GRE General TestAnalytical WritingEasy
A city council is debating a proposal to ban single-use plastic bags, arguing that this will significantly reduce plastic pollution in local waterways. Opponents argue that such a ban would inconvenience shoppers and negatively impact local businesses that rely on selling plastic bags. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the opponents' claim that the ban would inconvenience shoppers?
- ALocal businesses have expressed concerns about the cost of switching to alternative bag options.
- BMany residents in the city do not own reusable shopping bags and would need to purchase them or carry items without bags.
- CNeighboring cities that implemented similar bans reported a significant increase in the use of more environmentally harmful paper bags.
- DA recent study shows that plastic bags constitute less than 5% of the total plastic waste found in local waterways.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Many residents in the city do not own reusable shopping bags and would need to purchase them or carry items without bags.
The opponents claim inconvenience for shoppers. If many shoppers lack reusable bags, they would face immediate inconvenience (buying bags or carrying items without them) when the ban takes effect, directly strengthening this claim.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This strengthens the opponents' claim about negative impact on local businesses, not about shopper inconvenience.
- C. This strengthens an argument about environmental impact (potentially negative), not specifically about shopper inconvenience.
- D. This weakens the proponents' argument about pollution reduction, not the opponents' claim about shopper inconvenience.
Strengthening a Specific Negative Consequence
To strengthen a claim about a specific negative consequence, provide evidence that directly demonstrates the likelihood or severity of that particular adverse outcome.
- Identify the exact negative consequence being claimed.
- Seek information that illustrates how that consequence would manifest.
- Focus on direct impact rather than indirect or generalized effects.
Memory trick: Seeing the specific troubles on the horizon.