Question

1) Each state should enact a law that makes wearing seat belts mandatory for all passengers and drivers in cars and trucks. (2) Statistics show that seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by fifty percent. (3) As a result of laws like this in various states, seat belt usage in the United States has dramatically increased in the past thirty years. (4) Some people believe that the government does not have the right to force people to be safe, and that these laws are unfair. (5) The bottom line is that seat belts are proven to save lives; therefore, everyone should be forced to wear one if they want to travel by car or truck.
Which sentence is the author’s counterargument?

Answer 1

Answer:

(4) Some people believe that the government does not have the right to force people to be safe, and that these laws are unfair.

Explanation:

Counter argument is a statement which opposes writer's main argument for any purpose. However when a writer opposes one's own argument, it is usually for the purpose of including all point of views and aspects of the problem. In most of such cases the author negates (presents counter of counter argument) to finally establish one's original argument.

In this passage, the author is trying to establish the importance of making seat belts mandatory by law in each state of the United States. However in line 4, he presents some other people's point of view on this issue. And in line 5, restates his/her original argument. The overall effect, the author is trying to bring about in the audience by including the counter argument is that, he/she has already considered the counter argument as well.