Question

Difficulty: EasySingle-Sentence Inferences

Consider the following statement regarding 19th-century industrialist Clara Vance:

"Although 19th-century industrialist Clara Vance publicly championed free-market deregulation as the primary driver of national prosperity, her private correspondence reveals that she repeatedly lobbied state legislators to enact protective tariffs on imported textiles to safeguard her own domestic manufacturing empire."

Which of the following is most strongly supported by the statement above?

  1. Clara Vance's private actions regarding trade policy were at odds with her publicly expressed stance on economic deregulation.Answer
  2. B
    State legislators successfully enacted protective tariffs on imported textiles as a direct result of Vance's lobbying.
  3. C
    Vance was driven by a hostile intent to destroy all foreign textile competitors rather than protecting her own business interests.
  4. D
    Vance's private correspondence demonstrated her consistent and unwavering dedication to promoting free trade policies.
  5. E
    State legislators publicly maintained that free-market deregulation was the primary driver of national prosperity.

Answer

Clara Vance's private actions regarding trade policy were at odds with her publicly expressed stance on economic deregulation.
The correct answer directly follows from the contrast introduced by 'Although'. The sentence contrasts Vance's public advocacy for free-market deregulation with her private lobbying for protective tariffs. This directly supports the deduction that her private actions contradicted her public stance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural pivot in the sentence.
The conjunction 'Although' sets up a contrast between Vance's public stance (free-market deregulation) and her private actions (lobbying for protective tariffs).
Single-sentence inference items require identifying the direct logical implication of key contrast words.
2
Compare the public position to the private action.
Lobbying for tariffs (government protection/regulation) directly conflicts with advocating for deregulation (free-market non-intervention).
The direct inference must stay strictly within the bounds of the provided contrast without assuming unstated outcomes.

Key Concept

Single-Sentence Inferences
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