Proponents of the electric car maintain that when the technical problems associated with its battery design are solved, such cars will be widely used and, because they are emission-free, will result in an abatement of the environmental degradation caused by auto emissions. But unless we dam more rivers, the electricity to charge these batteries will come from nuclear or coal-fired power plants. Each of these three power sources produces considerable environmental damage. Thus, the electric car _______.
Advocates for electric cars claim that such cars will result in a decrease of environmental degradation caused by auto emissions. But the electricity to charge the batteries for such cars will come from nuclear or coal-fired power plants unless we dam more rivers. Each of these three power sources produce significant environmental damage.
Thus, the electric car will have worse environmental effects than the advocates for such cars claim.
Which one of the following most logically completes the argument?
will have worse environmental consequences than its proponents may believe
This answer is strongly supported. If any method of charging batteries for electric cars produce significant environmental damage, then the use of such cars will not result in a decrease of environmental degradation.
will probably remain less popular than other types of cars
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know anything about the popularity of electric cars from the stimulus. Advocates only hypothesize that such cars would become more widely used.
requires that purely technical problems be solved before it can succeed
will increase the total level of emissions rather than reduce it
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus whether the total level of emissions will in fact increase. Rather, the author is suggesting that the decrease may not be as significant as what the advocates for electric cars claim.
will not produce a net reduction in environmental degradation
This answer is unsupported. We don’t know from the stimulus if there will not be a net decrease in environmental degradation. Rather, the author is suggesting that the decrease may not be as significant as what the advocates for electric cars claim.
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