PT146.S2.Q21

PrepTest 146 - Section 2 - Question 21

Show analysis

A local marsh would need to be drained before the proposed office complex could be built. Such marshes often play crucial roles in purifying groundwater and there has been no scientific assessment of the marsh's role in maintaining the quality of the city's well water. The city should therefore block the proposed office complex pending such an assessment.

Show answer
21.

The principle underlying the argument above is most similar to the principle underlying which one of the following arguments?

a

A new highway cannot be built in the lake district unless an environmental impact assessment is first carried out. An environmental impact assessment would cost more than the projected economic benefit of the highway. The proposal for a new highway in the lake district should therefore be rejected.

(A) gives us a situation where the environmental effects of an action (building a new highway) aren’t known. It then concludes that we shouldn’t perform the action because it would not be worth it to figure out the effects. We want a situation where we should wait to perform an action until we figure out the effects, however, so (A) doesn’t match.

6%
b

Defective products can cost an appliance manufacturer millions of dollars because of product recalls and lawsuits. Yova Corporation's new line of appliances has not yet been thoroughly tested for defects. Thus, Yova should not bring its new line to market at this time.

We’re given a situation where the effects of a certain action (releasing products) aren’t known because of potential defects. The argument then concludes that we should wait to perform this action until we can find out its effects (whether any defects are present). This matches the principle from the stimulus, so (B) is correct.

76%
c

A laboratory safety check of a portable grill requires a week of uninterrupted testing. The new portable grill has been at the testing lab for a week, but the testing could not begin until the paperwork arrived three days later. Therefore, no report on the results of the safety check should be released at this time.

(C) tells us not to perform an action (releasing a report) because a certain condition has not been met (a week of testing), but it makes no mention of what the effects of this action would be. We’re looking for a situation where we should wait to perform an action because we don’t know what its effects will be, so (C) doesn’t match.

13%
d

Building the new highway along the proposed northern route would inevitably damage an adjoining wilderness area. The highway would also cause environmental damage if it follows the proposed southern route, but it would not harm any wilderness areas. Thus, if the highway is built, it should be built on the southern route.

(D) gives us two different actions where we already know what their effects would be (environmental damage). It then concludes that we should choose the action that would do the least harm. We’re looking for a situation where we should wait to perform an action because we don’t know its effects, however, so (D) doesn’t match.

3%
e

Building a light rail line to serve the downtown core could involve cost overruns and expensive delays, but traffic congestion will become intolerable within ten years without a light rail line. A light rail line should therefore be built.

(E) presents an action with a known positive effect (less traffic congestion) and possible negative effects (cost overruns and delays). It then concludes that we should perform that action. We’re looking for a situation where we shouldn’t perform an action because we don’t know its effects, however, so (E) doesn’t match.

1%

Confirm action

Are you sure?