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Question

Difficulty: EasyDetermining Statement Roles

Urban planner: Some residents oppose the proposed light rail system because of the high initial construction costs. However, maintaining our current fleet of aging diesel buses will require massive investments in parts and labor over the next decade. Furthermore, the light rail system will attract more daily commuters, increasing fare revenues. Thus, over a ten-year period, the light rail system will actually save the city money. Therefore, the city should proceed with building the light rail system.

The claim that over a ten-year period, the light rail system will actually save the city money plays which one of the following roles in the urban planner's argument?

  1. It is an intermediate conclusion that supports the main conclusion that the city should proceed with the light rail system.Answer
  2. B
    It is the main conclusion of the argument, for which all other statements are provided as support.
  3. C
    It is a basic premise offered as factual background to explain the residents' opposition.
  4. D
    It is an unsupported premise that provides background information about the city's overall budget.
  5. E
    It describes the primary point at issue between the urban planner and the residents who oppose the system.

Answer

The statement functions as an intermediate conclusion that is used to support the main conclusion of the argument.
The statement acts as a conclusion because it is logically supported by the evidence regarding diesel bus maintenance costs and increased fare revenues. It acts as an intermediate step because it is then used as evidence to support the final recommendation that the city should build the light rail system.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main conclusion of the argument.
The main conclusion is that 'the city should proceed with building the light rail system.'
Finding the final endpoint helps determine the structural relationship of all other statements.
2
Analyze the target statement to see if it supports the main conclusion.
The claim that the system will save money provides direct logical support for the recommendation to build it.
This establishes that the statement acts as a premise for the main conclusion.
3
Determine if the target statement itself is supported by other evidence.
The statement is supported by previous claims about high bus maintenance costs and increased fare revenues.
Because it is supported by premises but also supports a further conclusion, its structural role is an intermediate conclusion.

Key Concept

Intermediate Conclusions
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Topics

Determining Statement Roles

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