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 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.


The answer is B
But i am confused between B and C

Please help.

INNER PEACE!

Here is the question but with the proper portions in bold. Source is Manhatten GMAT exam.


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 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.

The answer is B
But i am confused between B and C

Answer choice C states that the role of the first portion in bold is "The first is a premise that contradicts the main point made by the analyst"

Ask yourself this question, "Does saying that measures like health care and road safety have not increased the population actually contradict the analyst's main point?"

The sentence between the bold portions is the main point of the analyst: "A better plan to reverse the population decline is to improve the country's governance in both the public and the private sphere."

Showing that alternative possibilities do not work does not contradict the analyst but is in support of the idea that the analyst's plan is better than these other plans.

Therefore choice C cannot be correct. Also note that the second part of answer C claims that the second bold portion is the main point. It is not the main point as I have quoted the main point above.

Choice B is correct because the first part does undermine the alternatives (health care, roads, etc.) and the second portion does support the main point as a premise.