Increases in the occurrence of hearing

Answer choices

1. A

   Weakens, if anything2% picked this

   Loud music is most dangerous to hearing when it is played

   We could agree with the author and argue that this recommendation is going to fail to significantly reduce hearing loss in teenagers, because "even if this did make headphones more safe, the real big source of hearing loss is _____ ." But this answer is stopping that line of attack. It's saying, "Nope. Headphones really are the #1 threat. Thus, making headphones less dangerous could have a significant effect on the hearing loss problem."

   2%
2. B

   Weakens6% picked this

   No other cause of hearing loss in teenagers is as damaging as their listening to loud

   This is just (A) on steroids. Both of them are making it clear that if we're trying to make a significant difference on hearing loss for teenagers, the most important thing to address is their headphones. The author, meanwhile, is saying "this thing you want to do to make headphones safer isn't going to make a significant different".

   6%
3. C

   Out of Scope: Parents' volume level1% picked this

   Parents of teenagers generally do not themselves listen to loud music

   We don't care about parents' listening behaviors, in terms of whether they listen to music at dangerous levels. We only care about teenagers, since the conclusion is only about what effect the recommendation could have on teens' hearing. If an answer said that "Parents listen to music at a loud volume, and their children copy that behavior", that could start to make it more relevant, but this is just about parents, and we have no common sense way of assuming that teenagers do / don't copy their parents in this regard.

   1%
4. D

   Correct90% picked this

   Teenagers who now listen to music at dangerously loud levels choose to do so despite their awareness

   Why this is right

   This affirms the author's assumption that "teenagers would not wanna buy these volume-limiting headphones". It also rules out the objection that, "maybe teenagers care a lot about avoiding hearing loss". Nope, this answer says. They know about the risks, and they still choose to subject their hearing to loud levels of music.

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

   90%
5. E

   No Impact2% picked this

   A few headphone manufacturers already plan to market stereo headphones that automatically turn off when a dangerous level

   The author's conclusion is hypothetical --- "making this type of headphones available would not have [a certain effect]". This answer is saying, in reality some companies are planning to make these headphones. That doesn't have any impact on the author's conclusion. Once these are on the market and we can see whether teenagers are buying them / using them, then this could help us judge the conclusion, but "we plan to make X" doesn't tell us anything about whether "X will / won't have a significant effect on Y".

   2%