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20 Feb 2026, 20:37
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A major donor to the Northbridge Research Institute has recently claimed that the institute is poorly managed, citing as evidence the institute’s failure to slow the submission of new project proposals in response to a sharp increase in the amount of unspent research funds. It is unclear whether public accusations by donors ever help institutions function better, but in this case the accusation is plainly unwarranted. It is true that a growing balance of unspent funds often signals that research projects are stalled, yet at Northbridge it suggests nothing of the kind. The rise in unspent funds is entirely due to large multiyear grants that have already been awarded to specific projects but are scheduled to be drawn down only in later phases of those projects.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
A. The first presents a consideration that the argument ultimately rejects; the second describes evidence that the argument uses to undermine that consideration.
B. The first expresses the author’s overall conclusion; the second is a more specific conclusion drawn to help support that overall conclusion.
C. The first states a claim made by someone the author disagrees with; the second summarizes the author’s main reason for rejecting that claim.
D. The first introduces a general attitude toward outside criticism; the second presents a claim that the remainder of the argument attempts to refute.
E. The first and second both report factual observations that the author uses as support for a further conclusion not stated explicitly.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
A. The first presents a consideration that the argument ultimately rejects; the second describes evidence that the argument uses to undermine that consideration.
B. The first expresses the author’s overall conclusion; the second is a more specific conclusion drawn to help support that overall conclusion.
C. The first states a claim made by someone the author disagrees with; the second summarizes the author’s main reason for rejecting that claim.
D. The first introduces a general attitude toward outside criticism; the second presents a claim that the remainder of the argument attempts to refute.
E. The first and second both report factual observations that the author uses as support for a further conclusion not stated explicitly.
20 Feb 2026, 20:37
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Official Solution:
A major donor to the Northbridge Research Institute has recently claimed that the institute is poorly managed, citing as evidence the institute’s failure to slow the submission of new project proposals in response to a sharp increase in the amount of unspent research funds. It is unclear whether public accusations by donors ever help institutions function better, [b]but in this case the accusation is plainly unwarranted. It is true that a growing balance of unspent funds often signals that research projects are stalled, yet at Northbridge it suggests nothing of the kind. The rise in unspent funds is entirely due to large multiyear grants that have already been awarded to specific projects but are scheduled to be drawn down only in later phases of those projects.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
[/b]
A. The first presents a consideration that the argument ultimately rejects; the second describes evidence that the argument uses to undermine that consideration.
B. The first expresses the author’s overall conclusion; the second is a more specific conclusion drawn to help support that overall conclusion.
C. The first states a claim made by someone the author disagrees with; the second summarizes the author’s main reason for rejecting that claim.
D. The first introduces a general attitude toward outside criticism; the second presents a claim that the remainder of the argument attempts to refute.
E. The first and second both report factual observations that the author uses as support for a further conclusion not stated explicitly.
Let's break it down:
Author's main conclusion: "...in this case the accusation is plainly unwarranted."
BF1: Author's main conclusion
BF2: Supporting intermediate conclusion
=> B) is in line with this
(A) BF2 doesn't undermine BF1; it supports it.
(C) BF2 isn't a reason for rejecting the donor’s claim in a summarized way; it's a specific causal explanation the author concludes.
(D) BF1 isn't a general attitude; it's the author’s verdict about this case.
(E) BF2 isn't a "factual observation"; it’s an interpretive conclusion about why funds are unspent.
Answer: B
A major donor to the Northbridge Research Institute has recently claimed that the institute is poorly managed, citing as evidence the institute’s failure to slow the submission of new project proposals in response to a sharp increase in the amount of unspent research funds. It is unclear whether public accusations by donors ever help institutions function better, [b]but in this case the accusation is plainly unwarranted. It is true that a growing balance of unspent funds often signals that research projects are stalled, yet at Northbridge it suggests nothing of the kind. The rise in unspent funds is entirely due to large multiyear grants that have already been awarded to specific projects but are scheduled to be drawn down only in later phases of those projects.
In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?
[/b]
A. The first presents a consideration that the argument ultimately rejects; the second describes evidence that the argument uses to undermine that consideration.
B. The first expresses the author’s overall conclusion; the second is a more specific conclusion drawn to help support that overall conclusion.
C. The first states a claim made by someone the author disagrees with; the second summarizes the author’s main reason for rejecting that claim.
D. The first introduces a general attitude toward outside criticism; the second presents a claim that the remainder of the argument attempts to refute.
E. The first and second both report factual observations that the author uses as support for a further conclusion not stated explicitly.
Let's break it down:
Author's main conclusion: "...in this case the accusation is plainly unwarranted."
BF1: Author's main conclusion
BF2: Supporting intermediate conclusion
=> B) is in line with this
(A) BF2 doesn't undermine BF1; it supports it.
(C) BF2 isn't a reason for rejecting the donor’s claim in a summarized way; it's a specific causal explanation the author concludes.
(D) BF1 isn't a general attitude; it's the author’s verdict about this case.
(E) BF2 isn't a "factual observation"; it’s an interpretive conclusion about why funds are unspent.
Answer: B
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27 Apr 2026, 02:53
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I like the solution - it’s helpful.
