Economist: 'The government's new tax incentive program for electric vehicle purchases will undoubtedly lead to a significant reduction in overall carbon emissions. By making EVs more affordable, more people will buy them, thus reducing reliance on gasoline-powered cars.'
- AThe current electrical grid relies heavily on fossil fuels for power generation.
- BThe tax incentive program only applies to new EV purchases, not used ones.
- CMany people who buy EVs also own gasoline-powered cars and continue to use them regularly.
- DThe production of electric vehicles, particularly their batteries, is itself carbon-intensive.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. The current electrical grid relies heavily on fossil fuels for power generation.
The economist concludes that increased EV purchases will lead to a 'significant reduction in overall carbon emissions.' This conclusion implicitly assumes that EVs are *inherently* low-emission. Option D directly attacks this assumption by pointing out that if the electricity used to power EVs comes from fossil fuel sources, then the carbon emissions are merely shifted from the tailpipe to the power plant, potentially negating or significantly reducing the overall emissions benefit. This introduces a critical underlying factor that the argument fails to consider.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. This limits the scope of the program but doesn't fundamentally challenge the link between EV adoption and emissions reduction.
- C. This weakens the argument by suggesting EV owners still contribute to gasoline emissions, but it's a secondary effect compared to the primary energy source.
- D. This weakens the argument by pointing out that the *production* of EVs contributes to emissions, which the economist overlooks when focusing only on usage. This is a strong distractor for the correct answer.
Implicit Assumption (Environmental Impact)
An unstated belief or premise about the environmental consequences of an action, which is necessary for the argument's conclusion regarding environmental benefit or harm to hold true.
- Often involves assumptions about the 'greenness' of alternatives.
- Challenges involve exposing hidden costs or externalities.
- Argument fails if the implicit assumption is false.
Memory trick: Green claims need unseen screens!