Q18 - Editorialist: The positions advanced by radical envir

[jimmy902o]

So in this question i was between B and D and ended up not choosing B because the AC stated that the radical environmentalists...stimulate progress on environmental issus

Premise: small areas of progress CAN be made only if the populace fears environmental disaster

Conclusion: there is a positive role to be played even by these extremists"


in my opinion i think the wording in B implies that they DO in fact stimulate progress, thus taking one step to far and out of scope. Can someone please clear this up for me?

[maryadkins]

Premise: small areas of progress CAN be made only if the populace fears environmental disaster

Conclusion: there is a positive role to be played even by these extremists"

Right! And notice that the conclusion is in the middle, which is the standard structure for this question type.

And I completely agree with you. (B) takes the conclusion farther (from "can" to implying that it does) than it goes in the argument. But it's the best answer choice.

(D) changes the meaning, from what extremism does in the environmental realm to what the motivation of the extremists is. Nowhere in the argument is motivation mentioned at all.

Still frustrating, I'm sure, but do you see this, now?

Good question!

[jimmy902o]

Yes that makes sense. My thinking was that because the editorialist said progress can only be made by fear, that must be the reason the environmentalists used--but this isnt the case.

Also after giving it another look another reason B would be better is because it incorporates a positive aspect the conclusion demands, i.e. progress is stimulated whereas D does not mention any positive aspect. Thanks alot

[shultz24]

It seems to me that B is a better choice than D. Answer D states "untenable positions in order to produce....moderate reforms." It seems to imply that the intention of the radical environmentalists is to use extreme positions to bring moderate change, while in reality they would prefer an extreme outcome. B however, only discusses the effect they have by promoting their extreme views, not their intent.