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Question

Difficulty: MediumPoint at Issue and Point of Agreement

Tariq: Municipal water authorities should mandate the installation of dual-flush toilets in all newly constructed residential buildings. Dual-flush systems reduce daily domestic water consumption by up to thirty percent, which is essential for preventing regional water shortages.

Sonia: While conserving water is critical, dual-flush mechanisms frequently malfunction due to local mineral sediment, resulting in continuous, undetected leaks that waste more water than conventional low-flow fixtures. Consequently, requiring dual-flush systems will fail to alleviate regional water shortages.

Statement: Tariq and Sonia disagree over whether mandating dual-flush toilets in new residential construction will effectively help mitigate regional water shortages.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True (Tariq and Sonia hold directly opposing positions regarding whether mandating dual-flush toilets will help prevent regional water shortages).
Tariq contends that mandating dual-flush toilets in new buildings is essential for preventing regional water shortages, while Sonia directly disputes this claim, concluding that the mandate will fail to alleviate water shortages. Because one speaker affirms and the other denies the exact proposition, the statement correctly identifies an explicit point of disagreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Tariq's argument and identify his explicit commitments.
Tariq claims dual-flush systems reduce water use by up to thirty percent and concludes that mandating them in new construction is essential to prevent regional water shortages.
Establishing Speaker 1's position on the target proposition is the first requirement of the two-speaker point-at-issue test.
2
Analyze Sonia's argument and identify her explicit commitments.
Sonia acknowledges the importance of conservation but contends that mineral-induced malfunctions cause leaks that waste more water, concluding that mandating dual-flush systems will fail to alleviate shortages.
Establishing Speaker 2's position on the target proposition verifies whether an explicit stance exists.
3
Apply the Point at Issue test to the statement.
Tariq agrees that the mandate will help prevent shortages ('yes'), while Sonia asserts it will fail to do so ('no').
A valid point of disagreement requires both speakers to take clearly opposing stances on the exact same proposition.

Key Concept

Point at Issue / Two-Speaker Disagreement Test
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Point at Issue and Point of Agreement

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