Critical Reasoning

1.For a trade embargo against a particular country to
succeed, a high degree of both international accord
and ability to prevent goods from entering or leaving
that country must be sustained. A total blockade of
Patria's ports is necessary to an embargo, but such an
action would be likely to cause international discord
over the embargo.
The claims above, if true, most strongly support which
of the following conclusions?
(A) The balance of opinion is likely to favor Patria in
the event of a blockade.
(8) As long as international opinion is unanimously
against Patria, a trade embargo is likely to
succeed.
(C) A naval blockade of Patria's ports would ensure
that no goods enter or leave Patria.
(D) Any trade embargo against Patria would be likely
to fail at some time.
(E) For a blockade of Patria's ports to be
successful, international opinion must be unanimous.

2.Environmentalist: The commissioner of the Fish and
Game Authority would have the public believe that
increases in the number of marine fish caught
demonstrate that this resource is no longer
endangered. This is a specious argument, as unsound
as it would be to assert that the ever-increasing rate at
which rain forests are being cut down demonstrates a
lack of danger to that resource. The real cause of the
increased fish-catch is a greater efficiency in using
technologies that deplete resources.
The environmentalist's statements, if true, best
support which of the following as a conclusion?
(A) The use of technology is the reason for the
increasing encroachment of people on nature.
(B) It is possible to determine how many fish are in
the sea in some way other than by catching fish.
(C) The proportion of marine fish that are caught is
as high as the proportion of rain forest'trees
that are cut down each year.
(0) Modern technologies waste resources by
catching inedible fish.
(E) Marine fish continue to be an endangered resource.

1. D

We know that a total blockade of Patria's ports is necessary to an embargo, but this would likely cause international discord. We also know that a high degree of international accord must be sustained for a trade embargo to succeed. Since we likely cannot hold one of the two conditions of success, it is likely that a trade embargo against Patria would not succeed.

2. E

The environmentalist claims the FGA commissioner has faulty logic in arguing that marine fish are not endangered. He then gives an analogy about rain forests to make his point. He finally says that the the real cause of increasing fish-catches is a greater efficiency in technologies that deplete resources. Since these technologies are becoming more efficient, the environmentalist's conclusion that logically follows is that marine fish continue to be endangered.

My guesses:

1. D

2. E

CappyAA wrote:1. D

We know that a total blockade of Patria's ports is necessary to an embargo, but this would likely cause international discord. We also know that a high degree of international accord must be sustained for a trade embargo to succeed. Since we likely cannot hold one of the two conditions of success, it is likely that a trade embargo against Patria would not succeed.

2. E

The environmentalist claims the FGA commissioner has faulty logic in arguing that marine fish are not endangered. He then gives an analogy about rain forests to make his point. He finally says that the the real cause of increasing fish-catches is a greater efficiency in technologies that deplete resources. Since these technologies are becoming more efficient, the environmentalist's conclusion that logically follows is that marine fish continue to be endangered.

Very nice explanation. I went for A on both and while the statments are true in each case, they are not the proper conclusion that could be drawn from the passages.