Historians of science often claim that the rapid adoption of early industrial machinery was driven primarily by shortages of skilled manual labor. However, recent archival evidence indicates that factory owners chose mechanized equipment largely to ensure standardized product quality rather than to cut labor headcount. Consequently, the traditional view oversimplifies the economic motivations behind nineteenth-century industrialization. Although early machines did occasionally reduce the need for specialized artisans, the primary financial incentive remained product uniformity.
In the argument above, the two boldface portions play which of the following roles?
- The first is a position that the argument seeks to refute; the second is the main conclusion of the argument.Answer
- BThe first is a premise offered to support the main conclusion; the second is an intermediate conclusion drawn from that premise.
- CThe first is a position that the author defends; the second is an intermediate conclusion that supports a broader claim.
- DThe first is background information serving as the primary evidence for the argument; the second is a counterargument acknowledged by the author.
- EThe first is the main conclusion of the argument; the second is a premise that undermines a competing claim.
Answer
The correct answer states that the first boldface portion is a position that the argument seeks to refute, while the second boldface portion is the main conclusion of the argument.
The correct answer accurately identifies the role of both statements: the first boldface statement introduces an established historical claim that the passage proceeds to counter with archival evidence, and the second boldface statement asserts the main conclusion reached by the author.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Evaluating Argumentative Roles of Claims and Boldface Statements