Company spokesperson: As things stand at the moment, the fruitful cooperation between the Federal Government and our company has yielded satisfying results. The monetary aid we have been receiving has enabled us to fend off a personnel cut that would put thousands of employees out of work. A decision to discontinue the aid program will have adverse effects. It may force upon us a full reorganization program that will include a substantive reduction in the number of employees.

In the company spokesperson's argument, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?


A. The first is a pattern of cause and effect that the company spokesperson advocates; the second is a prediction of the consequences of changing that pattern.

B. The first is an assumption about a pattern of cause and effect; the second is a case in point.

C. The first is a premise about the present; the second is a premise about the future.

D. The first acknowledges a current status quo; the second offers a way out of it.

E. The first is a piece of evidence in support of the position of the company spokesperson; the second is a consideration against the conclusion of the argument.


OA A

Source: Economist Gmat