Section: Reading

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The author uses the statement, "Nearly all the Western European countries have much more generous payments for single mothers than the U.S., yet the prevalence of single motherhood is lower in these countries," to mean that:

1. Welfare benefits have little to do with the rise of single motherhood.
2. Welfare benefits are the reason women are single mothers.
3. Welfare benefits are only common in Western European countries.
4. Characterize welfare benefits as an important stepping stone for single mothers.

The author is demonstrating that in countries where there is more welfare available to single mothers, there are less cases of single motherhood, thus contradicting the conservative claim that more welfare equals more single motherhood.