Self-study
Despite increasing international efforts to protect the natural habitats of endangered species of animals, Support the rate at which these species are becoming extinct continues to rise. ██ ██ █████ ████ █████ ███████ ███ ███████
Summarize Argument
International efforts to protect the natural habitats of endangered species are wasted. This is because the rate of extinction for endangered species continues to grow.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that if the rate of extinction for endangered species rises, then international efforts to protect their habitats are entirely wasted. Furthermore, the author assumes that the rate of extinction for these animals would not be significantly higher without the international efforts to protect their natural habitats.
2.
Which one of the following, ██ █████ ████ ███████ ███ █████████
a
Scientists are better ████ ██ ████████ ███ ████████ ██ ██████████ ███████ ███ ████ ████ ███████
This does not affect the argument. While scientists may be better able to protect endangered animals’ natural habitats, the rate of extinction for these animals is nevertheless increasing.
b
Species that would ████ ██████ ███████ ████ ████ █████ ███ ██ ███ █████████████ ██ ██████ ████████
This weakens the argument. It exploits the author’s assumption that if the rate of extinction for endangered species rises, all efforts are wasted. (B) says the efforts are not being wasted, as species are being saved from extinction.
Alternate explanation
Alternate explanation
Weaken: Introduce or support an alternate explanation for a phenomenon.
Strengthen: Helps to eliminate an alternate explanation for a phenomenon.
c
Scientists estimate that ██ █████ ████ ███████ ██████ ███████ █████ █████
This does not affect the argument. While the increase in the rate at which endangered species are going extinct is a key part of the argument, the actual number of species that go extinct in a given year is not relevant.
d
Many countries do ███ █████████ ███ █████████ ████████ ███████ ██ ███████ ██████████ ████ █████████ ███████ █████████
This does not affect the argument. Countries failing to recognize other benefits of efforts to protect natural habitats does not weaken the conclusion that the protection efforts are wasted because the rate of extinction of endangered species continues to rise.
e
Programs have been ████████ ████ ████ ████████ ██████████ ███████ ███ ██ ████████ ████ ███ ██ ██████ ██ █████ ██████████
This does not affect the argument. Proposed programs (i.e., programs that do not currently exist) are outside the scope of the argument.