The correct answer is (D).
(D) Inference
Step 1: Identify the Question Type
A question stem that asks you to use the statements above to support one of the answers (direction of support flowing downward) is an Inference question. Look for Formal Logic deductions or try to combine pieces of information.
Step 2: Untangle the Stimulus
While not in Formal Logic form, the statements create a chain of causality. The media doesn't thoroughly cover local politics, and political business is conducted secretively. That leads to isolating local politicians from the electorate. That leads to a reduced chance that public participation will get a positive response from officials. Finally, that discourages resident participation in local politics.
Step 3: Make a Prediction
Typically, when presented with a chain of events, line them up sequentially (as these conveniently already are) and focus on the endpoints. So, the editorialist believes that the lack of media coverage and secret nature of local politics eventually results in discouraging resident participation in local politics. The correct answer will likely relate to that connection. Otherwise, check each answer choice against the stimulus to see if it must be true.
Step 4: Evaluate the Answer Choices
(D) is correct. It is a roundabout way of stating that infrequent media coverage of local politics helps discourage resident participation in local politics. Because the statements in the stimulus are modest (not as concrete as Formal Logic statements), this choice is tentative enough to be true.
(A) is subtly Extreme. The stimulus only indicates that some level of isolation has the effect of reducing the chance of a positive official response. From that, it cannot be deduced that less isolation would be likely to produce a positive response. If this choice said "more likely" (comparative) it would be correct. But likely (absolute) goes too far.
(B) is incorrect. The opinionated recommendation language (should) is a red flag. The editorialist merely presents a causal chain; she doesn't present her own opinion about preserving or changing that chain. Additionally, the phrase "this would avoid discouraging resident participation" is Extreme. Compare that language to the correct answer (D): "reduce at least one source of discouragement."
(C) is Extreme. The phrase "most important factor" is a large red flag here. Beware Inference question answer choices that mention the "most important" or "primary" factor. You can know that the possibility of positive official response is a factor in resident participation, but not that it is the most important factor.
(E) is incorrect. It superficially appears to be the contrapositive of the causal chain, but because the statements in the stimulus are not stated absolutely, it is inappropriate to indicate that the absence of a result causes the absence of a trigger. For example, a brick thrown through a window always causes the glass to break. However, while the contrapositive says the absence of broken glass is sufficient to know that a brick has not been thrown through the window, you cannot assert that the absence of broken glass caused the brick to not be thrown.
