Self-study
Adam: Marking road edges with reflecting posts gives drivers a clear view of the edges, thereby enabling them to drive more safely. ██████████ ███████ ████ █████ ████ ██████████ █████ ████ ████████ ███ ██████ ██████ ██ ████ ██████████
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Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
Adam argues that because reflecting posts give drivers a clear view of the edges of the road, allowing them to drive more safely, marking road edges with such posts will decrease the yearly number of road accidents. Aiesha responds by pointing out something Mark fails to mention: that drivers speed more often and drive closer to the road’s edges on roads marked with reflecting posts. Both these behaviors tend to cause road accidents.
Describe Method of Reasoning
Aiesha undermines Adam's claim that the effect of marking the edges of the road with reflecting posts will be to decrease the number of annual accidents. While Aiesha doesn't question that reflecting posts help drivers see the edge of the road and make it possible for them to drive more safely, as Mark claims, she points out that in practice, drivers actually drive more dangerously on roads with reflecting posts, engaging in behaviors that tend to cause accidents. This suggests that the overall effect of adding reflective posts might not be to reduce road accidents after all.
Notice that this additional information weakens Adam's claim, but doesn't necessarily defeat it. It's possible that even though drivers engage in riskier behaviors on these roads, the increased visibility is enough of a benefit that there will still be fewer accidents, despite the riskier behaviors. But as this stimulus stands, Aiesha does effectively undermine Adam's argument with this additional information.
13.
Aiesha responds to Adam's argument ██
a
questioning Adam's assertion ████ ██████████ █████ ████ ███████ █ █████ ████ ██ ████ █████
Aiesha never questions whether reflecting posts do in fact provide a clearer view of road edges. She doesn't comment on this point, and if anything, her argument assumes that because these posts provide a clearer view, drivers are able to engage in riskier behaviors.
b
presenting a possible ███████████ ██████ ███ ██████████ ████ █████████
Aiesha does not propose any alternative method for decreasing road accidents. She only raises concerns about the method Adam suggests.
c
raising a consideration ████ ██████████ ███ ██████████ ██████████ ████ ████████████ ████ ███████ ████ ██████ ██ █████ ███████
This is correct. Adam assumes that because reflecting posts theoretically "enable" safer driving, installing these posts will actually cause drivers to drive more safely. Aiesha responds that drivers actually speed and drive closer to road edges when there are reflecting posts.
d
denying that the ████████ ████ ██ ███ ████ ██ ████████ ██ ███ ██████ ██ ████ █████████
Aiesha never claims that a driver’s view is not relevant to the number of road accidents. If anything, her argument implies that it is very relevant: dangerous driving behaviors increase when there are reflecting posts, which provide a clearer view of road edges.
e
providing additional evidence ██ █████████ ███ █████ ████ █████ ███████ ████ ███ ███████████ ██████ ███ ██████ ██ ████ █████████
Adam never makes the claim that safer driving does not necessarily reduce the number of road accidents — if anything, his argument assumes the opposite — and Aiesha never seeks to undermine that claim.