Critical Reasoning

Something must be done to ease traffic congestion. In traditional small towns, people used to work and shop in the same town in which they lived; but now that stores and workplaces are located far away from residential areas, people cannot avoid traveling long distances each day. Traffic congestion is so heavy on all roads that, even on major highways where the maximum speed limit is 55 miles per hour, the actual speed averages only 35 miles per hour. So new businesses should be encouraged to locate closer to where their workers would live.The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) Background that the argument depends on and conclusion that can be drawn from the argument.
(B) Part of evidence that the argument includes, and inference that can be drawn from this passage.
(C) Pre-evidence that the argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(D) Background that argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(E) Pre-evidence that argument includes and a method that helps to supports that conclusion.

OA will follow...

IMO A

You might be confused b/w A & B. Problem is with 2nd part of B,2nd Bold Face is CONCLUSION and NOT INFERENCE.

IMO:A

IMO A

Can some expert comment on this.??

Ozlemg wrote:Something must be done to ease traffic congestion. In traditional small towns, people used to work and shop in the same town in which they lived; but now that stores and workplaces are located far away from residential areas, people cannot avoid traveling long distances each day. Traffic congestion is so heavy on all roads that, even on major highways where the maximum speed limit is 55 miles per hour, the actual speed averages only 35 miles per hour. So new businesses should be encouraged to locate closer to where their workers would live.The two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

(A) Background that the argument depends on and conclusion that can be drawn from the argument.
(B) Part of evidence that the argument includes, and inference that can be drawn from this passage.
(C) Pre-evidence that the argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(D) Background that argument depends on and part of evidence that supports the conclusion.
(E) Pre-evidence that argument includes and a method that helps to supports that conclusion.

OA will follow...

I received a PM asking me to comment.

What is the source of this question?

In A, how could a bolded phrase WITHIN the argument be a conclusion that can be DRAWN FROM the argument?

In B, how could a bolded phrase WITHIN the passage be an inference that can be DRAWN FROM the passage?

In C and E, what exactly is "pre-evidence"?

I would ignore this question.