Columnist: Until very recently, Presorbin and Veltrex, two medications used to block excess stomach acid, were both available only with a prescription written by a doctor. In an advertisement for Presorbin, its makers argue that Presorbin is superior on the grounds that doctors have written 200 million prescriptions for Presorbin, as compared to 100 million for Veltrex. It can be argued that the number of prescriptions written is never a worthwhile criterion for comparing the merits of medicines, but that the advertisement’s argument is absurd is quite adequately revealed by observing that Presorbin was available as a prescription medicine years before Veltrex was.

　　1. In the columnist’s argument, the two highlighted portions play which of the following roles?

　　A. The first is a claim that the columnist’s argument seeks to clarify; the second states a conclusion drawn about one possible interpretation of that claim.

　　B. The first identifies the conclusion of an argument that the columnist’s argument is directed against; the second states the main conclusion of the columnist’s argument.

　　C. The first states the main conclusion of the columnist’s argument; the second states a conclusion that the columnist draws in defending that conclusion against an objection.

　　D. The first identifies an assumption made in an argument that the columnist's argument is directed against; the second states the main conclusion of the columnist’s argument.

　　E. The first is a claim that has been offered as evidence to support a position that the columnist opposes; the second states the main conclusion of the columnist’s argument.

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