Critical Reasoning

Political Analyst: After the Soviet Union collapsed, some hoped that freedom would encourage Russians to multiply, but as a result of dislocation and insecurity, the Russian population continues to dwindle at the rate of 700,000 a year. The government proposes to address the problem with a wide range of financial incentives, along with investments in improved health care, road safety and the like. These are positive measures, but they have been tried before, to little avail. A better plan to reverse the population decline is to improve the country's governance in both the public and the private sphere. If a greater part of the population participated in important decisions and shared in the country's wealth, then larger families would result. In addition, if corruption and greed among the elite were curbed, public health would improve and average life expectancy would increase.


The two boldfaced statements serve what function in the argument above?

a) The first is the main point of the analyst's argument; the second is a premise that supports the the first.
b) The first is a premise that undermines an alternative to the analyst's proposal; the second is a premise that supports the analyst's main claim.
c) The first is a premise that contradicts the main point made by the analyst; the second is the main point of the argument.
d)The first is a premise that supports a proposal; the second is that proposal.
e) The first is a conclusion that the argument endorses; the second is a premise that opposes that conclusion.

IMO B

conc: "A better plan to reverse the population decline is to improve the country's governance in both the public and the private sphere"
A : 1st isn't the main point/conclusion but tends to support the presented proposal
C: 1St point doesn't contradict but supports the arguer's main point
D : !st part correct but the second part is a condition for the proposal not the proposal itselfe
E : 1st isn't the conclusion so easily eliminated

IMO B.

The 1st one opposes the proposal , the 2nd one support the main claim .

The first bold face is presented as evidence so we can eliminate A & E.

C- the first bold face contradicts the introductory statement in the argument not the main point of the argument-eliminated
D-the first boldface is not a proposal furthermore, the second boldafce is not related to the first one

answer is B