Question

Currently about 70 percent of all urban households recycle some portion of their garbage, 25 percent more than did ten years ago. This increase can be attributed, in part, to the fact that a larger portion of the population is now under the age of 47. Of the following, which can be most properly inferred from the passage above?

• A. Of those who currently recycle, at least 70 percent recycle less than 25 percent of what is potentially recyclable.
• B. Younger people are generally more conscientious about waste disposal than are older people.
• C. People under the age of 47 are more likely to recycle than are their older counterparts.
• D. The overall population has risen by at least 25 percent in the past ten years.
• E. People currently over the age of 47 recycled more often ten years ago.

Hint:

In inference questions, be wary of answer choices that go beyond the direct evidence. Avoid words that infer motive ("conscientious"), make absolute claims, or introduce information not mentioned in the text. The correct inference is usually a very direct, logical consequence of the statements provided.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an inference question. An inference is a conclusion that must be true based on the information given in the passage. We are not looking for assumptions or what might be true, but what is logically compelled by the text.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's break down the facts given:

Fact 1: Recycling has increased.
Fact 2: The cause of this increase is, "in part," that a larger portion of the population is under 47.
The argument explicitly links the increase in recycling to the demographic shift towards a younger population (under 47). For this causal link to be valid, there must be a difference in recycling behavior between the younger and older groups. Specifically, the younger group must be recycling more to account for the overall increase.
Let's evaluate the options:

(A) The passage says 70% of households recycle "some portion." It gives no information about \textit{how much} they recycle. This cannot be inferred.
(B) The passage links age to recycling behavior, but "conscientious" implies a motive or attitude. We only know about the action (recycling), not the reason. This is too strong an inference.
(C) This is the correct answer. If the overall increase in recycling is partly caused by having more people under 47, it must be true that people under 47 are, on average, more likely to recycle than people over 47. If they weren't, a larger proportion of them wouldn't cause the rate to go up.
(D) The passage discusses the percentage of households recycling, not the total population growth.
(E) The passage gives no information about the past behavior of the over-47 age group.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The passage attributes the rise in recycling to a demographic shift towards a younger population. This causal statement only makes sense if the younger population has a higher propensity to recycle. Therefore, we can infer that people under 47 are more likely to recycle.