Critical Reasoning

In Acadia National Park, there is a large network of gravel carriage roads that are closed to vehicular traffic but open to a variety of other uses. In an attempt to substantially limit the damage that occurs to the carriage roads from overuse during the course of a year, park officials are imposing strict rules during the spring season. From March 15th to May 1st, when the roads are especially soft and more easily damaged, horses and bikes will be prohibited from all carriage roads, and walkers and runners will only be allowed on certain sections.

In assessing whether the park officials' plan to limit the damage to the carriage roads will be successful, it would be most useful to know which of the following?

A. Whether bikes and horses cause more damage to the carriage roads than walkers and runners do.

B. Whether snowmobilers are allowed to use the carriage roads during the winter months.

C. Whether a considerable percentage of carriage road usage occurs from March 15th to May 1st.

D. Whether some sections of the carriage roads are more susceptible to damage from overuse than others.

E. Whether a substantial percentage of visitors to the park ride their bikes on the carriage roads during their visit.

i think it should be C.
if considerable usage of carriage roads happens between mar-may, then the plan to prohibit all carriages and selectively limit walkers and runners during this time period will assist in controlling the damange. but if considerable usage of these carriage roads happens during say winter months (sept-feb), then such a plan will not help control the damage.

well when it is written in the passage that From March 15th to May 1st, when the roads are especially soft and more easily damaged,

so even if the considerable percentage of carriage road usage does not occurs from March 15th to May 1st then how it is going to affect the argument
my point is even if i take that only 20 percent (which in not considerable )of usage to be on during this time but the fact that roads are soft and more liable to damage then also the damage wud be done !!

neha24 wrote:well when it is written in the passage that From March 15th to May 1st, when the roads are especially soft and more easily damaged,

so even if the considerable percentage of carriage road usage does not occurs from March 15th to May 1st then how it is going to affect the argument
my point is even if i take that only 20 percent (which in not considerable )of usage to be on during this time but the fact that roads are soft and more liable to damage then also the damage wud be done !!

Please provide the OA along with the question (if you have one). If you dont have an OA, its OK to state that also.

I'd pick C here but yeah it's probably not a very good question. What's the source and OA?

Answer Should be C. This is the underlying assumption in the argument.

If we apply the variance test and see what happens;

To an answer Yes, the plan is correct if considerable percentage of road usage occurs during this time.

If Ans is No, then plan will not be successful. If not much road usage, then they should target the time with most usage.

Especially because the argument says that :
In an attempt to substantially limit the damage that occurs to the carriage roads from overuse during the course of a year, park officials are imposing strict rules during the spring season.

Regards, Sonali.

Answer Should be C. This is the underlying assumption in the argument.

If we apply the variance test and see what happens;

To an answer Yes, the plan is correct if considerable percentage of road usage occurs during this time.

If Ans is No, then plan will not be successful. If not much road usage, then they should target the time with most usage.

Especially because the argument says that :
In an attempt to substantially limit the damage that occurs to the carriage roads from overuse during the course of a year, park officials are imposing strict rules during the spring season.

Regards, Sonali.

If usage is more then the restriction will have impact. If is usage is less then the restriction will have less impact. So it is important to know about the usage information during the ban period.
OPT - C

why not 'A' ?