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#100959
Complete Question Explanation

Main Point. The correct answer choice is (E).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice.
 Katya W
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#78802
Hi,

I have a question about the main conclusion in this one. I ended up steering myself away from the first sentence being the main conclusion because of the wording of it makes it sound like other people's opinions, or even possibly just a general opinion or known fact. However, it ended up being the main conclusion. Could someone help me understand how a conclusion that offers other people's opinions could be the author's main conclusion?

Thank you!

Here is the conclusion sentence: "There is little doubt that the ice ages were caused by the unusually rich growth of vegetation worldwide."

Best,
Katya
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 Dave Killoran
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#78803
Hi Katya,

Thanks for the question! there are two points here: 1. Could another person's opinion be a main point? and 2. Is that happening here? Let's look at both.

1. The answer here is yes, although obviously if the author states someone else's opinion and then supports it, they adopt it as their own. Something along the following lines would work: "Frank Jimenez, the eminent sociologist, has asserted a that people can only achieve what they envision. This opinion, while controversial, is strongly supported by..." In a case like this, one could say the other person's opinion is being supported as the main point.

2. The above aside, I don't think that's happening here. I don't read that first sentence as someone else's opinion. It's the scientist's opinion, and is stated rather flatly via that "There is little doubt..." opener. It seems like a series of factual assertions, with the first sentence being the umbrella that everything else falls under :-D

Side note: Even if you do identify the first sentence as the main point, I love the tricky work they do with answer choice (A). It's a really attractive wrong answer, and it's easy to like it immediately and then not read all of the other answers completely, which leaves people prey to not realizing that (E) is the more accurate answer.

Please let me know if that above helps. Thanks!
 Katya W
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#78807
Dave Killoran wrote: 2. The above aside, I don't think that's happening here. I don't read that first sentence as someone else's opinion. It's the scientist's opinion, and is stated rather flatly via that "There is little doubt..." opener. It seems like a series of factual assertions, with the first sentence being the umbrella that everything else falls under :-D
Hi Dave, thank you for your quick response! I am quoting the above part of your response because, haha, those words you pointed to, "There is little doubt..." is exactly what made me think this was someone else's opinion :lol: I understand now what you, and the explanations I've seen, are saying, but when I read it, and when I still read it, my mind goes to thinking "generally, there is little doubt" or "it is known that there is little doubt", or other such variations, which in my mind mean there are other people out there who think there is little doubt. But I guess, even if I thought about it that way, if the author is agreeing with them, then it is the main conclusion anyway! Haha. And, you're right, I did choose A! You know students well!

Best,
Katya
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 Dave Killoran
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#78810
Ok, this is an excellent point, and a good word usage distinction! These two mean totally different things:

  • "There is little doubt...." — This means there is no uncertainty at all (or as close to all as we can get).

    Vs

    "There is a little doubt..." — This means there is some uncertainty!
So, the inclusion of "a" completely changes the meaning of the sentence, and perhaps you were unconsciously adding that?

A really great point to discuss here. Thanks!

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