PrepTest 131

Incorrect. This is the solution that the author disagrees with, so it's the opposing point, not the main point.

Incorrect. This answer is something never stated in the stimulus directly (which states the fish feed on these nutrients and would move without them, falling just short of saying they're necessary). It's an assumption supporting the main point.

Incorrect. The Editorial doesn't use the high costs of damming the river to justify her argument against the plan, but rather the impact on the local fishing economy, so this answer doesn't even reflect the stimulus.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Main Point

Stimulus Summary:
Background/Problem - River flooding costs Redhook $3m/year
Proposed solution - Dam the river at a one-time cost of $5m
Editorial's opinion of solution - It's misguided
Reasoning - It'd drive fish away, costing Redhook $10m/year

Answer Anticipation:
This stimulus raises a problem and brings up a proposed solution. In general, either the author's preferred solution or the author's opinion of a stated solution serves as the main point in such a passage. Here, the author disagrees with the proposed solution (it's "misguided") without providing an alternative, so that opinion is the main point of the argument. It's backed up with the rationale for why she believes it's not a great solution (it'll cost $10m/year in lost fishing revenue), further supporting it as the main point.

Answer Explanation:
This answer reflects the Editorialist's opinion of the solution proposed—that it's misguided, i.e., a mistake. Since she doesn't also offer her own solution, this is the main point.

Key Takeaway:
In a Problem/Solution passage, the author's preferred solution is generally the main point. When one isn't present, the author's opinion of a proposed solution is usually the main point.

Incorrect. This is the background problem, a solution to which the stimulus is meant to analyze.