Hi

Can u please mark the bold parts.

IMO E

The causation refers to something that results from something that has happened.

for eg: X->Y

Here the increase in fine that has been added has caused the people to litter less.

Option E states that the statement of causation (which is a fact and has actually happened) will not happen. The line of reasoning by the author is given in the second boldface sentence.

Statement of causation is "Cause and effect statement".

kullayappayenugula wrote:3. Local authorities are considering an amendment to the litter law that would raise the fine for littering in the community picnic area to $1,000. Since the inception of the litter law, incremental increases in the littering fine have proven to be consistently effective at further reducing the amount of litter in the community picnic area. However, raising the fine to $1,000 would actually have the unintended effect of increasing the amount of litter in the picnic area. Picnic area users would perceive this fine to be unreasonable and unenforceable, and would disregard the litter law altogether.
In the argument, the two portions in BOLDFACE play which of the following roles?
a. The first is irrefutable evidence that the author offers in support of a prediction; the second is that prediction.
b. The first is a statement of causation that the author predicts will be repeated in the case at hand; the second raises evidence against this prediction.
c. The first is a statement of fact that the author accepts to be true; the second is presented as a consequence of this fact.
d. The first is evidence that weakens the main position that the author defends; the second is that position.
e. The first is a statement of causation that the author predicts will not hold in the case at hand; the second offers a line of reasoning to support this prediction.

OA E I want to know bit more about the term used in the options i.e. statement of causation. What exactly does this mean?z

for more on causation, refer this awesome post by testluv - https://www.beatthegmat.com/on-causal-ar ... tml#247109

for any bold face argument, first dissect the argument -

Local authorities are considering an amendment to the litter law that would raise the fine for littering in the community picnic area to $1,000. -- facts ( a new initiatives)

Since the inception of the litter law, incremental increases in the littering fine have proven to be consistently effective at further reducing the amount of litter in the community picnic area. - a background information, its the result of the initial cause - initial litter law

However, raising the fine to $1,000 would actually have the unintended effect of increasing the amount of litter in the picnic area. - main conclusion

Picnic area users would perceive this fine to be unreasonable and unenforceable, and would disregard the litter law altogether. - premise, reason supporting the main conclusion.

eliminate A, C and D. left with B and E.

B - The first is a statement of causation that the author predicts will be repeated in the case at hand; the second raises evidence against this prediction. -- the second supports the prediction - the main conclusion. Eliminate.
moreover, the first part is the causation which after reading the whole stimulus, we can get the theme from the main conclusion - that the causality will not repeat here.

E is correct.

hope this helps !!