In Sunnyville the new Alternative Energy Action party won two seats on

Question

In Sunnyville the new Alternative Energy Action party won two seats on the seven-member town council in 1988, it lost both of those seats in the 1992 election; even though the party’s pro- alternative energy platform had essentially remained unchanged. This decline in the party’s fortunes clearly demonstrates that, in Sunnyville, alternative energy concerns faded in significance between 1988 and 1992.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

(A) Between 1998 and 1992, the number of eligible voters in Sunnyville rose, but not the percentage who actually voted.

(B) Between 1988 and 1992, Sunnyville’s leading political party revised its platform, adopting the policies of the Alternative Energy Action party

(C) The parties that ran candidates in the 1992 election in Sunnyville were the same as those that had done so in the 1988 election.

(D) In 1992 the Alternative Energy Action party won fewer votes in Sunnyville than it had won in 1988.

(E) Between 1988 and 1992, some measures intended to provide alternative energy had been adopted by the town council, but with inconclusive results

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ajay0520 · Answer

the statement is basically saying that, alternative energy concerns faded in significance between 1988 and 1992 because alternative energy action party lose it's seat in election.

so to weaken this we have to find a option that shows that alternative energy concerns have not faded. and for showing that option B does its job by saying that a leading party actually revised its platform, adopting the policies of the Alternative Energy Action party. may be because of that the voters got divided among 2 parties so the energy action party have lost election but the people are still concerned about alternative energy.

Dereno · Answer

The argument claims that the decline in the Alternative Energy Action party's fortunes from 1988 to 1992 shows that alternative energy concerns faded in significance during this period, even though the party's core manifesto remained unchanged.

To weaken this argument, we need evidence that the party’s decline in support is not due to fading of alternative energy concerns in the town. Let's evaluate each option:

(A)  Between 1998 and 1992, the number of eligible voters in Sunnyville rose, but not the percentage who actually voted .
This doesn't address the core issue.

(B)  Between 1988 and 1992, Sunnyville’s leading political party revised its platform, adopting the policies of the Alternative Energy Action party.

This would weaken the argument significantly. If the leading political party adopted the same alternative energy policies as the Alternative Energy Action party, it could explain why the latter lost support: voters may have felt the concerns were being addressed by another, more established party.

This suggests that alternative energy concerns were still important, but voters shifted to another party that shared similar views.

(C)  The parties that ran candidates in the 1992 election in Sunnyville were the same as those that had done so in the 1988 election. 
This doesn't directly weaken the argument. Same or different Candidatures does not decide the energy concerns.

(D)  In 1992, the Alternative Energy Action party won fewer votes in Sunnyville than it had won in 1988.

This is consistent with the argument and doesn't weaken it. It simply reaffirms the decline in the party's fortunes.

(E)  Between 1988 and 1992, some measures intended to provide alternative energy had been adopted by the town council, but with inconclusive results. 
Irrelevant option

The correct answer is (B) . It provides a reason for the party's decline in support that doesn't rely on the fading significance of alternative energy concerns. Instead, it suggests that voters turned to the leading political party, which adopted the same policies.

Ratanp · Answer

B

Because conclusion is made that between 1988 to 1992 significance of alternative energy concerns came down, and what weaken this conclusion is that, the leading political party adopted its policies.

napolean92728 · Answer

Answer: B 
The correct answer is (B) Between 1988 and 1992, Sunnyville's leading political party revised its platform, adopting the policies of the Alternative Energy Action party.

Explanation: 
The argument concludes that alternative energy concerns faded in significance based on the Alternative Energy Action party losing seats. Option B weakens this conclusion by providing an alternative explanation: voters still cared about alternative energy, but now they could support these policies through the leading party instead. This suggests that support for alternative energy policies may have remained strong or even increased, despite the Alternative Energy Action party's electoral defeat.

Why each other option is incorrect: 
 (A)  Information about the percentage of eligible voters who voted doesn't address whether alternative energy concerns specifically faded in significance. This is irrelevant to the relationship between the party's loss and public interest in alternative energy.
 (C)  The fact that the same parties ran candidates in both elections doesn't explain why the Alternative Energy Action party lost seats or whether alternative energy concerns faded in significance.
 (D)  This actually strengthens rather than weakens the argument by confirming that the party received fewer votes, which aligns with the conclusion that alternative energy concerns faded.
 (E)  While this suggests some progress on alternative energy initiatives, the "inconclusive results" don't explain why voters would have abandoned the Alternative Energy Action party if they still cared about these issues. This doesn't provide a clear alternative explanation for the party's defeat.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

On the basis of the information that the new Alternative Energy Party, which had won 2 seats out of 7 in the town council in 1988, had lost both of them in 1992, the author argues that the decline in the party’s fortunes clearly demonstrates that alternative energy concerns faded in significance in the town during this period.

We have been asked to locate that choice which most seriously weakens this argument.

(A) merely says that both the number of voters and the number who voted increased between 1988 and 1992, but does not give a reason which strengthens or weakens the author’s theory why the Alternative Energy Action Party lost its seats.

(B) says that the town’s leading political party (which had won the majority of the other 5 seats in 1988) had revised its platform adopting a strong alternative energy stance. If this is true, voters who are in favor of alternative energy might have voted for the leading political party itself this time instead of for the Alternative Energy Action party. So, the defeat of the members of the Alternative Energy party would not mean that the environmental concerns had faded in significance in the minds of the voters. On the contrary; the reason why the dominant party adopted a strong alternative energy stance may itself be because the public concern for alternative energy had become more intense, and the dominant party wanted to go along with that popular sentiment. So, it is (B) which seriously weakens the argument of the author, and is the answer.

(C) neither strengthens nor weakens the argument, and is not the answer.

(D) strengthens the argument of the author, and does not weaken it.

(E) would give a reason why the voters could have been disillusioned with the Alternative Energy Action party, because of which environmental concerns could have faded in significance. So, (E) strengthens the argument of the author, and does not weaken it.

In Sunnyville the new Alternative Energy Action party won two seats on

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In Sunnyville the new Alternative Energy Action party won two seats on

Prep Toolkit

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