Examkin

Soru

Zorluk: OrtaWeakening Arguments

To cut long-distance cargo transit expenses, a regional freight company plans to replace its entire fleet of diesel transport trucks with electric trucks powered by newly developed solid-state batteries. Management reasons that because electric trucks incur 40 percent lower energy costs per mile than diesel trucks and require significantly fewer routine engine maintenance services, making this transition will substantially reduce the company's total annual operational expenses over the next five years.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

  1. The solid-state batteries required for these electric transport trucks degrade rapidly under continuous long-distance heavy usage and require full replacement every two years at a cost exceeding the total energy savings achieved during that period.Cevap
  2. B
    Regional diesel fuel prices are projected to rise significantly over the next five years, further widening the gap in fuel expenditure between diesel and electric vehicles.
  3. C
    The freight company's primary competitors have announced plans to invest in alternative hydrogen fuel cell technology for delivery vehicles scheduled to launch in seven years.
  4. D
    Several municipal transit authorities have successfully deployed short-range electric passenger buses in dense urban centers to reduce local tailpipe emissions.
  5. E
    The freight company will need to provide short training sessions for its existing fleet drivers to familiarize them with operating electric trucks.

Cevap

The statement regarding rapid battery degradation and expensive replacement costs most seriously weakens the argument by demonstrating that total operational costs over five years will actually increase rather than decrease.
The conclusion relies on the assumption that lower energy costs and fewer routine maintenance services will lead to lower net operational expenses. The option pointing out that the batteries degrade rapidly and require replacement every two years at a cost exceeding the total energy savings directly refutes this assumption by introducing a major ongoing expense that makes the transition more costly overall.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Deconstruct the argument into premise and conclusion
Premises: Electric trucks have 40% lower energy costs per mile and fewer routine engine maintenance needs. Conclusion: Transitioning the fleet will substantially reduce total annual operational expenses over five years.
Identifying the logic path allows us to uncover the author's unstated assumption.
2
Identify the unstated assumption
The author assumes that energy savings and lower engine maintenance will not be offset by other unexpected, mandatory operational costs unique to electric trucks over the five-year timeframe.
A weakening answer choice will target and undermine this unstated assumption.
3
Evaluate the impact of new information on the assumption
If solid-state batteries require replacement every two years at a cost greater than the total energy savings, overall expenses over five years will rise, directly invalidating the conclusion.
Pointing out a massive, recurrent operational expense directly disproves the claim of reduced total operational expenses.

Anahtar Kavram

Evaluating plan-to-goal feasibility by identifying hidden or offsetting operational costs
Bu soruyu puanla

Konular

Weakening Arguments

Bu konudan daha fazla soru