Pauline: Some environmentalists claim that for the salmon to be saved, the hydroelectric dams on the river must be br...

Victoria on July 25, 2020

Hi @jingjingxiao11111@gmail.com

Happy to help!

Let's start by working through both Pauline and Roger's claims.

Pauline tells us that some environmentalists claim that the dams on the river must be breached if the salmon are to be saved. However, Pauline notes that if the dams are breached, the cost of electricity will skyrocket.

Roger responds by arguing that, regardless of whether the dams are breached or not, the region will need additional energy sources. Why? Because the dams are already producing electricity at optimal capacity.

We are looking for the answer choice that Pauline and Roger are most likely to agree upon.

Answer choice (B) is correct because Pauline and Roger's claims suggest that they are both likely to agree with this statement.

Pauline notes that the region's population is growing and its industries are booming; therefore, she likely believes that demand will either stay steady or increase in the near future, causing electrical costs to skyrocket. Roger notes that the dams are already operating at their optimal capacity and argues that the region needs to find additional energy sources, suggesting that he believes that demand will either stay relatively steady or increase, keeping the dams at or pushing them beyond their limits.

Answer choice (A) is incorrect because neither speaker would necessarily agree with this statement. Pauline seems to suggest that she believes an increase in energy sources cannot compensate for the lost production as she believes that electricity costs will skyrocket if the dams are breached. Roger does not touch on compensation in his response; he simply notes that regardless of what happens, the region needs additional energy sources.

Answer choice (C) is incorrect because neither speaker touches on this. Pauline says costs will rise if the dams are breached and Roger does not discuss costs.

Answer choice (D) is incorrect because Pauline is the only speaker to discuss the environmentalists and the salmon, and she doesn't necessarily agree with this statement.

Answer choice (E) is incorrect because Roger is the only one who discusses finding additional energy sources and he does not discuss any impact that this may have on costs.

Hope this is helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.