The number of serious

Answer choices

1. A

   Out of Scope6% picked this

   The number of speeding tickets issued annually on Park Road remained roughly constant from

   The number of speeding tickets is a product of both the number of people who speed on Park Road and the level of enforcement on that road. It could be that the number of tickets remained constant even if the number of people who speed on Park Road decreased because the level of enforcement increased.

   6%
2. B

   Strengthen4% picked this

   Beginning in 1986, police patrolled Park Road much less frequently than in 1985

   This makes it more likely that the decrease in serious accidents was not from increased enforcement of the speed limit on Park Road.

   4%
3. C

   Correct69% picked this

   The annual number of vehicles using Park Road decreased significantly and steadily from

   Why this is right

   This weakens the argument by providing an alternative explanation for the reduced number of serious accidents after 1986.

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

   69%
4. D

   Strengthen2% picked this

   The annual number of accidents on Park Road that did not result in hospitalization remained roughly constant

   This makes it more likely that the reduction in serious accidents was not from a reduction in the number of drivers on the road. By undermining an alternative explanation, this makes the argument’s conclusion more likely to be true.

   2%
5. E

   Strengthens, if anything19% picked this

   Until 1986 accidents were classified as "serious" only if they resulted in an

   This says that in 1986, the definition of "serious" accident was expanded to include any accident that had a hospital stay (not just those that had lengthy hospital stays). This would provide an explanation for why there would be more serious accidents from 1986 onward. Since we know that there were fewer serious accidents from 1986 onward, that means that something (maybe the new speed limit) is really making a big difference. So if anything, this could strengthen. If this said, "Beginning in 1986, accidents were only designated 'serious' when they resulted in a lengthy hospital stay", then it could be a correct answer. That would offer an alternate explanation for why the number of serious accidents dropped.

   19%