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Difficulty: EasyRole in Argument

City council member: Building a new municipal light rail line will significantly reduce downtown traffic congestion. Past transportation studies demonstrate that dedicated rail corridors attract commuters away from single-occupancy vehicles. Therefore, the city council should approve funding for the light rail project.

Which of the following best describes the role played in the argument by the claim that building a new municipal light rail line will significantly reduce downtown traffic congestion?

  1. A
    It is the main conclusion of the council member's argument.
  2. B
    It is background context that explains why the light rail proposal was initially introduced.
  3. It is an intermediate conclusion drawn to support the argument's ultimate recommendation.Answer
  4. D
    It is offered as a premise directly refuting an objection raised by opponents of the project.
  5. E
    It is a general principle that defines the necessary criteria for approving municipal transit funding.

Answer

The statement functions as an intermediate conclusion supported by evidence about commuter behavior and used to justify the final policy recommendation.
The correct description identifies the statement as an intermediate conclusion. The council member supports the statement using data from past transportation studies, and then uses that statement as the primary justification for the final recommendation that the council should approve project funding.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main conclusion and the overall purpose of the argument.
The final sentence contains the conclusion indicator 'Therefore' and states the main recommendation: 'the city council should approve funding for the light rail project.'
Determining the main conclusion provides the reference point for assessing how other statements relate structurally to the final claim.
2
Examine the relationship between the target claim and the supporting evidence.
The claim that the rail line will reduce congestion is directly supported by the premise that dedicated rail corridors attract commuters away from single-occupancy vehicles.
Because the targeted statement receives logical support from evidence within the stimulus, it functions as a conclusion.
3
Determine whether the target claim also provides support to another claim.
The reduction in traffic congestion serves as the primary rationale for why the council ought to approve funding.
A claim that is both supported by premises and used to support the final conclusion is, by definition, an intermediate (subsidiary) conclusion.

Key Concept

Distinguishing intermediate (subsidiary) conclusions from main conclusions and basic premises in multi-step arguments.
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Role in Argument

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