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

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 a claim that the argument challenges; the second presents an explicit assumption that has served as the basis for that claim.

B. The first is a claim that the argument challenges; the second is a claim that has been advanced in order to challenge the main conclusion of the argument.

C. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a judgment advanced in support of that main conclusion.

D. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second presents a possible objection that the argument discounts.

E. The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument opposes; the second is a possible objection to that claim.

Bunuel · Answer

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MartyMurray · 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?

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

Key to getting a Boldface question correct is analyzing the passage before going to the answer choices.

Analysis of the passage:

Last year, a record number of new manufacturing jobs were created.  - fact that provides context

Will this year bring another record?  - question at issue

Well, any new manufacturing job is created either within an existing company or by the start-up of a new company.  - fact that provides context

Within existing firms, new jobs have been created this year at well below last year’s record pace .  - supporting premise

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  - supporting premise

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   - supporting premise (Notice that, while this sentence as a whole supports the conclusion, the author indicates disagreement with the boldfaced portion of this sentence by saying that "there is no reason to think" the boldfaced portion.)

So clearly, the number of new jobs created this year will fall short of last year’s record.  - main conclusion/author's answer to the question at issue

The correct answer to this Boldface question will accurately describe the roles of the two boldfaced portions.

A. The first is a claim that the argument challenges; the second presents an explicit assumption that has served as the basis for that claim.

The first is not challenged by the argument but, rather, supports the main conclusion.

Also, the second boldfaced portion does not support the first. After all, the idea that companies will " create more jobs per company than did last year’s start-ups " does not support the claim that " new jobs have been created this year at well below last year’s record pace ."

Eliminate.

B. The first is a claim that the argument challenges; the second is a claim that has been advanced in order to challenge the main conclusion of the argument.

The first is not challenged by the argument but, rather, supports the main conclusion.

Also, while the second is counter to the main conclusion, it's not accurate to say that it has been advanced specifically "in order to challenge the main conclusion."

Eliminate.

C. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a judgment advanced in support of that main conclusion.

The first part of this choice is accurate.

The second part of this choice is tricky because of the following.

The sentence in which the second boldfaced portion appears does support the main conclusion. However, the second boldfaced portion itself is something with which the author of the argument disagrees. After all, the author says, "there is no reason to think" the second boldfaced portion.

So, the second boldfaced portion does not support the main conclusion.

Eliminate.

D. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second presents a possible objection that the argument discounts.

This choice works perfectly.

The first boldfaced portion is a supporting premise.

Then, although the second boldfaced portion appears within a supporting premise, the author says that "there is no reason to think" the second boldfaced portion.

So, considering the second boldfaced portion carefully, we can see the following: The idea " the new companies starting up this year will create more jobs per company than did last year’s start-ups " is a possible objection to the conclusion "the number of new jobs created this year will fall short of last year’s record," and the author discounts the second boldfaced portion by saying "there is no reason to think" it.

Thus, this choice is correct.

Keep.

E. The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument opposes; the second is a possible objection to that claim.

The first part of this choice is incorrect because the first boldfaced portion supports the main conclusion, not an opposing position.

The second part of this choice goes in the right direction since the second boldface portion is counter to the first, but the second isn't really an "objection" to the first since the second is about "new companies" while the first is about "existing firms."

Eliminate.

Correct answer:   D

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’s number of new manufacturing jobs will fall short of last year’s record. The first boldface supports that conclusion by showing weakness in one source of new jobs: existing firms. The second boldface states a possible way the record could still be reached, but the argument discounts that possibility.  So the first is supporting evidence, and the second is a discounted objection .

A. The first is a claim that the argument challenges; the second presents an explicit assumption that has served as the basis for that claim.

This is incorrect. The argument does not challenge the first boldface; it uses it as support.

B. The first is a claim that the argument challenges; the second is a claim that has been advanced in order to challenge the main conclusion of the argument.

This is incorrect. Again, the first boldface is not challenged by the argument.

C. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a judgment advanced in support of that main conclusion.

This is close, but wrong. The first part is right, but the second boldface is not advanced as support. The argument says there is  no reason to think  it is true.

D. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second presents a possible objection that the argument discounts.

This is correct. The first shows that existing firms are creating jobs too slowly. The second presents a possible objection: maybe this year’s start-ups will create more jobs per company. The argument discounts that possibility.

E. The first is a claim that has been advanced in support of a position that the argument opposes; the second is a possible objection to that claim.

This is incorrect. The first boldface supports the argument’s own conclusion, not a position the argument opposes.

Answer: (D)

kumarvibhuti630 · Answer

A. Incorrect, First is an evidence in support of the argument.

B.Incorrect, First is an evidence in support of the argument.

C. Incorrect , First is correct.
Though the second is a claim only, but if you exclude the "and there is no reason to think that", then you will get to the argument is not in support of conclusion.
D. Correct
E. incorrect, First is not a claim

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

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