Q6 - Citizen: Our government has a large budget

[mshinners]

Question Type:
ID the Conclusion

Stimulus Breakdown:
The viewpoint of the leaders is expressed, and the author thinks it makes no sense. She then states the reasons for that belief.

Answer Anticipation:
99% of the time, if there are two viewpoints, what the author says about the initial viewpoint is the conclusion. Here, I'd be pretty certain the second sentence is the conclusion as I read it, and I'd read the rest of the argument just to be sure. Here, nothing changed my mind.

That said, I expect the correct answer to rephrase it to include what ""This"" is: Spending the budget surplus on reducing the national debt makes no sense.

Correct answer:
(B)

Answer choice analysis:
(A) Analogy supporting the author's view (i.e., premise).

(B) Bingo bango, mango tango. This is the citizen's opinion of the opposing point, which she backs up with an analogy.

(C) Assumption underlying the argument.

(D) Unstated/premise. The author states this is true for three services, but not necessarily all services they provide. In any case, the role of that statement is as a premise.

(E) Background/opposing point.

Takeaway/Pattern:
When the author states their opinion of an opposing point, it's generally the conclusion.

#officialexplanation