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.

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.