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23. CR Boldface / method

Label each boldface: fact or claim, supports or opposes the main conclusion.

Sales fell 20% last year.The new ads were launched then.Thus the ads hurt sales.fact vs claim?this one: factsupports or opposesthis one: main claimLabel each bold line by role, not by topic.

Core ideas

- First find the main conclusion of the whole argument; everything else is labeled relative to it.
- Tag each boldface twice: is it a fact or a claim/opinion, and does it support or oppose the main conclusion?
- Watch for a position the author rejects; evidence for that position opposes the author's conclusion.
- Check answer choices word by word; one wrong label kills the choice.

Worked example 1

Some analysts argue that Pellman Motors should discontinue its sedan line because sedan sales have fallen for five straight years. However, [B1] the decline in sedan sales has been slower than the industrywide decline, meaning Pellman is gaining market share in a shrinking segment. Therefore, [B2] Pellman should keep its sedan line and let weaker rivals exit first.
In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which roles?

Show solution

The main conclusion is B2: keep the sedan line. B1 is a factual observation (a sales comparison) offered by the author to support that conclusion. So B1 is evidence supporting the main conclusion, and B2 is the main conclusion itself. The analysts' discontinue position is the view the author opposes, and B1 undermines that opposing view while supporting the author's. The correct description: the first is a fact cited in support of the argument's main conclusion; the second is that main conclusion.

Worked example 2

[B1] Ridership on the Averton ferry doubled after fares were cut in half, so some council members conclude the fare cut caused the increase. But the fare cut coincided with the closure of the parallel bridge for repairs. [B2] Once the bridge reopens, ferry ridership will likely fall back toward its earlier level.
In the argument, the two boldfaced portions play which roles?

Show solution

The author's main conclusion is B2, a prediction that ridership will drop when the bridge reopens. B1 is a fact, but it is the evidence used by the council members for a causal claim the author disputes; the author explains the same fact with the bridge closure instead. So B1 is a finding that others cite to support a conclusion the author challenges, and B2 is the author's own main conclusion. Any choice calling B1 the author's supporting evidence, or calling B2 an intermediate premise, is wrong.

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