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Complete Question Explanation

Strengthen-PR. The correct answer choice is (A)

In this example, the principle presented by the author is that if a law is intended to protect the animal population, it shouldn’t be enforced against those who do not pose a threat to the animal population. In the application of the principle, the author provides that the law that is intended to protect wild snake populations and should not be enforced against snake charmers, despite the fact that they catch wild snakes.

The question stem that follows the stimulus asks for the answer choice that “most justifies,” or strengthens, the application of the principle as presented in the stimulus. Since the principle provides that such laws should not be enforced against parties who do not threaten animal populations, the correct answer choice in this case will likely provide some reason to believe that snake charmers do not pose a threat to snake populations.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. As prephrased above, this is the choice that gives reason to believe that snake charmers do not pose a threat to the wildlife population that the law in question is intended to protect. If, as this choice provides, there are only a few snake charmers, who each only capture a few snakes each year, then their effect on the snake population would be minimal, and the principle would protect snake charmers on this basis.

Answer choice (B): The principle in this case deals with parties who are not a threat to the wildlife population that is meant to be protected by the law in question. The principle does not deal with failed prosecutions or snake capture procedures. Since this choice would not help to justify the application presented, it cannot be the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C): The principle presented in the stimulus does not deal with knowledge of the law in question; the snake charmers’ knowledge of the law, according to the principle, would not be relevant; the only issue of concern is whether or not the offenders of the law pose a threat to the wildlife population in question. Since this choice would not help to justify the application of the principle presented in the stimulus, it can be safely ruled out of contention.

Answer choice (D): The stimulus does not deal with the relative levels of threat upon various wildlife species, so this choice would not be relevant to the discussion and would not help to justify the author’s application of the principle presented.

Answer choice (E): This choice deals with why snake charmers take up their chosen line of work—it is their only option. Even if this is the case, it would not be a relevant consideration according to the principle from the stimulus, and this answer would not help to justify the author’s application as presented.

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