Critical Reasoning

The earth’s resources are being depleted much too fast. To correct this, the United States must keep its resource consumption at present levels for many years to come.

2 Questions
#1 The argument above depends on which of the following assumptions?
(A) Per capita resource consumption in the United States is at an all-time high.
(B) The United States wastes resources.
(C) The United States uses more resources than any other country.
(D) The United States imports most of the resources it uses.
(E) Curbing U.S. resource consumption will significantly retard world resource depletion.

#2 Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above?
(A) New resource deposits are constantly being discovered.
(B) The United States consumes one-third of all resources used in the world.
(C) Other countries need economic development more than the United States does.
(D) Other countries have agreed to hold their resource consumption at present levels.
(E) The United States has been conserving resources for several years.

Is it #1 - E
#2 - B
?

Jan08,
According to the answer key, you are right for #1 but wrong for #2. I too chose the same answers and was miffed whenI saw the answer key.

By the way, I found this on the 1000CR doc in beatthegmat.com. Is it possible that the answer key could be wrong in some cases?

Second u guys ...E and B it is ...

Btw ..it quite possible that the keys are wrong

Sorry...there was an error in my last email. B is the correct answer for #2.

But can someone explain why B and not E?

so I got it right for both...cool..

here is my explanation for #2
The sentence talks abt the depletion of earth's resources and then talks about the consumption of resources by US...

not E because if US wud have been conserving resources for years then the depletion of resources wudnt have happnd..infact E weakens the argument..
The only choice left is B and if you analyze B then it clearly justifies the conclusion that "the United States must keep its resource consumption at present levels for many years to come"..becoz 1/3rd of the resources are consumed by US..

hope that clarifies

Why not (d) for #2? If rest of the world doesn't keep its consumption the same, just the US doing so won't help either. I won't vote for (b) since if 2/3 rd of the world increases its consumption, that will be devastating.

i think it's B