In order to pressure the government

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope: recently increased3% picked this

   The government of S has recently increased the amount of telecommunication equipment it allows to be

   The argument never discusses an upper limit on how much telecom equipment can be imported into S. The author doesn't need to assume they've recently lifted that limit. Maybe there is no limit at all. Maybe the limit is already extraordinarily high. This plan doesn't necessitate S having recently changed its allowable limit of telecom imports. We could fix this answer by saying, "The government would allow enough telecom equipment to be imported into the country that telecom equipment could, as a result, become widely available to the population of that country".

   3%
2. B

   Correct71% picked this

   The telecommunication equipment that would be imported into S if the exemption were to be granted would not be available solely to

   Why this is right

   This has the lovable quality of ruling-out with a "not / no", which is so common among correct answers on Necessary Assumption. When we see these ruled-out ideas, we should use the Negation test. If we remove the "not / no", does this answer turn into an objection? The telecom equip imported into S would be available solely to top government officials. Heck yeah that's an objection. The manufacturer is suggesting that by exporting phones and faxes, we can get to where telecom equipment is widely available to the population of S, at which point repression is impossible. But when we negate this answer, it's saying, "Yo, manufacturers -- what if the leaders of S don't allow these exports to be disseminated widely among the population. If the leaders keep all the phones and faxes exclusively to themselves, then we've basically just given them a gift when we're supposed to be isolating them and depriving them of things." Another way to think about this answer is that the manufacturers were clearly thinking that by exporting phones and faxes, the result would be that telecom equipment is widely available to the people of S, and in order for that to be true, it would have to be the case that the government doesn't keep all that imported telecom equipment exclusively for itself.

   Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   71%
3. C

   Trap3% picked this

   A majority of the members of R’s legislature do not favor exempting telecommunication equipment from the ban on

   Weakens, if anything Too Strong: a majority The word/concept of "most" is wrong on Necessary Assumption, 98% of the time we see it, since the difference between most and not-most is a usually-meaningless move from at least 51% to at most 49%. Furthermore, if we negate this answer, it would strengthen, which is not how a correct answer would behave. The negation says that a majority of legislators do favor exempting telecom equipment, so a majority of legislators agree with the conclusion. The negation of the correct answer should weaken, not strengthen.

   3%
4. D

   Too Strong: of all / the most21% picked this

   Of all exports that could be sent to Country S, telecommunication equipment would be the most effective in helping citizens of S

   We don't have any language to support this superlative claim that telecom equipment would be the #1 most effective export to combat repression. The manufacturers haven't said anything like, "only our products should be exempted". They might believe that other products are also worthy (or even more worthy) of exemption.

   21%
5. E

   Too Strong: indefinitely3% picked this

   Without pressure from Country R, the government of S would be able to continue repressing

   This answer has nothing to do with exporting phones and fax machines, so it instantly feels like it's not focused on the conclusion. We can't say the manufacturers are assuming that the only possible way that the government of S will stop repressing its citizens is if Country R applies pressure.

   3%