Critical Reasoning

Politician: Hybrid cars use significantly less fuel per kilometer than nonhybrids. And fuel produces air pollution, which contributes to a number of environmental problems. Motorists can save money by driving cars that are more fuel efficient, and they will be encouraged to drive hybrid cars if we make them aware of that fact. Therefore, we can help reduce the total amount of pollution emitted by cars in this country by highlighting this advantage of hybrid cars.

Which of the following, if true, would most indicate a vulnerability of the politician's argument?

(A) People with more fuel-efficient cars typically drive more than do those with less fuel-efficient cars.
(B) Not all air pollution originates from automobiles.
(C) Hybrid cars have already begun to gain popularity.
(D) Fuel-efficient alternatives to hybrid cars will likely become available in the future.
(E) The future cost of gasoline and other fuel cannot be predicted with absolute precision or certainty.

A

AbeNeedsAnswers wrote:Politician: Hybrid cars use significantly less fuel per kilometer than nonhybrids. And fuel produces air pollution, which contributes to a number of environmental problems. Motorists can save money by driving cars that are more fuel efficient, and they will be encouraged to drive hybrid cars if we make them aware of that fact. Therefore, we can help reduce the total amount of pollution emitted by cars in this country by highlighting this advantage of hybrid cars.

Which of the following, if true, would most indicate a vulnerability of the politician's argument?

(A) People with more fuel-efficient cars typically drive more than do those with less fuel-efficient cars.
(B) Not all air pollution originates from automobiles.
(C) Hybrid cars have already begun to gain popularity.
(D) Fuel-efficient alternatives to hybrid cars will likely become available in the future.
(E) The future cost of gasoline and other fuel cannot be predicted with absolute precision or certainty.

A

Conclusion: We can reduce pollution emitted by cars if we encourage people to buy hybrid cars
Premise: Hybrid cars use less fuels per kilometer than non-hybrids.

If we're looking for a vulnerability, we want a scenario in which having people purchase hybrid cars may not reduce pollution at all. Say, for example, that people who purchase hybrids feel comfortable driving much longer distances? They produce less pollution per kilometer, but if they're covering far more kilometers than non-hybrid drivers, this will offset any advantage. Captured in A

The argument states that if ppl are aware of the benefits of fuel efficient hybrid cars then they will buy them and hence air pollution will reduce.
However imagine a scenario where a person who buys a hybrid car drives it double the time he used to drive a non-hybrid car. Then the amount of air pollution will be same.
This vulnerability is mentioned in the choice A which is the answer.