Summarize Argument
The author concludes that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified. As a premise to support this claim, the author says that bureaucracies are designed to resist change.
Identify Argument Part
The referenced text acts as a premise to support the author’s main conclusion. It gives a reason that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.
A
It is a premise offered in support of the claim that it is unlikely that bureaucracies will be simplified.
This answer accurately identifies the referenced text as a premise, and it correctly identifies what claim the premise is supporting, so this is the correct answer.
B
It is a conclusion for which the only support offered is the claim that dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems is growing.
The referenced text is a premise, not a conclusion, so this answer is not correct.
C
It is cited as evidence that bureaucratic systems are becoming more and more complex.
The referenced text does not support the claim about the growing dissatisfaction with complex bureaucratic systems. Further, the argument does not claim that bureaucracies are becoming more complex; it says that dissatisfaction with the complexity is growing.
D
It is used to weaken the claim that bureaucracies should be simplified.
The argument does not claim that bureaucracies should be simplified; it only says that they are unlikely to be simplified even though there is growing dissatisfaction with their complexity. Further, the referenced text is used to support the conclusion, not to weaken a claim.
E
It is a conclusion for which the claim that bureaucracies are unlikely to be simplified is offered as support.
The referenced text is a premise, not the conclusion, so this is not the answer.