Since a university just announced that they've hired a renowned profes

Question

Since a university just announced that  they've hired a renowned professor in astrophysics , many students who were initially hesitant about the quality of the astronomy program are now feeling more confident in their choice. They believe that a prestigious researcher wouldn't join a struggling program, so the rumors about outdated curriculum and underqualified faculty must be unfounded. This optimism might be misplaced, however.  Universities have been known to strategically hire big names in certain fields to boost their reputation , even if the overall program resources or faculty support haven't significantly improved.
  
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

A. The first describes the circumstance that the argument as a whole seeks to explain; the second provides evidence in support of the explanation that the argument seeks to establish.
B. The first describes evidence that has been taken as supporting a conclusion; the second gives a reason for questioning that support.
C. The first is evidence that has been used to support a conclusion for which the argument provides further evidence; the second is the main conclusion of the argument.
D. The first is a consideration raised to help explain the popularity of a certain strategy; the second presents that strategy.
E. The first provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument; the second states that conclusion.

Amity007 · Answer

Right Answer Explanation / Suggested Answer :  
 1. Not correct. The first boldface is indeed a circumstance related to the students' increased confidence, but the second boldface doesn't provide evidence supporting this; rather, it challenges this belief.
2. Correct. The first boldface portion is presented as evidence that has led students to believe that the quality of the astronomy program is good. The second boldface portion introduces a reason to doubt the conclusion that the students have drawn from the first piece of evidence. It suggests that hiring a renowned professor might not necessarily indicate that the overall program is strong. 
 3. Not correct. The first boldface is indeed presented as evidence supporting the students' conclusion that the astronomy program is of high quality. There's no further evidence provided for the students' conclusion; instead, the second boldface portion questions the initial evidence. 
 4. Not correct. The first boldface isn't explaining a strategy. Instead, it is an observation about a recent event (the hiring of a renowned professor) that leads students to make certain conclusions about the quality of the astronomy program. The second boldface portion does indeed describe a strategy, but it is presented to cast doubt on the students' conclusions derived from the first piece of evidence. 
 5. Not correct. The second boldface doesn't state the conclusion; it provides a reason why the initial evidence might not be reliable.

Since a university just announced that they've hired a renowned profes

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