Media has become a powerful tool of manipulating people s

Question

9. Media has become a powerful tool of manipulating peopleâ€™s minds and shaping opinions. For example, due to the great attention given to such events by the media,  unusual deaths, such as deaths resulting from strokes of lightning, are considered much more frequent than they actually occur.  According to the statistics for every man struck by lightning, 1000 people die in car accidents and about 200 are killed in house fires.  Many find it hard to believe this data because frequent deaths are not out of the ordinary and are not the subject of extensive media coverage.
 

The highlighted portions of the text perform which functions in the argument?

A: the first describes a phenomenon supporting the authorâ€™s main conclusion; the second is this conclusion
B: the first is an example cited in support of a certain position; the second is a relevant addition to this position
C: the first describes a phenomenon illustrating the authorâ€™s main point; the second is offered as an explanation of this phenomenon
D: the first states the authorâ€™s main idea while the second develops this idea
E: the first is a fact counting against the argumentâ€™s main conclusion; the second is the evidence supporting this conclusion

Darth_McDaddy · Answer

B for me.

But first, the conclusion can be identified as - "Media has become a powerful tool of manipulating peopleâ€™s minds and shaping opinions"

A: the first describes a phenomenon supporting the authorâ€™s main conclusion; the second is this conclusion
> WRONG. The second bolded part does not state the conclusion.

B: the first is an example cited in support of a certain position; the second is a relevant addition to this position 
> CORRECT. The first bolded part is an example. The second bolded part adds information to the author's position that is stated in the conclusion

C: the first describes a phenomenon illustrating the authorâ€™s main point; the second is offered as an explanation of this phenomenon 
> WRONG. The second bolded part talks about how people form opinions based on what they learn from the media, and it does not provide an explanation of the phenomenon.

D: the first states the authorâ€™s main idea while the second develops this idea 
> WRONG. The first bolded part gives an example. It is the conclusion that states the author's main idea.

E: the first is a fact counting against the argumentâ€™s main conclusion; the second is the evidence supporting this conclusion
> WRONG. The first bolded part is a fact alright, but it supports the argument's main conclusion, and does not contradict it.

ranga41 · Answer

I selected B too...thought in the same line as previous poster...

Folaa3 · Answer

I pick C

First going by the definition of phenomenon, it means fact perceived by the senses. So indeed, the first boldface  unusual deaths, such as deaths resulting from strokes of lightning, are considered much more frequent than they actually occur  is used to explain the author's main point. 

Of course, the author's main point is that "Media has become a powerful tool of manipulating peopleâ€™s minds and shaping opinions"

so it makes sense to say the second boldface  Many find it hard to believe this data because frequent deaths are not out of the ordinary and are not the subject of extensive media coverage.  explains why unusual deaths are considered much more frequen than they actully occur.

gmat2me2 · Answer

I concur with Folaa's explanation......C it is

FN · Answer

C for me too....

Praetorian · Answer

C is the best answer.

A is wrong because the authorâ€™s main conclusion is that media is a powerful tool not that â€œmany people find it hard to believeâ€¦â€

Media has become a powerful tool of manipulating people s

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