I’m happy to help. As always, let’s start with the question stem. We are looking for an answer that Larew and Mendoza disagree about. So let’s first take a look at their statements and see if we can articulate that disagreement ourselves.
L says: People in the lowest 1/5 had higher % increase in average income in the last decade than those in highest 1/5. So (conclusion word) economic prosperity increased relative to highest â…•.
M: Disagree. Average income may have increased by percent, but absolute income was higher.
Notice that M does not expressly state the opposite conclusion: that economic prosperity of the lowest quintile increased relative to the highest quintile. But this disagreement is implied! And M explains with an analysis of why: that absolute income increase is a more useful measure than % increase.
Which answer option expresses that disagreement?
Answer A: This answer tells us both about the disagreement about the relative change in the economic prosperity of the two quintiles, and the disagreement about the proper measure: percentage changes in average income. So this answer is correct!
Answer B: This answer suggests the disagreement is about the usefulness of comparing the two quintiles, rather than only comparing the lower quintile to itself. But as we said above, the disagreement is about how to compare the two quintiles. So this is wrong.
Answer C: Similar issue here. The speakers don’t disagree about whether the changes in average income should “ever†be compared — they are just disagreeing about the proper way to compare the prosperity of the two quintiles in this instance.
Answer D: This is not the disagreement. Mendota, who argues that prosperity increase was greater for the highest quintile via the measure of absolute average income, still seems to accept that there was some improvement for the lowest quintile (“surely greater†seems to imply there was still some improvement for the lesser group.)
Answer E: Neither person argues this. The person who uses the measure of average income (Mendota) says that the highest quintile increased more, and does not measure in percent. So this is not a disagreement, either!
I hope that helps. Please let us know if you have further questions.
