Critical Reasoning

Teenagers are often priced out of the labor market by the government-mandated minimum-wage level because employers cannot afford to pay that much for extra help. Therefore, if Congress institutes a subminimum wage, a new lower legal wage for teenagers, the teenage unemployment rate, which has been rising since 1960, will no longer increase.
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?
(A) Since 1960 the teenage unemployment rate has risen when the minimum wage has risen.
(B) Since 1960 the teenage unemployment rate has risen even when the minimum wage remained constant.
(C) Employers often hire extra help during holiday and warm weather seasons.
(D) The teenage unemployment rate rose more quickly in the 1970’s than it did in the 1960’s.
(E) The teenage unemployment rate has occasionally declined in the years since 1960.

IMO B.
(A) seems to strengthen the argument. As the minimum wages increased, unemp. increased suggesting that minimum wages were the cause of the unemp.

(C) Appears disconnected to the argument
(D) Nothing in the passage talks about time frame, current or whatever, and mention of 1970s is not very useful
(E) WAS stuck between this one and (B). But, the argument tells us that the unemployment has risen, so occasional drops could be for some unknown factors and that too they(drop) contribute to a small section. In general there has been a rise.

Now let us go to (B)
(B) tells us that minimum wages were frozen in 1960s and yet there was an increase in unemployment. So minimum wages actually dropped, if you take inflation into account. Thus in a way, minimum wages dropped and yet unemployment increased => Lowering minimum wages may not be the solution. Experts chime in please.

A--strengthens

B--this is the answer.

C--irrelevant to the topic.

D--strengthens

E--occasional decline, but otherwise a rise in unemployment level. This does not weaken the arguement.

B that's my final answer.

Agree with you. My answer is B

It seems to me that the right answer is B