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The Interstate Bridge over the Apache River, built in the 1950s, shows a substantial amount of rust: as much as 45% of its surface is coated in rust. Community activists have argued that the bridge presents a hazard: it is likely to collapse in places where it has rusted through. Professors of mechanical engineering at the local university did an extensive analysis of the bridge. These professors and their graduate students determined that 98% of the rust on the bridge exists on the surface only, and actually seals the underlying steel from the corrosive influence of the elements. The results of this academic study suggest that the bridge is safe for continued use.
In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?
Title
The Interstate Bridge
Your Result
Correct
Difficulty
Medium
Your Pace
0:01
Others' Pace
1:39
Video Explanation
Text Explanation
The first statement is a fact: everyone agrees with that. The second sentence is a conclusion (signal words: "argue that") --- the first boldface section is conclusion #1, the conclusion of the community activities. Then more facts --- the results of scientific investigations are always facts! The final sentence is another conclusion (signal words: "suggest that"), conclusion #2, the conclusion of the professors. Both boldface statements are conclusions, and the argument ultimately disagrees with the first and accepts the second --- the second is the conclusion of the argument as a whole.
This is what (D) says. The first is a conclusion, a position, that the argument opposes, and the second is the conclusion of the argument. (D) is the credited response.
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