One of the main causes for air pollution and depletion of oil reserves

Question

One of the main causes for air pollution and depletion of oil reserves in Country X is the use of petrol as fuel in most cars. In recent years, however, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has managed to impose high tax rates on the acquisition of new petrol-fuelled cars, and last year an additional Gas Emissions tax was applied to all petrol-fuelled car owners.  Since owning a petrol-based car has now become a significant financial liability, car drivers nationwide are replacing their old petrol-only cars with hybrid cars or bio-diesel-fuelled cars, which create less pollution and consume less, if any, petrol . It is foreseen that  this step will lead to a decrease in pollution and to the stabilization of oil prices over the next decade or two .

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is further evidence focusing on the effect.

B. The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is further evidence focusing on the cause.

C. The first is the argument's conclusion; the second is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect contradicting that conclusion.

D. The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is the argument's conclusion.

E. The first is the argument's conclusion; the second is the evidence on which this conclusion is based.

AkashM · Answer

Eliminate A, B, C and E because the second BF is not an evidence. It is a prediction which may or may come true. 
Further, C and E can also be eliminated because the first BF is not the argument's conclusion. It is part of the cause-effect relationship.

D remains and is the correct answer. Although, I do not see a reason why it should be called the argument's conclusion.

arnab2312 · Answer

I think D is the answer. Since is an evidence indicator. The second is obviously a direct effect of the first boldface. And is a conclusion.

winterschool · Answer

One of the main causes for air pollution and depletion of oil reserves in Country X is the use of petrol as fuel in most cars. In recent years, however, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has managed to impose high tax rates on the acquisition of new petrol-fuelled cars, and last year an additional Gas Emissions tax was applied to all petrol-fuelled car owners. Since owning a petrol-based car has now become a significant financial liability, car drivers nationwide are replacing their old petrol-only cars with hybrid cars or bio-diesel-fuelled cars, which create less pollution and consume less, if any, petrol. It is foreseen that this step will lead to a decrease in pollution and to the stabilization of oil prices over the next decade or two.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is further evidence focusing on the effect.  Incorrect

second is not evidence

B. The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is further evidence focusing on the cause.  Incorrect

second is not evidence

C. The first is the argument's conclusion; the second is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect contradicting that conclusion.  Incorrect

first is not conclusion, second is not evidence

D.  The first is evidence describing a relationship of cause and effect; the second is the argument's conclusion.   Correct

E. The first is the argument's conclusion; the second is the evidence on which this conclusion is based.  Incorrect

second is not evidence, first is not conclusion

One of the main causes for air pollution and depletion of oil reserves

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One of the main causes for air pollution and depletion of oil reserves

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards