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Difficulty: MediumGeneral Method of Reasoning

Policy Analyst: The city's initiative to reduce household water consumption by subsidizing high-efficiency showerheads is unlikely to succeed. When people install high-efficiency fixtures, they often take longer showers because they feel less guilty about wasting water. This behavioral shift typically offsets any water savings gained from the improved technology.

Statement: The policy analyst's argument proceeds by arguing that a proposed measure will fail because it will induce a behavioral change that counteracts its intended effect.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True
The statement is correct because it flawlessly translates the specific contents of the analyst's argument into abstract methodological terms. The author critiques a plan by predicting an unintended consequence (longer showers) that directly negates the plan's underlying purpose (saving water).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Deconstruct the specific claims made in the policy analyst's argument.
The argument identifies a policy goal (reduce water consumption), a proposed solution (subsidize efficient showerheads), and a mechanism for failure (people taking longer showers due to reduced guilt).
Understanding the concrete structural components of the stimulus is necessary before evaluating an abstract description of its reasoning.
2
Evaluate the abstract description provided in the statement against the argument's concrete structure.
The abstract concepts in the statement ('proposed measure', 'induce a behavioral change', 'counteracts its intended effect') perfectly map onto the stimulus ('subsidizing showerheads', 'take longer showers', 'offsets any water savings').
Method of reasoning questions require recognizing how abstract logical language accurately characterizes a specific, applied argument.

Key Concept

General Method of Reasoning
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General Method of Reasoning

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