Journalist: Although a recent poll

Answer choices

1. A

   Strengthens1% picked this

   some of those who said they were willing to donate money to an education party might not actually do so if

   If even less than the 16% ended up donating, that would only help the author argue that the education party isn't viable in the long run.

   1%
2. B

   No Impact15% picked this

   an education party could possibly be viable with a smaller base than

   Sure, that's possible, but the author's conclusion allows for that. Since the viability rule is just a historical "rule" from inductive reasoning, it's not a guarantee. But if there's "overwhelming historical evidence that X is the case", then concluding that "X will likely be the case" is pretty reasonable. The author is respecting history while allowing for a surprise, by saying "it's unlikely that an education party will be viable". We can't object to him by saying something he already admits is a possibility.

   15%
3. C

   Too Weak28% picked this

   the 16 percent of eligible voters prepared to donate money to an education party might donate almost as much money as a party would

   The "almost as much money" is still less than what might be considered necessary to be viable. Also, the viability threshold was not about getting a certain amount of money, it was about getting a certain share of participation (30%), whether that participation be membership or money.

   28%
4. D

   Too Weak10% picked this

   a party needs the appropriate support of at least 30 percent of eligible voters in order to be viable and more than half of

   This is saying that more than 50% of voters "support the idea" of an education party, but the "appropriate support" refers specifically to the joining/donating actions. I "support the idea" of there being a Libertarian party, but that doesn't mean I'm going to join them or donate to them.

   10%
5. E

   Correct45% picked this

   some of the eligible voters who would donate money to an education party might not be prepared to

   Why this is right

   This allows us to argue that the education party could make that 30% threshold. If those 16% of people are willing to donate to the education party, even though they don't want to join the party, then the education party would have 42% of people who are prepared to support it by joining or donating.

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

   45%