Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumAnalyzing Counterarguments and Opposing Viewpoints

Passage:
In the field of historical economics, scholars long asserted that the 18th-century Industrial Revolution in Britain was driven primarily by domestic technological innovations in steam power and textile production. Economic historian Dr. Aris Thorne, however, argues that global maritime trade networks and cheap colonial raw materials were the true indispensable catalysts. Critics of Thorne's perspective point out that Britain possessed abundant, low-cost domestic coal reserves, suggesting that internal resource availability—not external trade—was the primary driver of industrial mechanization. Thorne responds to this objection by demonstrating that domestic coal could only be extracted and transported cost-effectively after foreign-sourced timber secured mine shafts and colonial capital funded early transport infrastructure.

Based on the passage, which of the following best describes the function of the critics' argument regarding domestic coal reserves?

  1. It presents a counterargument centered on internal resources that Thorne must address to uphold his global trade thesis.Answer
  2. B
    It serves as Thorne's main claim to demonstrate that Britain's industrialization was completely self-sustained.
  3. C
    It proves that foreign-sourced timber was less economically vital to mining operations than domestic coal reserves.
  4. D
    It offers conclusive proof that invalidates the role of colonial trade networks in financing transport infrastructure.

Answer

The argument regarding domestic coal reserves functions as an opposing perspective centered on internal resource availability, which Thorne must address to defend his thesis regarding global trade.
The passage explicitly frames the point about domestic coal reserves as an objection raised by critics who favor an internal-driver model over Thorne's global trade model. Thorne's subsequent rebuttal shows that the coal argument functions as an opposing viewpoint he must overcome to validate his thesis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the claim made by the critics in the text.
The critics argue that Britain's abundant domestic coal reserves show that internal resource availability drove industrialization.
Understanding the content of the critics' statement is essential to analyzing its rhetorical function.
2
Analyze how Thorne responds to this claim within the structure of the passage.
Thorne acknowledges the coal argument but refutes it by showing that coal extraction depended on foreign timber and colonial capital.
Determining how the author interacts with the claim reveals its role as an opposing viewpoint or counterargument.
3
Select the option that accurately describes this rhetorical function.
The statement functions as a counterargument that Thorne must address to maintain his global trade thesis.
This directly answers the stem question without confusing claims or misinterpreting details.

Key Concept

Analyzing the Function of Counterarguments and Opposing Viewpoints
Rate this question

Topics

Analyzing Counterarguments and Opposing Viewpoints

More questions from this topic