Logical Reasoning

PT129 · S1 · Q20 Industrial engineer: Some people have suggested

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Industrial engineer: Some people have suggested that the problem of global warming should be addressed by pumping some of the carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels into the deep ocean.

Conclusion

The worry that dumping fossil fuel’s CO2 into the ocean would trade one pollution for another equally bad one is unfounded.

Evidence

Tons of the CO2 that comes from fossil fuels already ends up in the ocean, and it’s not causing any environmental problems as bad as global warming.

Evaluation

This follows a classic template for Main Conclusion questions in which you hear a Counterpoint, hear the author’s disagreeing Conclusion, and then hear the author’s support for that disagreement.

Goal

We just need a paraphrase of

20.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the industrial engineer's argument as a whole?

  1. Global warming from the emission

    Unmentioned

    This was never even said, so it can’t be the Main Conclusion. This is similar to the background claim in the first sentence.

    3% picked this

  2. Environmentalists worry that the strategy

    Counterpoint

    This is the claim that our Main Conclusion is fighting.

    1% picked this

  3. Correct

    Worrying that pumping carbon dioxide

    Why this is right

    Pretty friendly answer in that it actually uses the wording “worry is unfounded” and just inserts the borrowed wording of the previous sentence.

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

    81% picked this

  4. Much of the carbon dioxide

    Premise

    This is the author’s premise.

    8% picked this

  5. To reduce global warming, the

    Unmentioned / What Else

    This is the trap of thinking, “What might the author say next?” We’re just supposed to be identifying the explicit conclusion on the page. Maybe if you think “worrying about X is unfounded”, then your next thought would be, “so we should do X”, but maybe not. Either way, we’re not being tested on what else the author might believe. Make sure your correct answer traces back to a specific claim that was made in the argument.

    7% picked this

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