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Question

Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Main Conclusions

Arrange the following statements to reconstruct the original logical argument. Order the statements from the foundational premises, through the intermediate conclusion, to the ultimate main conclusion.

  1. 1Standard steel water pipes degrade quickly when exposed to soil containing high concentrations of corrosive sulfur compounds.
  2. 2Recent geological surveys indicate that the local soil in this municipality contains abnormally high levels of these corrosive sulfur compounds.
  3. 3Consequently, any standard steel water pipes installed within the municipality will inevitably suffer premature structural failure.
  4. 4For this reason, municipal planners must mandate the use of alternative, corrosion-resistant piping for all new underground water line installations.

Answer

The correct logical progression is: the general scientific principle, followed by the specific local survey finding, leading to the intermediate conclusion about pipe failure, and culminating in the final policy mandate.
A logically coherent argument flows from established evidence to derived conclusions. The general scientific principle provides the necessary background. The specific geological survey provides the localized fact, explicitly referencing the general principle. Together, these premises support the intermediate conclusion that standard pipes will fail in this municipality. Finally, this predicted failure serves as the direct justification for the ultimate main conclusion: the mandate for new piping.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the ultimate main conclusion.
The statement advocating that planners 'must mandate the use of alternative... piping' is the final policy recommendation.
In an argument tracing task, identifying the ultimate conclusion first helps anchor the sequence and separates it from subsidiary claims.
2
Identify the intermediate conclusion.
The statement beginning with 'Consequently' concludes that the pipes will fail, which directly justifies the final mandate.
Intermediate conclusions serve as a conclusion for earlier premises and as a premise for the final conclusion.
3
Order the foundational premises.
The general principle introduces 'corrosive sulfur compounds', which must precede the specific survey statement that refers back to 'these corrosive sulfur compounds'.
Demonstrative pronouns like 'these' require an explicit antecedent in the prior sentence, determining their strictly chronological order.

Key Concept

Identifying Main Conclusions and Tracing Argument Structure
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Topics

Identifying Main Conclusions

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