单选题 Between 1970 and 1980, energy consumption by United States industry peaked and then declined, so that by 1980 total industrial use of energy was below the 1970 level even though total industrial output had grown substantially in the same period. Industry must have instituted highly effective energy conservation measures in those years to have achieved such impressive results.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the conclusion of the argument?

A、 Many industries switched to the greatest extent possible from high-priced oil to lower-priced alternatives throughout the 1970's.
B、 Total residential energy consumption was higher in the United States in 1980 than it had been in 1970.
C、 Many industrial users of energy had paid little attention to energy conservation prior to 1970.
D、 Industrial output grew less rapidly from 1970 to 1980 than it had from 1960 to 1970.
E、 (E) The industries whose production dropped sharply during the 1970's included a disproportionately large number of energy-intensive industries.

【正确答案】 E

【答案解析】[解析] 本题属于“B，A”类型的反对，由事实“1970年至1980年间能源消耗达到顶峰后又下降，而工业产量急剧上升”，得出结论“工业部门采取了高效节能的措施”。显然解题思路为“除了A以外有其他原因”。(E)指出20世纪70年代中的energy intensive industries产量大幅下降，能量使用也随之下降，解释了事实，因此(E)正确；(A)中的high-price，low-price为无关概念；(B)属于新比较不对；(C)没有说明1970年的情况；(D)新比较也必然不对。