Artists who have won prestigious awards usually receive much more glowing praise from critics than do artists who have not won any noteworthy awards. Since popularity tends to be short-lived and artists desire to make the most of their reputations, several artists produce as much work as they can in a short span of time. However,
too much output may lead critics to believe that the artist has compromised on the quality of his or her work. Therefore,
the best course of action for artists who have received prestigious awards and who want to continue to receive positive critical reviews is to ensure that they do not produce too much work in too short a period.In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
A. The first is an observation that supports an intermediate conclusion made by the author; the second is that conclusion.
B. The first is an opinion that the argument challenges; the second is the position that the argument as a whole seeks to establish.
C. The first is an intermediate conclusion that supports the position taken by the argument; the second is that position.
D. The first is evidence that supports the intermediate conclusion drawn by the author; the second is the position taken by the argument.
E. The first is an intermediate conclusion that supports the main conclusion of the author; the second is another intermediate conclusion that supports the main position taken by the argument