PrepTest 158, Section 4, Question 21
Developer: The builders of the Glen Veil apartment(55 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(11 more words not shown)
- AIf a construction(29 more words not shown)
- BThe residents of(29 more words not shown)
- CWhenever a town(16 more words not shown)
- DOnly those residents(21 more words not shown)
- EAnyone who would(20 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
There's a benefit. What's the cost?
The developers won't finish the Glen Veil apartments without the road. Finishing the apartments would strengthen Sierra's economy, benefiting everyone. I can see the attraction. But if building the road costs five units of value and delivers only one unit of benefit, pointing to the benefit doesn't settle whether residents should vote for the tax.
What we’re looking for
The question asks for a principle that helps justify the recommendation. My initial thought is something connecting the benefit with the expense: perhaps the road's cost is small compared with what residents gain. More broadly, we need a reason to move from “You would benefit” to “You should vote for this tax.” Let's see which rule makes that connection.
Working the answers
- A
The road is needed to finish this apartment complex. We aren't told that it's needed for any strengthening of Sierra's economy. The town might have other ways to improve its economy. A requires necessity for economic improvement generally, which the argument hasn't established.
- B
This says not to vote for a tax unless the project benefits everyone. Everyone benefiting clears that restriction, but doesn't establish that they should vote for the tax. There could still be other reasons to reject it, including excessive cost. B doesn't turn a benefit into a recommendation.
- C
This chooses taxes over debt once the town funds a project. But should it fund this project at all? A rule about the method of financing doesn't answer the prior question or give residents a reason to approve this tax.
- D
This limits who should have to pay: only beneficiaries. Even if every resident qualifies as a beneficiary, that doesn't tell any resident to vote for the tax. Being eligible to bear a cost and being obliged to support the project are different claims.
- ECorrect
This directly connects benefiting from a construction project with voting to fund it through a local tax. The road makes completing the apartments possible, and the resulting economic improvement would benefit every Sierra resident. Applied here, the rule tells those residents to vote in favor.
The rule is broader than my initial thought about weighing cost against benefit. It simply makes the benefit enough to justify the vote. We may question that as a real-world policy, but the question asks what would support the argument if accepted. E supplies the rule the developer's reasoning needs.
More Strengthen questions
Learn the LSAT our way
Our platform drills Strengthen questions at your level and adjusts as you improve.