Although we could replace the beautiful

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong: no more costly2% picked this

   It is no more costly to maintain a cable bridge than

   It wouldn't hurt the author's argument if a cable bridge is more expensive to maintain. Yes, that's a bad thing about cable bridges, and bad things about cable bridges will generally weaken his argument. But, he's already acknowledged that the cable bridge costs more. He thinks that cost is less important than maintaining beauty. So telling him that the cable costs more to maintain will just get a response of, "I know --- but clearly it's worth it, given the important of maintaining beauty."

   2%
2. B

   Too Strong: no advantages2% picked this

   A concrete skyway would not have any practical advantages over a

   The author doesn't need the concrete skyway to have zero advantages. It could have some advantages, as long as they're lame ones. If we negate this and say that "a concrete skyway would have at least one practical advantage over a cable bridge", does that weaken? Yes, a little. That cuts against the conclusion that we should build the cable bridge rather than the concrete skyway. But it's not really a compelling objection until we know that the practical advantages we're referring to here outweigh the very compelling concern the author has with maintaining beauty. If this answer said, "A concrete skyway would not have any practical advantages for which it would be worth sacrificing beauty", then we'd definitely pick it. But if we judge these five answers by the standard of, "Which answer, if negated, most weakens", then this is not the winning objection.

   2%
3. C

   Too Strong: must be15% picked this

   The beauty of the river crossing must

   The author has already established that "it's important to maintain the beauty of our river crossing", but this answer is saying something stronger. It's an absolute must. There's a difference between saying - it's important to brush your teeth every night and saying - you must brush your teeth every night

   15%
4. D

   Too Strong: most people1% picked this

   If the new cable bridge is built, most people who see it will think the

   Would it hurt the author's argument if a new cable bridge were built, and only 49% of people who see it think the extra money is well spent? Does it need to be at least 51% of people having that reaction? No, so the author doesn't need for most people who see it to have that reaction. The word "most" is wrong on Necessary Assumption 99% of the time we see it. Furthermore, it could be that the vast majority of people have no idea that the cable bridge cost "extra money". They not be privy to the city planning conversation about "cable bridge or concrete skyway".

   1%
5. E

   Correct80% picked this

   Building a cable bridge across Black River would produce a more aesthetically pleasing result than

   Why this is right

   The author is trying to decide on cable vs. concrete. Concrete is cheaper, but it's important to maintain the beauty of the river crossing. So let's go with cable. That implies that the author thinks that cable is better than concrete, when it comes to maintaining the beauty of the river crossing. If we negated this and said, "the concrete skyway would be at least as aesthetically pleasing as the cable bridge", then we have no reason not to build the cheaper concrete skyway. Negating this answer badly hurts the argument.

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

   80%