Question

For years the beautiful Renaissance buildings in Palitto have been damaged by exhaust from the many tour buses that come to the city. There has been little parking space, so most buses have idled at the curb during each stop on their tour, and idling produces as much exhaust as driving. The city has now provided parking that accommodates a third of the tour buses, so damage to Palitto’s buildings from the buses’ exhaust will diminish significantly.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?

• A. The exhaust from Palitto’s few automobiles is not a significant threat to Palitto’s buildings.
• B. Palitto’s Renaissance buildings are not threatened by pollution other than engine exhaust.
• C. Tour buses typically spend less than one-quarter of the time they are in Palitto transporting passengers from one site to another.
• D. More tourists come to Palitto by tour bus than by any other single means of transportation.
• E. Some of the tour buses that are unable to find parking drive around Palitto while their passengers are visiting a site.

Hint:

When analyzing arguments about pollution, consider whether the source of the pollution is properly addressed in the proposed solution.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the argument.
The argument claims that the new parking for tour buses will reduce damage from exhaust. To support this, we need to show that the damage comes primarily from engine exhaust, not from other sources of pollution.

Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) This is not relevant to the specific impact of tour bus exhaust.
- (B) This is the correct answer. If the buildings are not threatened by other forms of pollution, the reduction of bus exhaust will likely lead to a significant decrease in damage.
- (C) This does not directly support the argument about exhaust damage.
- (D) While more tourists may come by bus, it doesn’t address the specific issue of exhaust damage.
- (E) This introduces a new factor but does not weaken or strengthen the argument about exhaust damage.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B), as it supports the idea that reducing bus exhaust will significantly reduce building damage.