Studies have shown that refrigerated trucks manufactured prior to 2008

Question

Studies have shown that refrigerated trucks manufactured prior to 2008 create nearly twice as much carbon emission as newer refrigerated trucks built using energy-efficient technology. As a result, the European Union has decreed that it will no longer grant licenses to these older trucks upon resale. Since refrigerated trucks are frequently sold from larger trucking companies with the means to upgrade technology to smaller trucking companies that keep costs low by exclusively purchasing in the resale market, this program will reduce the amount of global carbon emission coming from refrigerated trucks.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. While popular in the European Union, this program has not been adopted by any other governing bodies.

B. The European Union only accounts for 18% of the world’s refrigerated trucking, as defined by the number of kilometers driven by refrigerated trucks each year.

C. In light of this announcement, larger trucking companies in the European Union are planning to resell their old refrigerated trucks to companies based outside of the European Union.

D. Some refrigerated trucks that operate within the European Union are licensed by countries that are not members of the European Union.

E. Experts predict that a significant percentage of refrigerated transport will shift from trucks to trains as companies attempt to comply with the new regulation.

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bv8562 · Answer

C IMO as it directly attacks the underlying assumption that there is no other way that the larger trucking companies in the European Union can sell their older refrigerated trucks. Option C tells us that they can sell their older refrigerated trucks to companies based outside of the European Union. Thereby weakening the argument.

PrerANASHARMA1234 · Answer

Option c either way the eu with the intention to lessen the emission of carbon took this step but it weaken by option c as it implies that there will be no significant change by banning in eu they will be selling it outside eu.

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Bunuel · Answer

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

The key to this problem is noticing the word "global" in the conclusion, "this program will reduce the amount of global carbon emission coming from refrigerated trucks."

The EU plans to cut (global) carbon emissions by refusing to license these older trucks, which are typically sold from larger companies to smaller companies. What is the intermediate effect? Smaller companies will be forced to buy new trucks, because they just won't have the option to purchase older trucks without the ability to get them licensed. This, then, should take the older trucks off the road.

But there's one huge problem with that: the refusal to license older trucks only exists in the European Union, meaning that it doesn't have jurisdiction over global carbon emissions. So one way to weaken the argument is to exploit that and show that the older trucks will continue to operate, just outside the European Union. Choice C does exactly that: the larger companies will still sell the trucks, just a little further away, and carbon will continue to be emitted somewhere in the world. Choice C then is correct.

Choices A, B, and D are all incorrect for essentially the same reason, again related to the specificity of the conclusion. Note that the goal isn't to eliminate carbon emissions, just to reduce it. So even if this policy were to only get rid of the trucks in the EU, it would still meet its goal of reducing global emissions. Beware that trap in problems that involve plans/strategies: saying that the plan won't be as effective as it could be doesn't necessarily weaken its goal of creating some change. And choice E actually, if anything, strengthens the argument, by showing that companies plan to get away from trucks.

Studies have shown that refrigerated trucks manufactured prior to 2008

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Studies have shown that refrigerated trucks manufactured prior to 2008

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