GRE General TestAnalytical WritingEasy
A city council is considering a proposal to ban single-use plastic bags, arguing that this measure will significantly reduce plastic pollution in local waterways. Which of the following statements, if true, would provide the most support for the council's argument?
- ANeighboring cities that implemented similar bans have reported a decrease in overall litter, but specific data on waterway pollution is unavailable.
- BA significant portion of plastic pollution in local waterways consists of single-use plastic bags.
- CThe ban would lead to an increase in the sale of reusable cloth bags, which still require resources to produce.
- DMany residents currently reuse their single-use plastic bags for other purposes before disposal.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. A significant portion of plastic pollution in local waterways consists of single-use plastic bags.
The council argues that banning single-use plastic bags will reduce plastic pollution in waterways. If these bags constitute a significant portion of that pollution, then removing them from circulation would directly address the problem, thereby providing strong support for the argument's effectiveness.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While a decrease in overall litter is positive, the lack of specific data on *waterway* pollution makes this less direct and less strong than option A, which directly addresses the target problem.
- C. This introduces a potential negative environmental impact of the alternative, which would weaken the overall environmental benefit argument, not support it.
- D. This suggests that the bags might not always immediately become pollution, which slightly weakens the argument for a ban's necessity.
Supporting an Argument
To support an argument means to provide additional evidence or reasoning that makes the conclusion more credible or more likely to be true.
- Adds weight to the premises or the link between premises and conclusion.
- Can be new data, confirming an assumption, or ruling out alternatives.
- Makes the argument stronger without necessarily proving it.
Memory trick: Support is like adding more fuel to the fire, making it burn brighter.