Unit 4 · Strengthening Arguments
Police Officer's Helmet Rule — Strengthen the Claim
Lesson 1 of 14
The officer says motorcycle riders SHOULD wear helmets. Only option B gives a direct reason why — helmets reduce serious injury. The other options talk about cost, horse riders, and speed, none of which explain why helmets help motorcycle riders.
Safety recommendation questions (a professional says "people should do X") appear regularly in OC TS Strengthening Arguments questions. The correct support always gives a REASON why X is beneficial, not why the alternative is bad or why X is fashionable.
The examiner checks whether students can identify that supporting "X should happen" requires evidence that X produces a positive outcome — not evidence about cost/convenience (A), analogies from unrelated contexts (C), or contextually irrelevant comparisons (D).
A professional (police officer, doctor, specialist) makes a recommendation. Students must find the one statement that provides direct evidence that the recommended action is beneficial — usually a statistical or causal claim about reduced harm or improved outcomes.
Best approach: Ask: "Why should motorcycle riders wear helmets?" The correct answer must give a direct benefit of wearing helmets (reduced injury). Eliminate options about cost/weight (accessibility, not safety), analogies from different sports (irrelevant), and speed comparisons (doesn’t mention helmets).
Question
A police officer says: "Anyone riding a motorcycle should wear a helmet."
Which one of these statements, if true, best supports the police officer’s claim?
Select an answer to see the explanation.
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