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#23007
Complete Question Explanation

StrengthenX-PR. The correct answer choice is (C)

The stimulus presents the information that rescues of over 250 mountain climbers cost the government almost 3 million dollars in one year, and the sport is growing. The stimulus then reports that members of a task force suggest a bonding arrangement to help pay for the costs of rescues when they occur.

The argument seems to operate on the principle that people ought not to have costs they incur covered, through the government, by others. The argument is unconvincing, because it ignores the possibility that far more than the 250 injured climbers participate in associated tourism that generates employment and taxes in many industries. However, you are simply asked to eliminate four choices that support the proposal, and select the unhelpful or weakening response. Sometimes an argument will be fairly horrible, but you will not have the opportunity to criticize it.

Answer choice (A): If taxpayers should not subsidize a hobby of individuals, the argument is more believable, even if the argument is still vulnerable to attack, so this choice supports the argument and is thus incorrect.

Answer choice (B): Since 25 people have died, and presumably requiring climbers to engage in the additional expense of buying bonds would reduce the number of climbers, the bonds could be considered a measure that discourages people from risking their lives. If the government is obliged to take such actions, that means that the bonds might fulfill the government's obligation, improving the argument that the government should require the bonds.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. This response focuses on whether certain people should have to obtain certain permits, but the stimulus focused on the idea that certain people should have to pay their own costs. Since it is not clear that permits are a means of paying injury costs, this choice is irrelevant to the argument, which in the case of an EXCEPT question makes this choice an ideal response.

Answer choice (D): If citizens who use rescue services should pay more for them than those who do not use the services, then it is more likely that the government should require the bonds, because the bonds improve the chance that those who use the rescue service are those who pay more for it. This choice supports the argument.

Answer choice (E): The mountain climbers are arguably engaged in a risky behavior inessential to anyone's welfare, so this principle would require them to pay for their own injuries. That supports the idea that the government should require the bonds, since the bonds would be a means of the climbers paying their own costs.
 egarcia193
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#37362
Hi
I got this question wrong and chose answer E when it comes to EXCEPT questions I always find my self some what struggling even if the stimulus is easier to understand then other questions. I find myself mixing up what im supposed to be doing or getting confused looking at the wrong answers and I waste a lot of time just trying to refocus on what im supposed to be looking for or trying to understand a certain answer and what it means. Is there any advice on how to not get stuck or overwhelmed in trying to understand or remember what you're supposed to be looking for and what is right in an except question.
 Eric Ockert
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#37652
Absolutely!

My favorite approach (and the one I personally use) is to just tackle EXCEPT questions a bit backwards. As soon as I see the "EXCEPT" language, I prephrase that whatever the question stem explicitly asks for is now describing the INCORRECT answers as opposed to the CORRECT answers. So in the case of this question, a Strengthen EXCEPT question, I would look for answers that Strengthen the argument, and then ELIMINATE those answers as Incorrect.

Of course, while that manner of thinking is useful, there is still the tendency to get turned around on these questions. So remember that correct and incorrect answers are always logical opposites of each other. So whatever one does, the other must do the exact logical opposite. So here, if the INCORRECT answers Strengthen the argument in the stimulus, that means the CORRECT answer DOES NOT Strengthen (which amounts to either Weaken or Do Nothing).

So in this question, answer (E) does Strengthen the proposal as it provides a reason why these people should be held responsible for the cost of treating the injuries. Since this answer DOES Strengthen the proposal, it is INCORRECT.

Answer (C) on the other hand, does NOT Strengthen the proposal because it does not provide any reason why these climbers should bear the cost. It seems to support some other kind of proposal, one that would prevent certain inexperienced climbers from receiving permits. So even though answer (C) does not WEAKEN the proposal, it doesn't help it either. That makes it the correct answer as it DOES NOT STRENGTHEN the argument.

Hope that helps!
 khmpointer@gmail.com
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#88355
Hi! I chose C as the right answer because the mention of permits and people who have "minimal" experience seemed irrelevant and also did not strengthen the proposal. However, E also stood out to me because it mentions injuries, which I thought were not an obvious thing the government was spending money on (as in paying for a "rescue" did not seem synonymous with paying for treating injuries). Am I reading too much into it? Thanks!
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 Poonam Agrawal
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#88380
Hi Khm,

It's good that you recognized answer choice (C) as a the correct answer - great job!

Answer choice (E) might seem a little off, but it's reasonable to assume that a mountain climbing rescue would involve treating at least some injury. If someone falls off a mountain and starts rapidly bleeding, the rescue team would probably try to stop the bleeding. Also, the "cost" of any resulting injuries might also involve the cost of being airlifted out, which is what comes to mind when I think of mountain rescue. :)
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 akreimerman1
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#102642
Hi,
I chose A because if the proposal says that the climbers SHOULD pay in case something happens, then wouldn't the answer saying that taxpayers SHOULD NOT have to pay for a hobby weaken the argument?
Thank you
 Luke Haqq
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#102748
Hi akreimerman1!

As the administrator's post discusses above, the proposal in this stimulus is that climbers ought not to have the costs they incur covered by the government (or in other words, covered by taxpayers).

Answer choice (A) reinforces this principle. To state the principle a different way, taxpayers should not have cover the costs that climbers incur. Answer (A) states, "Taxpayers should not subsidize a freely chosen hobby and athletic endeavor of individuals." This states a more general principle by referring to a "freely chosen hobby and athletic endeavor," and that general principle applies to the subject matter in the stimulus--climbing, which is a freely chosen and athletic endeavor.

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