medium · GMAT Verbal
An airport authority has proposed extending one of its runways to accommodate larger long-haul aircraft, arguing that the extension will substantially increase the airport's annual passenger volume by attracting new nonstop international routes. Some board members support the project as proposed, while others argue that the authority should instead prioritize terminal capacity, since even with a longer runway, the airport's existing gates and customs facilities may not be able to process significantly more international passengers than they already do.
Which of the following would be most useful to determine in evaluating the runway-extension argument specifically?
- Whether the airport's existing gate and customs capacity could handle the passenger volume that new nonstop international routes would bring.
- Whether other airports that have extended runways saw an increase in cargo traffic.
- How much the runway extension project is projected to cost in total.
- Whether the board members who oppose the project have previously supported similarly large capital projects at this same airport, or tend to raise cost concerns regardless of a project's specifics.
- What the airport's total passenger volume was a decade ago.
Sign up free to see the explanation and track your rank →
More GMAT Verbal practice
- What logical role do the first two statements play?
- Which of the following is the conclusion?
- A gardener says: 'All roses in this garden require daily wat… — What is the role of the st
- What is the conclusion?
- What is the conclusion?
- Which statement is the conclusion?
- What is the conclusion?
- What logical role does the first sentence play in the researcher's argument?