Critical Reasoning

Maximum allowable production levels of pollution for industrial concerns are usually determined in legislation that is based in large part on the recommendations of scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency. Industrial concerns must pay a fine that is proportional to the level of pollution that exceeds the limit, and this proportion should be revised every year based on the number of firms that exceeded the limit the year before to maximize the penalties assessed to polluters. However, the revision process usually occurs less frequently than once a year because lobbyists for industrial concerns usually persuade the government to hold off so as to avoid having to pay increased fines for pollution.

If the statements above are true, which of the following describes a situation in which a revision should occur?


(A) A dozen fewer firms were over the limit, but their total pollution over the limit increased over the last year.
(B) Two more firms exceeded the limit than the year before, but the net level of pollution over the limit decreased.
(C) No more firms went over the limit than the year before, but the amount of total pollution over the year before went up.
(D) No firms were over the limit, and total pollution decreased by about forty percent from the year before.
(E) Several fewer firms were over the limit than the year before, and the total pollution over the limit decreased accordingly.

what do you guy think about this CR?

I will go with A by POE....

What type of CR is this one? I will go with 'B'.

I thought of this as a Must Be True question, with the question "If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?", and all the answer choices beginning with "A revision should occur when..."

The one line that confused me was

diebeatsthegmat wrote:... this proportion should be revised every year based on the number of firms that exceeded the limit the year before...

That means that the proportion is NOT dependent on the amount of pollution, but rather on the number of pollutants. Hence, only B is necessarily true.

What is the OA?

samudranb wrote:I thought of this as a Must Be True question, with the question "If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?", and all the answer choices beginning with "A revision should occur when..."

The one line that confused me was

diebeatsthegmat wrote:... this proportion should be revised every year based on the number of firms that exceeded the limit the year before...

That means that the proportion is NOT dependent on the amount of pollution, but rather on the number of pollutants. Hence, only B is necessarily true.

What is the OA?

i was also between A and B and E, but really i dont understand the B choice " but the net level of pollution over the limit decreased.
the CR say if a number of company exceed the limit, review will happen, " fewer" than 12 or several company is unsure, fewer can be 11, or 5 or zero but what does " but the net level of ..." ?, what does it mean?

"A dozen fewer firms were over the limit, but their total pollution over the limit increased over the last year."
If earlier, there were X number of firms who exceeded the limit, "A dozen fewer firms" = X-12. Thus, the revision is not needed.

"Two more firms exceeded the limit than the year before, but the net level of pollution over the limit decreased."
Lets say the limit is 10 units. The net level of pollution, even though the 2 more firms exceeded the limit than the year before, went up to e.g. 15 units.

Revision is not required in cases C and D - So ruled out.

Revision is required only in cases A, B and E.

For case E, the word several might be anything greater than 1! and also states that the net level of pollution decreased. So I ruled it out.

Really confused between A and B.

A - Though a dozen fewer again refers to a range of numbers I am inclined more towards it as the total pollution over the limit increased last year.

B - Two more firms indicate that additional two firms to the existing number of were firms exceeded the limit. This definitely calls for revision. but could not conclude anything since in this case the net level of pollution decreased!

Anyways, If a answer has to be picked I would go with A.

OA and experts advice please!