Question

A government enacts a far-reaching environmental reform with delayed benefits and high upfront costs. According to the passage, this scenario would most likely occur if:

• A. The reform offers voters immediate tax incentives that mask its long-term costs.
• B. The opposition party forces the reform to pass during a political stalemate.
• C. The reform is framed as a symbolic gesture with no tangible enforcement mechanisms.
• D. The current administration is likely confident of long-term political dominance.
• E. A global coalition mandates reform, overriding national legislative decision-making.

Hint:

In boldface questions, first identify the main conclusion of the argument. Then, determine the relationship of each boldfaced statement to that conclusion. Is it evidence for the conclusion? Is it the conclusion itself? Is it an opposing viewpoint? Is it a consideration that the author must address?

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
This is an application question. We must apply the central concept of the passage—that governments suffer from present bias due to short-term pressures like elections—to a hypothetical scenario. The question asks what condition would allow a government to overcome this bias.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
A policy with high upfront costs and delayed benefits is the classic victim of present bias. A government would normally avoid such a policy because it angers current voters for a payoff that may only be realized after they have left office. The question asks what would allow them to enact it anyway.

(A) is a trick. Offering immediate incentives is a way to *give in* to present bias, not overcome it. It makes the policy easier to pass by adding a short-term reward.
(B) and (E) introduce external forces that override the administration's own decision-making process. The question is about when the *government itself* would enact the policy.
(C) describes a weak, symbolic reform, not a "far-reaching" one.
(D) directly addresses the root cause of the bias. If an administration is confident of "long-term political dominance," the short-term pressure of the next election is diminished or eliminated. They are free to make decisions with long-term payoffs because they expect to be in power to reap the political rewards.
Step 3: Final Answer
Option (D) provides the most logical condition under which a government could ignore short-term electoral pressures and pursue a policy with long-term benefits.
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