All CoursesOceanographer: Many activists blame fishermen alone for the decline in the number of edible Krill Fish in the past 10 years. Yet clearly, blue whales also have played an important role in this decline. In the past ten years, the number of blue whales in the territorial oceans has increased sharply and the examination of dead blue whale has showed that a number of them have recently fed on Krill Fish.
In the oceanographer’s argument, the portion in boldface plays which of the following roles?
A – It is the main conclusion of the argument.
B – It is a finding that the argument seeks to explain.
C – It is an explanation that the argument concludes is correct.
D – It provides evidence in support of the main conclusion of the argument.
E – It introduces a judgement that the argument opposes.
OA: E
Explanation:
The first step in a boldface question is to figure out whether the bolded phrase is an opinion or a fact. The bolded phrase is an opinion of the oceanographer. This eliminates Options B, C and D as they contain the words “finding”. “explanation” and “evidence”, which are clearly not opinions. The word “yet” is an indication of the fact that the sentence following it is the main conclusion. It eliminates Option A, making E the right answer.
A – This is not the main conclusion of the argument. Hence, eliminated.
B – This is not a finding. Hence, eliminated.
C – This is not an explanation. Hence, eliminated.
D – This is not an evidence. Hence, eliminated.
E – The bolded phrase is an opinion that the main conclusion of the argument opposes (Indicated by the word “yet”). Hence, this is the right answer.
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