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Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Main Conclusions

Municipal governments must prioritize investments in public transit networks over widening existing roadways. Some urban developers insist that expanding highways is the most effective method for alleviating traffic congestion. This perspective, however, ignores the well-documented phenomenon of induced demand. When new highway lanes are constructed, the initial reduction in travel times invariably attracts additional drivers, which quickly restores the original level of congestion. Expanding highways is therefore a counterproductive strategy for managing urban traffic.

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

  1. A
    The initial decrease in travel times resulting from new highway lanes inevitably attracts additional drivers.
  2. B
    Expanding highways is a counterproductive strategy for handling urban traffic congestion.
  3. City governments must prioritize funding for public transit systems over the expansion of existing roads.Answer
  4. D
    Urban developers mistakenly believe that increasing highway capacity is the best way to alleviate traffic issues.
  5. E
    Public transit networks are the only feasible method for completely eliminating traffic congestion in urban areas.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that city governments must prioritize funding for public transit systems over the expansion of existing roads.
The argument's primary purpose is to advocate for a specific policy decision: municipalities should prioritize public transit over widening roads. The rest of the passage supports this claim by demonstrating why the alternative fails due to induced demand. The first sentence is the ultimate conclusion, while the final sentence, despite containing the word 'therefore', is merely an intermediate conclusion used to support the first sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary claim or policy recommendation the author is making.
The author's primary recommendation is found in the first sentence: governments must prioritize public transit over widening roadways.
Main conclusions in public policy arguments often take the form of overarching recommendations that the rest of the text is designed to justify.
2
Analyze the structural role of the remaining sentences to verify the relationship.
The second sentence provides an opposing view. The third and fourth sentences offer premises refuting that view based on 'induced demand'. The final sentence draws an intermediate conclusion ('expanding highways is therefore a counterproductive strategy') from those premises.
Confirming that the intermediate conclusion acts as a reason to support the first sentence ensures that the first sentence is indeed the ultimate main conclusion.
3
Match the verified main conclusion to the answer choices.
The identified main conclusion matches the option stating that governments must prioritize funding for public transit systems over the expansion of roads.
The correct answer must be a precise paraphrase of the ultimate conclusion, capturing its meaning without exaggerating it.

Key Concept

Identifying the main conclusion by analyzing argument structure and distinguishing it from intermediate conclusions and background context.
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Topics

Identifying Main Conclusions

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