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Question

Difficulty: EasyIdentifying Main Conclusions

The city council should reject the proposed tax increase on local businesses. Proponents of the tax argue that it will fund necessary road repairs. However, the tax will actually force many small businesses to close. Since small businesses employ the majority of the city's residents, these closures would cause a massive spike in local unemployment. A spike in unemployment would ultimately decrease the total tax revenue the city collects.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the argument?

  1. The city council ought to vote against the proposed tax increase on local businesses.Answer
  2. B
    The proposed tax increase will lead to a significant rise in unemployment within the city.
  3. C
    Advocates of the tax increase believe that the funds generated will be used to repair local roads.
  4. D
    A rise in unemployment will reduce the total amount of tax revenue that the city is able to collect.
  5. E
    Local businesses are currently facing unprecedented economic challenges and cannot afford higher taxes.

Answer

The correct answer states that the city council ought to vote against the proposed tax increase on local businesses.
The correct answer perfectly paraphrases the first sentence of the stimulus. The author's primary goal is to convince the reader that the city council should reject the tax increase, and all the subsequent sentences (about businesses closing, unemployment, and lost revenue) are presented as reasons to support this initial claim.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to separate the author's main point from the supporting evidence and background information.
The first sentence asserts what the city council should do (reject the tax). The following sentences provide reasons why (businesses will close, unemployment will spike, revenue will drop).
Identifying the structural role of each sentence is necessary to locate the main conclusion.
2
Evaluate the relationship between the statements to confirm the main conclusion.
All the claims about unemployment and tax revenue ultimately serve to justify the initial claim that the tax should be rejected.
The main conclusion must be the claim that is supported by other statements but does not support any other statement.
3
Select the option that best paraphrases the identified main conclusion.
The option stating the council ought to vote against the tax increase perfectly paraphrases the first sentence of the stimulus.
The correct answer must accurately capture the meaning of the main conclusion without adding new information or mistaking a premise for the conclusion.

Key Concept

Identifying the main conclusion of an argument by distinguishing it from premises, intermediate conclusions, and background information.
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Topics

Identifying Main Conclusions

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