Edgar: Some of the pumps

Answer choices

1. A

   Unsupported Disagree Position3% picked this

   shutting down the pumps will actually inconvenience a large number

   Edgar would Agree with this, but we have no support for the Disagree position. From Rafaela's statements, we can't derive that she thinks, "Shutting down the pumps won't inconvenience lots of people".

   3%
2. B

   Correct71% picked this

   the survival of the fish species is the only reason for shutting

   Why this is right

   This is the only answer speaking to why we're shutting down the pumps, which was what our prediction was all about. It comes off sounding very extreme, but Edgar is definitely under the impression that the pumps are being shut down for the sake of this fish (and only for that). That's why he's so exasperated that we're going to such inconvenient lengths just for the sake of this one, small fish species. Meanwhile, Rafaela would support the Disagree position. She thinks that there's at least one reason (other than protecting the small fish) that they are shutting down the pumps: they're worried that whatever in the water is harming this fish could later harm us, by entering our water supply.

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

   71%
3. C

   Unsupported Disagree Position24% picked this

   species of small fish are

   Edgar would somewhat Agree with this, because he's assuming that this small fish species is inconsequential, but this answer sounds more like a universal, "ALL species of small fish are inconsequential". It's not clear that Edgar believes that. More importantly, though, we have no support for the Disagree position. From Rafaela's statements, we can't derive that she thinks, "species of small fish are consequential". She's never arguing that this small fish we're talking about is consequential. She's saying whatever it is that's harming this small fish could be consequential.

   24%
4. D

   Out of Scope: legal0% picked this

   the order to shut down the pumps

   Neither one of these people speak to the legality of the shut down, so we wouldn't be able to support the Agree or Disagree position.

   0%
5. E

   Too Strong: sufficient1% picked this

   shutting down the pumps will be sufficient to protect the

   Neither one of these people speak to the sufficiency of the shut down, so we wouldn't be able to support the Agree or Disagree position. This answer is saying that "if we shut down the pumps, it's 100% certain the fish species will be protected". We can't derive that from either set of statements.

   1%