Critical Reasoning

Department of Energy Spokesman: Energy consumers who pay their own utility bills have a direct financial incentive to use less energy. But in most of our nation's residential rental properties, the owner of the property - not the tenant who directly consumes that property's energy - pays the utility bill. In order to reduce our nation's energy consumption, we should require that tenants be responsible for paying their utility bills in residential rental properties.

Which of the following is a reason to believe that the plan outlined above will not reach its goal?


A Most rental properties are rented by younger people, and people tend to be more conscious about environmental issues like energy consumption when they are younger.

B When owners of rental properties are responsible for utility bills, they are more likely to ensure that a property's appliances and furnaces are the most energy-efficient versions.

C Most of the country's energy consumption comes from commercial real estate, not residential real estate.

D Energy bills are calculated not only by the amount of energy used, but also by the times of day during which energy is used.

E Other nations have had success reducing energy consumption by offering rental subsidies for tenants whose energy usage falls below certain thresholds.


OA B

Source: Veritas Prep