Logical Reasoning

PT142 · S2 · Q6 Over the last five years

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Over the last five years, every new major alternative­ energy initiative that initially was promised government funding has since seen that funding severely curtailed.

Evidence

Over the last five years, every new major alternative-energy initiative that initially was promised government funding has since seen that funding severely curtailed.

In no such case has the government come even close to providing the level of funds initially earmarked for these projects.

Large corporation have made it a point to discourage alternative-energy projects.

Conclusion

It is likely that the corporations’ actions influenced the government’s funding decisions.

Evaluate

The argument establishes a difference between what was promised and what was given to alternative-energy projects and then suggests an explanation—it’s because large corporations have influenced the government’s funding decisions. The right answer will likely eliminate an alternative explanation or somehow strengthen the connection between corporations and the decision to curtail funding of alternative-energy projections.

6.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the reasoning above?

  1. For the past two decades,

    Out of Scope

    The phenomenon that is being explained occurred over the past five years, while this answer describes the situation over the past two decades.

    2% picked this

  2. The funding initially earmarked for

    Weaken

    This provides an alternative explanation to the one offered in the argument.

    2% picked this

  3. Correct

    The only research projects whose

    Why this is right

    This strengthens the correlation between the corporations and those projects that received less funding.

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

    94% picked this

  4. Some projects encouraged by large

    Weaken

    This weakens the correlation between the projects opposed by corporations and those which had their funding severely curtailed.

    2% picked this

  5. All large corporations have made

    Out of Scope

    The argument is about projects, while this is about research.

    1% picked this

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