons for the prevalence of drunk driving in the United States 
Preventing the outcomes of drunk driving is the author's concern, not explaining the current trends. Nothing about causation is mentioned.
 (D) analyzing the causes of the large number of annual traffic fatalities 
As in answer choice (C), causes are not the author's primary concern. Regardless of the causes, the author seeks the reduce drunk driving fatalities.
 (E) making an international comparison of experience with drunk driving 
The author cites evidence from the U.K., but only to prove the inefficacy of criminal penalties for drunk driving.

2. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain

(A) changed an existing law to lower the BAC level that defined driving while intoxicated 
A prior law could have existed, but it is also possible that the 1967 law was the first. 
 (B) made it illegal to drive while intoxicated 
This is really tricky. I don't see any reason to infer that the law was the first to make driving while intoxicated illegal. You could make that inference, but you would ignore the possibility that the law only tightened existing restrictions. There is a better answer.
 (C) increased the number of drunk driving arrests 
While answer choice (B) is possible, answer choice (C) is definite. The paragraph concerns the implementation of criminal law regarding drunk driving. Stricter laws, even if loosely enforced, would surely increase the number of arrests, even if only by a tiny amount. 1 > 0.
 (D) placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks 
Nothing is mentioned about a tax.
 (E) required drivers convicted under the law to undergo rehabilitation therapy 
Nothing is mentioned about rehab.

3. The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent

(A) is unreasonably high as a definition of intoxication for purposes of driving 
The author never makes a case for lowering BAC limits.
 (B) penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit 
The heavy drinker is just as limited by BAC laws as the moderate drinker, as the law is binary (over or under the limit). Also, "moderate" and "heavy" are not defined. 
  (C) will operate as an effective deterrent to over 90 percent of the people who might drink and drive 
All people might drink and drive. Fewer than 4% of all drivers have a BAC > 0.1. Therefore, more than 96% of all drivers do not exceed the 0.1 BAC limit.
 (D) is well below the BAC of most drivers who are involved in fatal collisions 
Only 1/3 of inebriated drivers are over a 0.1 BAC, but such drivers are 27 times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents. It’s tricky, but there are no other numbers to reference to determine whether drivers with higher BACs than 0.1 are more likely to be in fatal accidents. 
 (E) proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time 
This rate of consumption is given as the average, so it is not proof.

4. With which of the following statements about making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense versus increasing taxes on alcohol consumption would the author most likely agree?

(A) Making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense is preferable to increased taxes on alcohol because the former is aimed only at those who abuse alcohol by driving while intoxicated. 
As shown in the concluding paragraph, the author's sole concern is the prevention of fatal accidents. Whether or not non-offenders are impacted by a law is not his concern. 
 (B) Increased taxation on alcohol consumption is likely to be more effective in reducing traffic fatalities because taxation covers all consumers and not just those who drive. 
The author makes a point to show that criminal penalties are ineffective and suggests that taxation could be effective (paragraph 2). He sees criminal penalties as ineffective and he is open to a new approach. 
 (C) Increased taxation on alcohol will constitute less of an interference with personal liberty because of the necessity of blood alcohol tests to determine BAC’s in drivers suspected of intoxication. 
As with answer choice (A), any impacts other than a reduction in fatal accidents is not relevant to the author.
 (D) Since neither increased taxation nor enforcement of criminal laws against drunk drivers is likely to have any significant impact, neither measure is warranted.  
The author never says that taxation is unlikely to have an impact.
 (E) Because arrests of intoxicated drivers have proved to be expensive and administratively cumbersome, increased taxation on alcohol is the most promising means of reducing traffic fatalities. 
The cost of enforcement is never mentioned in the passage.

5. The author cites the British example in order to

(A) show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S. 
Statistics on drunk driving in Britain are not provided, so there is no way to conclude, or even infer, this from the passage.
 (B) prove that stricter enforcement of laws against intoxicated drivers would reduce traffic deaths 
It was the passage of the law, not its enforcement, that drove down fatalities. While stricter enforcement may reduce deaths, the passage does not prove that. 
 (C) prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of intoxicated drivers will not deter drunk driving 
British drivers were not deterred by the new law. After they realized that they were not likely to be arrested, they resumed their prior habits. This is the point the author is trying to make.
 (D) suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal laws 
Irrelevant, as the paragraph on Britain does not mention economic penalties.
 (E) demonstrate the need to lower BAC levels in states that have laws against drunk driving 
While the author contends that current laws and limits are not effective enough, that cannot be taken to mean that he believes removing these restrictions would be more effective.

6. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the author’s statement that the effectiveness of proposals to stop the intoxicated driver depends, in part, on the extent to which the high-BAC driver can control his intake?
 
 (A) Even if the heavy drinker cannot control his intake, criminal laws against driving while intoxicated can deter him from driving while intoxicated. 
The given statement implies that high-BAC drivers are not able to control their decision making after consuming too much alcohol. If answer choice (A) is true, then the author's claim is defeated. The highly intoxicated driver will still eschew driving in order to avoid criminal penalties.
 (B) Rehabilitation programs aimed at drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated have not significantly reduced traffic fatalities. 
This only speaks to the effectiveness of one method of prevention, whereas the author's statement encompasses all proposals.
 (C) Many traffic fatalities are caused by factors unrelated to excessive alcohol consumption on the part of the driver. 
This is a non sequitur. Any point of discussion should only involve alcohol-related crashes.
 (D) Even though severe penalties may not deter intoxicated drivers, these laws will punish them for the harm they cause if they drive while intoxicated. 
The author's point is that, no matter the method, laws must be written such that they prevent drinkers from getting behind the wheel. Answer choice (D), even if true, could never weaken the author's claim.
 (E) Some sort of therapy may be effective in helping problem drinkers to control their intake of alcohol, thereby keeping them off the road. 
This answer choice would actually provide limited support for the author's stance.

shameekv1989 · Answer

Paragraph | Tone | Summary :-

1 | = | MV acc. in US; provide stats about intoxication-related acc.
2 | +=| No. of approaches - one of it is taxation 
3 | +=| Drink & Drive another app. only for intox.; Britain's RSA - 1967 helped initially event effec. declined. 
4 | +-=| Doubt on effectiveness of 2 app.; other programs as rehabs haven't worked; Conclusion - Need to deal with intox. to reduce automotive related acc.

auradediligodo · Answer

Hi everyone,
Got 3/6 correct in 14 minutes, including 5:50 minutes to read and 8:10 minutes to answer the questions.

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P1

In this paragraph the author describes the statistics of those involved in fatal accidents and how alcohol consumption and alcohol levels affect such statistic.

Purpose:   to explain the statistics related to fatal accidents and how alcohol consumption affects such statistics.

P2

Here the author explains that there are several ways of tackling the problem and that one of them is based on the correlation according to which excessive consumption is linked to total consumption. So the solution seems to be more taxes on alcohol.

Purpose:   Present a possible solution to the problem of accident due to alcohol consumption.

P3

In this paragraph the author suggests a more direct way to address the problem, that is making drinking and driving a criminal offense. However, the author recognizes that the effectiveness is very limited. Then the author describes what happened in England after the implementation of an act. Such act reduced the number of fatalities.

Purpose:   to present another and more direct way to prevent fatalities due to drinking and driving.

P4

In the last paragraph the author claims that the approaches above mentioned are not really effective so far. The author then introduces another approach, that is therapy, concluding that is not super effective either.

Purpose:   To claim that so far the mentioned methodologies to reduce fatalities due to drinking and driving have not been effective.

Main point

To present several approaches to a problem, claiming that so far they have not been significantly effective to the solution of it.

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1. The author is primarily concerned with

Pre-thinking

Main point question

To present several approaches to a problem, claiming that so far they have not been significantly effective to the solution of it.

(A)  interpreting the results of surveys  on traffic fatalities
  (B)   reviewing the effectiveness of attempts to curb drunk driving
(C)  suggesting reasons  for the prevalence of drunk driving in the United States
(D)  analyzing the causes  of the large number of annual traffic fatalities
(E)  making an international comparison  of experience with drunk driving

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. It can be inferred that the 1967 Road Safety Act in Britain

Pre-thinking

Inference question

We need to evaluate the options

(A) changed an  existing  law to lower the BAC level that defined driving while intoxicated  We cannot infer that the law was already existing 
  (B)   made it illegal to drive while intoxicated  seems plausible 
(C) increased the number of drunk driving arrests  I would say opposite.   As Britishers increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped,   
(D) placed a tax on the sale of alcoholic drinks  Cannot be inferred 
(E) required drivers convicted under the law to undergo rehabilitation therapy  Cannot be inferred

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3. The author implies that a BAC of 0.1 percent

Pre-thinking

Assumption question

From P1:   Almost one-half of fatally injured drivers have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.1 percent or higher. For the average adult, over five ounces of 80 proof spirits would have to be consumed over a short period of time to attain these levels. A third of drivers who have been drinking, but fewer than 4 percent of all drivers, demonstrate these levels. Although  less than 1 percent of drivers with BAC’s of 0.1 percent or more are involved in fatal crashes , the probability of their involvement is 27 times higher than for those without alcohol in their blood.

We can see that a level of 0.1 or higher is extremely rare.

(A)   is unreasonably high as a definition of intoxication for purposes of driving  in line with pre-thinking 
(B) penalizes the moderate drinker while allowing the heavy drinker to consume without limit  not a must be true statement 
(C) will operate as an effective deterrent to over 90 percent of the people who might drink and drive  not a must be true statement 
(D) is well below the BAC of most drivers who are involved in fatal collisions  Quite opposite. We know that drivers involved in fatalities and who had such levels of alcohol in their blood are a small group 
(E) proves that a driver has consumed five ounces of 80 proof spirits over a short time  Comic. One's alcohol level cannot prove what one has drunk.

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4. With which of the following statements about making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense versus increasing taxes on alcohol consumption would the author most likely agree?

Pre-thinking

Inference question

So per the author, both are not significantly effective.
Plus, one difference between the two is that one is more direct than the other.

(A)   Making driving while intoxicated a criminal offense is preferable to increased taxes on alcohol because the former is aimed only at those who abuse alcohol by driving while intoxicated.  We can infer this statement for 2 reasons: 1. the author says that this approach is more direct and 2. the author makes the example of England's adoption of such an approach and claims that such approach worked. 
(B) Increased taxation on alcohol consumption is likely to be more effective in reducing traffic fatalities because taxation covers all consumers and not just those who drive.  Cannot be inferred 
(C) Increased taxation on alcohol will constitute less of an interference with personal liberty because of the necessity of blood alcohol tests to determine BAC’s in drivers suspected of intoxication.  personal liberty is quite outside the scope of this passage 
(D) Since neither increased taxation nor enforcement of criminal laws against drunk drivers is likely to have any significant impact, neither measure is warranted.  This option puts the 2 approaches in 50/50 scale of effectiveness. While it is true that both approaches are not super effective, the author makes the England example, claiming that such approach worked somehow. I would define this option a little bit too extreme. 
(E) Because arrests of intoxicated drivers have proved to be expensive and administratively cumbersome, increased taxation on alcohol is the most promising means of reducing traffic fatalities. completely out of scope

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. The author cites the British example in order to

Pre-thinking

Function question

Position strengthened:
   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates, however, that even with increased arrests, there are about 700 violations for every arrest. At this level there is little evidence that laws serve as deterrents to driving while intoxicated.

Portion of the passage that strengthens that position:
  As Britishers increasingly recognized that they could drink and not be stopped, the effectiveness declined,

1: To show that drivers will keep drinking as soon as they see that they are not checked

(A)  show that the problem of drunk driving is worse in Britain than in the U.S. 
(B) prove that stricter enforcement of laws against intoxicated drivers would reduce traffic deaths  It is true that in England the number of fatalities was somehow reduced BUT we are asked to find the purpose of the England's example and not to find a detail. The england's example strengthens the claim above mentioned and not the effectiveness of the law. 
  (C)  prove that a slight increase in the number of arrests of intoxicated drivers will not deter drunk driving  In line with pre-thinking 
(D)  suggest that taxation of alcohol consumption may be more effective than criminal laws 
(E)  demonstrate the need to lower BAC levels in states that have laws against drunk driving

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6. Which of the following, if true, most weakens the author’s statement that the effectiveness of proposals to stop the intoxicated driver depends, in part, on the extent to which the high-BAC driver can control his intake?

Pre-thinking

Weaken question

In part, the answer depends on the extent to which those with high BAC’s involved in crashes are capable of controlling their intake in response to economic or penal threat.

Let's focus on what we are asked: 
We need to weaken the above claim. The claim stresses a part: the extent to which a driver can control the intake. 
So, if the driver can control the intake, the measures adopted will be more effective.

What if the driver cannot control the intake but the laws are quite convincing and he/she does not drive in the end?

(A)    Even if the heavy drinker cannot control his intake,  criminal laws against driving while intoxicated can deter him from driving while intoxicated.  This option weakens the claim for the above mentioned reasons 
(B) Rehabilitation programs aimed at drivers convicted of driving while intoxicated have not significantly reduced traffic fatalities.  irrelevant 
(C) Many traffic fatalities are caused by factors unrelated to excessive alcohol consumption on the part of the driver.  irrelevant 
(D) Even though severe penalties may not deter intoxicated drivers, these laws will punish them for the harm they cause if they drive while intoxicated.  irrelevant 
(E) Some sort of therapy may be effective in helping problem drinkers to control their intake of alcohol, thereby keeping them off the road.  irrelevant

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It's a great day to be alive!

VerbalBot · Answer

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