Logical Reasoning

PT5 · S3 · Q8 Older United States automobiles have

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Older United States automobiles have been identified as contributing disproportionately to global air pollution.

Conclusion (thus)

The burden of pollution that older United States automobiles contribute to the global atmosphere will be gradually reduced over the next decade.

Evidence

Older United States automobiles have been identified as contributing disproportionately to global air pollution.

The requirement in many jurisdictions that automobiles pass emission-control inspections has had the effect of taking many such automobiles out of service in the United States.

These older cars fail inspection, and their owners opt to buy newer automobiles.

Evaluate

The author is making a prediction, so we need to think about how we could argue that this prediction will not come true.

GIVEN THAT lots of U.S. jurisdictions have passed emission control inspections that older cars will fail, leading their owners to buy newer cars (that aren't as associated with contributing to global air pollution),

HOW CAN WE ARGUE THAT older U.S. cars will contribute just as much pollution to the global atmosphere over the next decade?

Maybe incinerating the old cars will contribute lots of pollution?

Goal

Let's find an answer that gives us away to say that even if people give up these old cars and buy new ones, the old cars will still contribute as much to global air pollution.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

It is impossible to separate
No Impact
This answer option merely states that air circulates globally, which is an inherent property of air but does not provide any way for us to say that older cars will still cause pollution.
3% picked this
When automobiles that are now
Strengthens (if anything)
This actually feels like it supports the argument, as it suggests that later models of cars, even as they age, will pollute less than the current older models, bolstering the idea that air pollution will be reduced in the future. It's technically irrelevant since the conclusion is only about what air pollution will be contributed by the older cars, not overall air pollution.
1% picked this
Correct
There is a thriving market
Why this is right
This choice introduces the idea that there is a market for these older cars in places where emission regulations aren't as strict. If the cars are merely leaving the United States but still being used elsewhere, they continue contributing to global air pollution, directly undermining the conclusion that the global impact will decrease.
Skill tested: Weaken · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
77% picked this
The number of jurisdictions in
No Impact
The current number of jurisdictions isn't increasing, but it doesn't affect the argument's claim about reducing pollution by eliminating older vehicles. The argument focuses on jurisdictions that already have regulations, rather than predicting an increase in regulations.
4% picked this
Even if all the older
No Impact
This describes a scenario where global air pollution could increase, but that increase would have nothing to do with pollution contributed by older U.S. cars, which is what the conclusion is talking about. In fact this answer is basically guaranteeing that all the older U.S. cars will be out of service, so by definition they should be contributing less pollution than before.
14% picked this

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