Economist: A tax is effective if it raises revenue and burdens all and only those persons targeted by the tax. A tax is ineffective, however, if it does not raise revenue and it costs a significant amount of money to enforce.
Summary
If a tax raises revenue and burdens only people targeted by the tax, then then tax is effective. If a tax does not raise revenue and it costs a significant amount of money to enforce, then the tax is ineffective.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
If a tax is ineffective, then it either does not raise revenue or it does not burden all and only people targeted by the tax.
A
The tax on cigarettes burdens most, but not all, of the people targeted by it. Thus, if it raises revenue, the tax is effective.
This answer is unsupported. This answer fails one of our sufficient conditions for a tax to be considered effective. We need both of the sufficient conditions in order for a tax to be considered effective.
B
The tax on alcohol raises a modest amount of revenue, but it costs a significant amount of money to enforce. Thus, the tax is ineffective.
This answer is unsupported. This answer fails one of our sufficient conditions for a tax to be considered ineffective. We need both of the sufficient conditions in order for a tax to be considered ineffective.
C
The tax on gasoline costs a significant amount of money to enforce. Thus, if it does not raise revenue, the tax is ineffective.
This answer is strongly supported. It meets both of our sufficient conditions we are given for a tax to be considered ineffective.
D
The tax on coal burdens all of the people targeted by it, and this tax does not burden anyone who is not targeted by it. Thus, the tax is effective.
This answer is unsupported. There are two sufficient conditions to be met in order for a tax to be considered effective. This answer only satisfies one of the two sufficient conditions.
E
The tax on steel does not cost a significant amount of money to enforce, but it does not raise revenue either. Thus, the tax is ineffective.
This answer is unsupported. This answer fails one of our sufficient conditions for a tax to be considered ineffective. We need both of the sufficient conditions in order for a tax to be considered ineffective.
A
presumes, without providing justification, that both candidates received equal amounts of coverage overall
B
ignores the possibility that there was more negative news worthy of reporting concerning the challenger than there was concerning the incumbent
C
presumes, without providing justification, that allowing biases to influence reporting is always detrimental to the resulting news coverage
D
ignores the possibility that the electorate’s voting behavior is not significantly affected by the content of coverage of candidates
E
ignores the possibility that reporters generally fear losing access to incumbents more than they fear losing access to challengers
Essayist: Many people are hypocritical in that they often pretend to be more morally upright than they really are. When hypocrisy is exposed, hypocrites are embarrassed by their moral lapse, which motivates them and others to try to become better people. On the other hand, when hypocrisy persists without exposure, the belief that most people are good is fostered, which motivates most people to try to be good.
Summary
An essayist details what happens when hypocrisy is and is not exposed. When hypocrisy is exposed, hypocrites become embarrassed and try to become better people. When hypocrisy remains unexposed, people believe that most people are good, which motivates most people to be good.
Strongly Supported Conclusions
Whether or not hypocrisy is exposed, some people will try to better themselves.
A
The existence of hypocrisy encourages people to believe that no one is morally blameless.
This is too strong to support. The stimulus only says that embarrassed hypocrites try to better themselves once hypocrisy is exposed.
B
The existence of hypocrisy encourages people to make efforts to live by moral standards.
The stimulus details that some people will strive to become more morally virtuous whether hypocrisy is exposed or not. Thus, this is easily supported
C
The existence of hypocrisy in some people encourages others to fall into moral lapses.
The stimulus does not say anything about when people fall into moral lapses.
D
The hiding of hypocrisy is a better way of motivating people to try to be good than is the exposing of it.
This comparative statement does not receive enough support. The stimulus does not say one approach is better than the other.
E
There is no stronger motivator for people to try to be good than the exposing of hypocrisy.
This is too strong to support. The stimulus says that exposing hypocrisy is *a* motivator, not that it is the strongest one.