Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created.

Question

Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created. Will this year bring another record? Well, any new manufacturing job is created either within an existing company or by the start-up of a new company. Within existing firms, new jobs have been created this year at well below last year’s record pace. At the same time, there is considerable evidence that the number of new companies starting up will be no higher this year than it was last year, and there is no reason to think that the new companies starting up this year will create more jobs per company than did last year’s start-ups. So clearly, the number of new jobs created this year will fall short of last year’s record.

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

A. The first is presented as an obvious truth on which the argument is based; the second is a claim advanced in support of the conclusion of the argument.

B. The first is presented as an obvious truth on which the argument is based; the second presents a possible objection that the argument discounts.

C. The first provides evidence in support of the conclusion of the argument; the second is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide further support for that conclusion.

D. The first is a generalization that the argument seeks to establish; the second is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument opposes.

E. The first is a generalization that the argument seeks to establish; the second is a claim that has been advanced in order to challenge that generalization.

Gmat860sanskar · Answer

Official Explanation : -

Argument Construction

Situation
A record number of manufacturing jobs were created in the year previous. For this year to set a new record, manufacturing jobs must be created in greater numbers by the two sources of such jobs taken together: established companies and start-up companies. Established companies are creating fewer manufacturing jobs than they did the year previous; moreover, because companies are starting up at the same, or lower, rate than they did the year previous, and because there is no evidence that these start-ups will create jobs at a higher rate per company than did companies that started up the year previous, the author concludes that the total of new manufacturing jobs will be fewer this year than last year.

Reasoning
How do the two boldfaced portions function in relation to the argument that fewer manufacturing jobs will be created this year than last? The first portion states that new jobs can come from only two sources: existing companies and start-up companies. This is presented as an obvious, common-sense fact, and the rest of the argument depends on it. The second portion relates to the fact that, because start-up companies are forming at a rate no greater than last year’s, the only way there could be more manufacturing jobs created this year would be if this year’s start-ups created more jobs per company; if that were the case, it would undermine that author’s conclusion that “clearly” fewer manufacturing jobs will be created this year. This potential objection is presented in the second boldfaced portion. However, the author discounts this possibility by stating that there is “no reason” to believe it is true.

A. While the first portion is indeed presented as an obvious truth, the second portion, if true, would undermine rather than support the argument’s conclusion.

B. Correct. The first portion consists of the claim the new manufacturing jobs must come from either existing companies or new ones, and this presents as an obvious fact on which the remainder of the argument rests; the second portion describes a possible avenue by which more jobs could be created this year than last, and so it amounts to a potential objection to the conclusion that fewer jobs will be created this year. However, the author dismisses this potential objection by stating that there is “no reason” to believe it is the case.

C. The first portion is a common-sense assertion, not evidence per se; the second portion presents a prediction that, if accurate, would undermine rather than support the conclusion.

D. The first portion is a statement that the argument relies on but does nothing to establish beyond simply asserting it to be true; the second is a claim that could be advanced in support of an opposed position, but there is no evidence to suggest it actually has been advanced.

E. The first portion is a statement that the argument relies on but does nothing to establish beyond simply asserting it to be true; the second does not in any way contest that statement: that new jobs must come from either existing companies or new ones.

Bunuel · Answer

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guddo · Answer

Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created. Will this year bring another record? Well, any new manufacturing job is created either within an existing company or by the start-up of a new company. Within existing firms, new jobs have been created this year at well below last year’s record pace. At the same time, there is considerable evidence that the number of new companies starting up will be no higher this year than it was last year, and there is no reason to think that the new companies starting up this year will create more jobs per company than did last year’s start-ups. So clearly, the number of new jobs created this year will fall short of last year’s record.
 
 In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

The argument concludes that this year will not set a new record for manufacturing job creation. The first boldface gives the argument’s basic framework: every new manufacturing job must come from either an existing company or a new company. The second boldface states a possible way the record could still be reached, but the argument says there is no reason to believe that possibility.  So the second boldface is a possible objection that the argument discounts .

A. The first is presented as an obvious truth on which the argument is based; the second is a claim advanced in support of the conclusion of the argument.

This is close, but incorrect. The first part is right, but the second boldface is not directly asserted as support. The author says there is no reason to think it is true.

B. The first is presented as an obvious truth on which the argument is based; the second presents a possible objection that the argument discounts.

This is correct. The first boldface sets up the two possible sources of new jobs. The second boldface presents a possible challenge to the conclusion: maybe this year’s start-ups will create more jobs per company. The argument discounts that possibility by saying there is  no reason to think  it will happen.

C. The first provides evidence in support of the conclusion of the argument; the second is a prediction that, if accurate, would provide further support for that conclusion.

This is incorrect. The first is not evidence that this year will fall short; it is the general framework. Also, if the second were accurate, it would weaken the conclusion, not support it.

D. The first is a generalization that the argument seeks to establish; the second is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument opposes.

This is incorrect. The first boldface is not something the argument tries to prove. It is taken as an obvious starting point.

E. The first is a generalization that the argument seeks to establish; the second is a claim that has been advanced in order to challenge that generalization.

This is incorrect. The argument is not trying to establish the first boldface, and the second does not challenge it.

Answer: (B)

Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created.

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Last year a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created.

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

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