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Everyone here is saying A mostly, but I feel A has no direct connection to the Conclusion, A totally takes over the conclusion, meanwhile D when negated weakens the conclusion and as LET says D is the least Extreme while A is the most extreme.
I am with D, but need an expert to provide solution with reasoning.
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BussinesArtist
Everyone here is saying A mostly, but I feel A has no direct connection to the Conclusion, A totally takes over the conclusion, meanwhile D when negated weakens the conclusion and as LET says D is the least Extreme while A is the most extreme.
I am with D, but need an expert to provide solution with reasoning.
The conclusion is that "the only effective way to reduce such emissions is to replace the conventional diesel fuel and gasoline used in automobiles with cleaner-burning fuels, such as methanol, that create fewer emissions."

If reducing the use of automobiles is a more effective way to reduce emissions, then replacing diesel/gasoline with cleaner-burning fuels would NOT be the only effective way to reduce emissions. There would be at least two effective ways to reduce emissions in that case, so the conclusion would be invalidated.

As for (D), the author says that the emissions are threatening the quality of life on our planet, contaminating both urban air and global atmosphere. That doesn't mean that the emissions have to be the MOST serious threat to the global environment. Maybe the emissions are in the top 5 but not #1. The author's argument would remain the same.

So (A) is the best answer.

I hope this helps, and welcome to GMAT Club!
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Emissions from automobiles that burn gasoline and automobiles that burn diesel fuel are threatening the quality of life on our planet, contaminating both urban air and global atmosphere. Therefore, the only effective way to reduce such emissions is to replace the conventional diesel fuel and gasoline used in automobiles with cleaner-burning fuels, such as methanol, that create fewer emissions.

The very important strategy that I have learnt so far is spending a little bit extra time on looking for MODIFIERS in the conclusion. I always evaluate whether the conclusion is: Certain or Uncertain, Extreme or Not Extreme, The only vs One of the ways, Probable vs Certain, etc.

In this case, the conclusion says replacing conventional diesel fuel and gasoline with cleaner-burning fuels is THE ONLY way. Therefore, any answer choice that eliminates the alternative plan must be correct.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?


Quote:
(A) Reducing the use of automobiles would not be a more effective means to reduce automobile emissions than the use of methanol.
This matches our thought. Hang on to this.
Quote:
(B) There is no fuel other than methanol that is cleaner-burning than both diesel fuel and gasoline.
"The only effective way": Fuel is not the only possibility. There are other alternatives, such as electric vehicle, encouraging the use of public transits... (B) is out.
Quote:
(C) If given a choice of automobile fuels, automobile owners would not select gasoline over methanol.
The choice is not guarantee. Furthermore, If there were a better choice than both gasoline and methanol, automobile owners would have been opted in for that choice. (C) is out.
Quote:
(D) Automobile emissions constitute the most serious threat to the global environment.
Does this have to be true? "The most serious threat": Nowhere in the reasoning that the author implied this. He merely stated that Emission from Automobiles threatens the atmosphere. There could be other threats that were way more serious than Emission from Automobiles. (D) is out.
Quote:
(E) At any given time there is a direct correlation between the level of urban air pollution and the level of contamination present in the global atmosphere.
Irrelevant. We only care about the plan. Correlation is out of the discussion.

(A) is the only one left. (A) is our choice.
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Emissions from automobiles that burn gasoline and automobiles that burn diesel fuel are threatening the quality of life on our planet, contaminating both urban air and global atmosphere. Therefore, the only effective way to reduce such emissions is to replace the conventional diesel fuel and gasoline used in automobiles with cleaner-burning fuels, such as methanol, that create fewer emissions.

Which one of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?


(A) Reducing the use of automobiles would not be a more effective means to reduce automobile emissions than the use of methanol. CORRECT
-the passage states that replacing conventional sources with cleaner-burning fuels IS THE ONLY effective way
-A) annihilates the argument by suggesting an even better alternative

(B) There is no fuel other than methanol that is cleaner-burning than both diesel fuel and gasoline.
-there may be other fuels that are cleaner-burning, but the argument still stands...switching is GOOD

(C) If given a choice of automobile fuels, automobile owners would not select gasoline over methanol.
-'consumer choice' is irrelevant

(D) Automobile emissions constitute the most serious threat to the global environment.
-extreme language...this can be false and the argument would still stand

(E) At any given time there is a direct correlation between the level of urban air pollution and the level of contamination present in the global atmosphere.
-"ANY" given time...again this doesn't have to be true and the argument isn't weakened after negation
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