A
Most oil-refinery workers who do not work with MBTE do not have serious health problems involving headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
B
Headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath are among the symptoms of several medical conditions that are potentially serious threats to public health.
C
Since the time when gasoline containing MBTE was first introduced in a few metropolitan areas, those areas reported an increase in the number of complaints about headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
D
Regions in which only gasoline containing MBTE is used have a much greater incidence of headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath than do similar regions in which only MBTE-free gasoline is used.
E
The oil-refinery workers surveyed were carefully selected to be representative of the broader population in their medical histories prior to exposure to MBTE, as well as in other relevant respects.
A
The photosynthetic activity of plants is necessary for animal life, but animal life is also necessary for the occurrence of photosynthesis in plants.
B
Some purely carnivorous animals would not survive without plants.
C
The chemical composition of Earth and its atmosphere depends, at least to some extent, on the existence and activities of the animals that populate Earth.
D
Human activity is part of what prevents plants from depleting the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere on which plants and animals alike depend.
E
Just as animals are dependent on plants for their survival, plants are dependent on animals for theirs.
Ms. Smith: I am upset that my son’s entire class lost two days of recess because some of the children were throwing raisins in the cafeteria. He was not throwing raisins, and it was clear to everyone just who the culprits were.
Principal: I’m sorry you’re upset, Ms. Smith, but your son’s situation is like being caught in a traffic jam caused by an accident. People who aren’t involved in the accident nevertheless have to suffer by sitting there in the middle of it.
Summary
Ms. Smith’s son’s class lost two days of recess.
The class lost recess because some of the children were throwing raisins.
Ms. Smith believes her son wasn’t throwing raisins.
Ms. Smith believes everyone knows who was throwing raisins.
Ms. Smith believes that it’s unfair for her son to lose two days of recess because of the raisin incident.
The principal believes that Ms. Smith’s son is collateral damage in the punishment over the raisin-throwing.
Very Strongly Supported Conclusions
The principal believes it’s possible that Ms. Smith’s son did not throw raisins.
The principal believes that it is sometimes acceptable for a person to suffer as a result of another person’s actions.
A
many children were throwing raisins in the cafeteria
Unsupported. The principal says nothing about how many or few children were throwing raisins in the cafeteria.
B
Ms. Smith’s son might not have thrown raisins in the cafeteria
Very strongly supported. The principal’s analogy likens Ms. Smith’s son to people who didn’t cause the traffic jam they’re stuck in. This suggests that the principal believes Ms. Smith’s son might not have caused the incident that led his class to lose recess.
C
after an accident the resulting traffic jams are generally caused by police activity
Unsupported. The principal does not mention police activity or give any reason to believe that she thinks police generally cause traffic jams after accidents.
D
Ms. Smith’s son knows who it was that threw raisins in the cafeteria
Unsupported. The principal doesn’t comment on whether or not anyone knows who threw the raisins. Rather, Ms. Smith is the one who believes that “everyone” knew who the culprits were.
E
losing two days of recess will deter future disruptions
Unsupported. The principal doesn’t comment on the motivations behind the decision to take away two days of recess. Maybe she thinks it will deter future disruptions, or maybe it’s just generally meant to punish the students.