Summarize Argument: Causal Explanation
Prosperity increases carbon dioxide emissions, which drive global warming. As people become wealthier, they buy more energy-consuming items like cars, leading to higher emissions. Conversely, when countries experience economic recessions—when prosperity drops—they see significant decreases in carbon dioxide levels.
Identify Conclusion
The main conclusion is the economist’s hypothesis that prosperity drives higher carbon dioxide levels, the main cause of global warming.
A
Carbon dioxide is the main cause of global warming.
This is context. It gives the background needed to understand the argument by explaining why the author is discussing carbon dioxide emissions. The main conclusion, however, is that prosperity increases carbon dioxide emissions, not that carbon dioxide causes global warming.
B
Prosperity is an important cause of increases in the release of carbon dioxide.
This accurately captures the argument's main conclusion that prosperity drives increased carbon dioxide emissions, simply rephrasing "driving force" as "important cause."
C
When incomes rise, more people spend money on energy-consuming devices.
This restates part of the argument's first premise. The fact that rising incomes lead to more spending on energy-consuming devices supports the author's conclusion by providing evidence that increased prosperity results in higher carbon dioxide emissions.
D
Countries that experienced deep economic recessions also experienced steep drops in carbon dioxide emissions.
This restates the argument's second premise. The fact that countries in recession saw steep drops in carbon emissions shows that without prosperity, emissions fall. Thus, prosperity likely causes increased carbon dioxide emissions.
E
When people spend money on energy-consuming devices, more carbon dioxide is produced as a result.
This restates part of the argument's first premise. The fact that energy-consuming devices cause increased carbon dioxide makes it more likely that prosperity, which leads people to buy more of these devices, is a driving force behind rising carbon dioxide emissions.