Section: Verbal

47) It is true that it is against international law to sell plutonium to countries that do not yet have nuclear weapons. But if United States companies do not do so, companies in other countries will.

Which of the following is most like the argument above in its logical structure?

1. It is true that it is illegal for a government official to participate in a transaction in which there is an apparent conflict of interest. But if the facts are examined carefully, it will clearly be seen that there was no actual conflict of interest in the defendant's case.
2. It is true that it is against the police department's policy to negotiate with kidnappers. But if the police want to prevent loss of life, they must negotiate in some cases.
3. It is true that it is against the law to burglarize people's homes. But someone else certainly would have burglarized the house if the defendant had not done so first.
4. It is true that company policy forbids supervisors to fire employees without two written warnings. But there have been many supervisors who have disobeyed this policy.
5. It is true that it is illegal to refuse to register for military service. But there is a long tradition in the United States of conscientious objection to serving in the armed forces.
6. No Answer Selected

The argument in this passage acknowledges that a certain action contravenes a law, but it presents an excuse for the action by presupposing that someone will inevitably break this law. Only choice 3 shares all these features.