Earthworms, vital to the health

Answer choices

1. A

   Supports a Premise1% picked this

   As far as soil health is concerned, aiding the decomposition of dead plants is the most important

   This supports the premise that earthworms are vital to the health of soil.

   1%
2. B

   Correct91% picked this

   After its application to the soil's surface, crushed limestone stays in the soil's top layer long enough to neutralize some

   Why this is right

   This protects the argument from something that could seriously derail the plan—the crushed limestone could dissolve into the soil or be washed away by rain before it neutralize some of the soil’s acidity.

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

   91%
3. C

   Out of Scope2% picked this

   Crushed limestone contains available calcium and magnesium, both of which are just as vital as

   The issue is whether crushed limestone makes soil more attractive to earthworms, not whether it directly contributes to the health of soil.

   2%
4. D

   Supports a Premise2% picked this

   By itself, acidity of soil does nothing to hasten decomposition of

   This supports the premise that decomposition of dead plants makes the top-layer of soil highly acidic.

   2%
5. E

   Irrelevant Comparison4% picked this

   Alkaline soil is significantly more likely to benefit from an increased earthworm population than is

   The argument is about making soil more attractive to earthworms, not the amount of benefit to the soil those earthworms bring.

   4%